35th Annual American Studies Seminar, 2005

The Arts in America

May 5 - 8, 2005

Berlin

In cooperation with the Amerikazentrum Hamburg

The annual American Studies Seminar of the U.S. Embassy provides teacher trainers (Fachleiter), secondary school curriculum planners, representatives of ministries of education, textbook writers, and educators with up-to-date information on American society and values. The conference atmosphere is one of intense exchange with American specialists in interdisciplinary aspects of politics, economics, and American studies.

Program

Thursday, May 5

Arrival during the day.

13:00

Registration starts

14:00

Coffee in the lobby

14:30

Welcome Remarks
Anne Chermak, Minister Counselor for Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy
Manfred Strack, Amerikazentrum Hamburg
Martina Kohl, U.S. Embassy

15:00

Udo Hebel, Regensburg University
"American Arts in the EFL Classroom"

16:00

Keynote Address:
Michael Kammen, Cornell University
"Teaching American History through the Arts: The Mall in
Washington as ‘Sacred Space’"

17:30

Late Registration

18:00

Welcome Reception

18:30

Welcome Dinner

19:30

Film showing "Strange Fruit" by Joel Katz

Friday, May 6

Session I

09:00 - 10:30

Udo Hebel, Regensburg University
"What’s Up on Broadway: Contemporary Theater and Drama"

10:30 - 11:00

Coffee Break

Session II

11:00 - 12:30

Michael Kammen, Cornell University
"Arts Controversies"

Discussion

Lunch

Session III

14:00 - 15:30

Joel Katz, New Jersey City University
"Documentary Film: A History"

15:30 - 16:00

Nancy Rajczak, U.S. Embassy Berlin, Information Resource Center
"Digital Images & Texts - Copyright Issues in the Classroom"

16:00

Coffee Break

Afternoon free

No Dinner!

Saturday, May 7

Session I

09:00 - 10:30

Jane Feuer, University of Pennsylvania,
"The Hollywood Musical: an American Art Form"

10:30 - 11:00

Coffee Break

Session II

11:00 - 12:30

Discussion Groups:
Feuer, "Teen Musicals"
Hebel/Moreth, "American Contemporary Drama"
Kammen, "Teaching History through Art"
Katz, "Strange Fruit: Shooting a Documentary Movie"
Perry, "Autobiographical Writing and Performance"
Strack, "Chicano Artistic Expression"

Lunch

Session III

14:00 - 15:30

Discussion Groups Repeat:
Feuer, "Teen Musicals"
Hebel/Moreth, "American Contemporary Drama"
Kammen, "Teaching History through Art"
Katz, "Strange Fruit: Shooting a Documentary Movie"
Perry, "Autobiographical Writing and Performance"
Strack, "Chicano Artistic Expression"