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Titel
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The Divided States of America
Effort has been devoted to getting to know one another, practising collaboration, and developing oral skills on both academic and non-academic topics, as well as building good study habits.
The unit takes its starting point in the re-election of Donald Trump, and focuses on what divides Americans
Students should be able to:
- Account for various issues that divide Americans, including the themes below.
- Analyse non-fiction material with a focus on rhetorical devices.
- Analyse films with a focus on how they portray divisions in American society.
- Discuss why Americans have such different perceptions of the world.
Temaer og materialer:
WHAT IS AMERICA LIKE? Introduction
Focus on how the USA is portrayed, and on different stereotypes in American popular culture, for example: the lonely rider, the damsel in distress, the mad scientist, the patriot, the secret agent, the self-made man, etc.
Individual selection of a song or a superhero that illustrates a perception of the USA or a stereotypical American..
My examples: 'Empire State of Mind' (Alicia Keys og JAY-Z) og 'Black Widow'.
POLITICS: Trump reelected
- Excerpts of Trump's 'Victory Speech': https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-victory-speech-full-transcript-1981234
RACE: how we talk about it
- Comedy special by Hasan Minaj: Off with his head', Netflix 2024
VIOLENCE/TERRORISM:
- Online research into the mass shooting in New Orleans and the car bombing in Las Vegas on 1 January 2025.
RELIGION: abortion
- Short introduction to the American judicial system, 'checks and balances', and Roe v. Wade.
- ‘Enforced childbirth is slavery’, Margaret Atwood, 2022 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/07/enforced-childbirth-is-slavery-margaret-atwood-on-the-right-to-abortion?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0nQ7pUHC6LNjk5jnC3vuj_4tTH0-btlCjMaGc2pQM1vJz4ogzbV6Cme0w#Echobox=1651930350
INEQUALITIES: Racial, Gender/sexual orientation, income, health/disability, Geographic, Religious, Linguistic, social
- Various facts about inequality in the US
- The average Trump voter (various facts)
- Podcast: 'DaBaby gets real about hip hop culture', i: What Now? with Trevor Noah, (spotify)
FILMS ABOUT A DIVIDED USA:
Each group had chosen a film.
They analysed it with a focus on characterisation, how the film reflects a divide in American society/American culture, the American stereotypes included in the film, and film techniques in a selected clip—primarily close-ups, cutting pace, and sound.
Chosen films:
- American Beauty
- The Trial of the Chicago 7
- Coach Carter
- Shawshank Redemption
- The Fallout
- Joker
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