The Confederacy Myth and the 'Good' War: American Warfare and American Memory

American history revolves around its Civil War. It created a second American Revolution, freed four million souls, and killed more Americans than all the nation’s other conflicts, combined. Similarly, the Second World War just as powerfully dominates American culture, politics, and history. In this course students will consider how memories of these and other catastrophes have shaped American politics, purposes, and possibilities. Through film, fiction, scholarship, poetry and philosophy, we will consider how Americans have historically conceived of these triumphs and tragedies—and how they might reframe those memories to build a better future. (Not open to students who have completed FYSE 1095 or HIST 1034.)