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07: Trust in America: Understanding the cultures and society of the United States

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Hauptschule
Seminar /
in englischer Sprache

Trust is an essential component of American culture, in terms of ideological promises, governmental systems, consumer culture, and international relations. Yet in some ways the recent history of the United States – from bank failures to dubiously declared wars – has brought about a crisis of trust, both within the United States and in U.S. global relations. Understanding the culture of the United States at the present time requires us to look at several interrelated areas of American culture and at the history of trust in American society. Using a variety of materials (literature, visual materials, film, documents and speeches), this seminar will explore trust in terms of the following broad areas and agencies:
– The promise of America: Does the U.S. still offer its citizens and immigrants a vision of the American Dream?
– Trusting the government: Can individual rights be balanced against state power?
– Trusting self and trusting others: Is the culture of individualism still alive? How strong is collectivism?
– Trusting the corporation: What are the responsibilities of businesses? To whom are they responsible?
– Trusting the media: Given an absolute dependence on information, can Americans believe what they see and hear?
– Trusting science and trusting religion: In the face of our technological challenges, how do science and religion compete for authority in the U.S.?

Professor and Chair of American Studies, Department of English and American Studies, Faculty of Languages and Literatures, University of Regensburg Chair
Professor of English and American Studies, Department of English, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, Philadelphia Chair

Dr.phil.habil. Udo HEBEL

Professor and Chair of American Studies, Department of English and American Studies, Faculty of Languages and Literatures, University of Regensburg

1982-1984 1. und 2. Staatsexamen Englisch / Deutsch, Universität Mainz
1982-1983 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
1995-1996 Wissenschaftlicher Assistent, Universität Mainz
1989 Promotion Dr. phil., Universität Mainz
1992-1993 Gastwissenschaftler Harvard University, USA
1995 Habilitation (venia: Amerikanistik), Universität Mainz
1995-1996 Professor für Amerikanische Literatur und Kultur, Universität Potsdam
1996-1998 Professor für Nordamerikanische Literatur, Universität Freiburg
seit 1998 Lehrstuhl für Amerikanistik, Universität Regensburg. Abgelehnte Rufe: Lehrstühle in Kassel, Mainz, Freiburg
2003-2005 Dekan der Philosophischen Fakultät der Universiät Regensburg
2006-2008 Vizepräsident der Universität Regensburg

Ph.D. Miles ORVELL

Professor of English and American Studies, Department of English, College of Liberal Arts, Temple University, Philadelphia

1964 B.A., Columbia University
1970 Ph.D., Harvard University
since 1969 Professor of English and American Studies, Temple University, Philadelphia
1986-1987 Visiting Professor, University of Pennsylvania
1988 Fulbright Professor of American Studies, University of Copenhagen
1975-1980 Director of American Studies, Temple University
2000-2005 Director of American Studies, Temple University
since 2002 Editor in Chief, Encyclopedia of American Studies Online
2005-2006 Associate Dean for Graduate Affairs, Temple University
 Director, National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminars (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001)

Seminar Week

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Kategorie: all Plenary Seminar
Genre : all

20.08.2009

15:00 - 15:30Opening of the European Forum Alpbach 2009Plenary
15:30 - 17:00Opening speechesPlenary
17:00 - 18:30Presentation of the seminarsPlenary

20.08.-26.08.2009

Seminar 01: Vertrauensbildung in der Kommunikation – Kontrolle ist gut, Vertrauen ist besser!Seminar
Seminar 02: The biological foundations of trust and social decision-makingSeminar
Seminar 03: Global contracts, economic crisis and rebuilding trustSeminar
Seminar 04: Confidence-building in the context of security and ethnic conflictsSeminar
Seminar 05: Vertrauen im RechtSeminar
Seminar 06: Political trust and the role of religionSeminar
Seminar 07: Trust in America: Understanding the cultures and society of the United StatesSeminar
Seminar 08: The United Nations: International trust and global governanceSeminar
Seminar 09: The future of the internetSeminar
Seminar 10: Historical aspects of trust and confidence in societiesSeminar
Seminar 11: Trust in scienceSeminar
Seminar 12: Building trust: Development cooperationSeminar
Seminar 13: Trust and confidence in medicineSeminar
Seminar 14: Kunstmarkt und VertrauenSeminar

21.08.2009

15:30 - 17:30Plenary session “1989-2009: From revolution to normality. Challenges of city politics in Central Europe”Plenary

22.08.2009

15:30 - 17:30Plenary session: “Integrated risk policies for global systems at risk”Plenary

24.08.2009

17:00 - 19:00Plenary session “Public media in the digital age – Whom do you trust?”Plenary

25.08.2009

15:30 - 17:00Plenary session “Ethics and science”Plenary