American Studies has long been a home for adventurous students seeking to understand the culture and politics of the United States. Despite being taught in universities around the world, American Studies has resisted developing a coherent methodology for fear of losing the flexibility and freedom to imagine new avenues of thought. But what if these fears are misplaced? Through a fresh look at the origins of the field, this book contends that a shared set of "rules" can offer a springboard to creativity. American Studies: A User's Guide offers readers a critical introduction to the history and methods of the field, useful strategies for interpretation, curation, analysis, and theory, and case studies of American Studies in practice.

About the Author
Philip J. Deloria is the Carroll Smith-Rosenberg Collegiate Professor of American Culture and History at the University of Michigan. He is a former President of the American Studies Association, and he is the author of Indians in Unexpected Places and Playing Indian. Alexander I. Olson is an Assistant Professor in the Mahurin Honors College at Western Kentucky University, where he teaches history and social justice. His research examines creativity and place in American intellectual history.

Reviews
"This is a fun book that overwhelmingly proves quite dedicated to serious intellectual inquiry even when it goes for the cute way in to a topic or theme." * Society for US Intellectual History *



Book Information
ISBN 9780520287730
Author Philip J. Deloria
Format Paperback
Page Count 328
Imprint University of California Press
Publisher University of California Press
Weight(grams) 454g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 20mm