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**STUDY OF THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTES FOR SCHOLARS**

**SUMMER 2008 PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS**

A. **JOUNALISM AND MEDIA**

HOST INSTITUTION: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, GAINESVILLE

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE A MULTINATIONAL GROUP OF
18 JOURNALISM FALCULTY AND OTHER RELATED SPECIALISTS WITH A DEEPER
UNDERSTANDING OF JOURNALISM'S AND THE MEDIA'S ROLE IN U.S. SOCIETY.

IT WILL EXAMINE MAJOR TOPICS IN JOURNALISM, INCLUDING THE CONCEPT OF A
"FREE PRESS," FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, AND THE MEDIA'S RELATIONSHIP TO
THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

THE LEGAL AND ETHICAL QUESTIONS POSED BY JOURNALISM WILL BE INCORPORATED
INTO EVERY ASPECT OF THE INSTITUTE. THE INSTITUTE WILL COVER STRATEGIES
FOR TEACHING STUDENTS OF JOURNALISM THE BASICS OF THE

TRADECRAFT: RESEARCHING, REPORTING, WRITING, AND EDITING. THE PROGRAM
WILL ALSO HIGHLIGHT TECHNOLOGY'S IMPACT ON JOURNALISM, ADDRESSING THE
INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNET, THE GLOBALIZATION OF THE NEWS MEDIA, THE
GROWTH OF SATELLITE TELEVISION AND RADIO NETWORKS, AND OTHER ADVANCES IN
MEDIA THAT ARE TRANSFORMING THE PROFESSION.

B. **RELIGIOUS PLURALISM IN THE UNITED STATES**

HOST INSTITUTION: UNKNOWN

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE A MULTINATIONAL GROUP OF
UP TO 18 FOREIGN UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND PRACTITIONERS WITH A DEEPER
UNDERSTANDING OF U.S. SOCIETY AND CULTURE, PAST AND PRESENT, THROUGH AN
EXAMINATION OF RELIGIOUS PLURALISM IN THE UNITED STATES AND ITS
INTERSECTION WITH AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

EMPLOYING A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH, DRAWING ON FIELDS SUCH AS
HISTORY, POLITICAL SCIENCE, SOCIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY, LAW AND OTHERS
WHERE APPROPRIATE, THE PROGRAM WILL EXPLORE BOTH THE HISTORICAL AND
CONTEMPORARY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE IN THE UNITED STATES;
EXAMINE THE WAYS IN WHICH RELIGIOUS THOUGHT AND PRACTICE HAVE
INFLUENCED, AND BEEN INFLUENCED BY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN-STYLE
DEMOCRACY; EXAMINE THE INTERSECTIONS OF RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE
UNITED STATES IN SUCH AREAS AS ELECTIONS, PUBLIC POLICY, AND FOREIGN
POLICY; AND EXPLORE THE SOCIOLOGY AND DEMOGRAPHY OF RELIGION IN THE
UNITED STATES TODAY, INCLUDING A SURVEY OF THE DIVERSITY OF CONTEMPORARY
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND ITS IMPACT ON AMERICAN POLITICS.

C. **AMERICAN POLITICS AND POLITICAL THOUGHT**

HOST INSTITUTION: UNKNOWN

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE A MULTINATIONAL GROUP OF
18 FOREIGN UNIVERSITY FACULTY WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF U.S.
POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AND MAJOR CURRENTS IN AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT.
THE INSTITUTE WILL PROVIDE THE PARTICIPANTS INSIGHT INTO HOW
INTELLECTUAL AND POLITICAL MOVEMENTS HAVE INFLUENCED MODERN AMERICAN
POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. THE INSTITUTE WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF
POLITICAL THOUGHT DURING THE FOUNDING PERIOD (CONSTITUTIONAL
FOUNDATIONS), AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND CURRENT FUNCTIONING OF THE
AMERICAN PRESIDENCY, CONGRESS AND THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY. THE EXAMINATION
OF POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE ELECTORAL
SYSTEM, POLITICAL PARTIES AND INTEREST GROUPS, THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM,
MEDIA AND THINK TANKS, OR THE WELFARE/REGULATORY STATE. THE INSTITUTE
WILL ADDRESS MODERN POLTICIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES IN THE UNITED STATES
(INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CIVIL RIGHTS, WOMEN'S RIGHTS, IMMIGRATION,
ETC.), AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE IN THE FORMULATION OF
PUBLIC POLICY.

D. **CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN LITERATURE**

HOST INSTITUTION: UNKNOWN

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE A MULTINATIONAL GROUPS OF
UP TO 18 FOREIGN UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND SCHOLARS WITH A DEEPER
UNDERSTANDING OF U.S. SOCIETY AND CULTURE, PAST AND PRESENT, THROUGH AN
EXAMINATION OF CONTEMPORARY AMERIAN LITERATURE. ITS PURPOSE IS TWO FOLD:
TO EXPLORE CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN WRITERS AND WRITING IN A VARIETY OF
GENRES; AND TO SUGGEST HOW THE THEMES EXPLORED IN THOSE WORKS REFLECT
LARGER CURRENTS WITHIN CONTEMPORARY AMERIAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE. THE
PROGRAM WILL EXPLORE THE DIVERSITY OF THE AMERICAN LITERARY LANDSCAPE,
EXAMINING HOW MAJOR CONTEMPORARY WRITERS, SCHOOLS AND MOVEMENTS REFLECT
THE TRADITIONS OF THE AMERICAN LITERARY CANON.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE PROGRAM WILL EXPOSE PARTICIPANTS TO WRITERS WHO
REPRESENT A DEPARTURE FROM THAT TRADITION, AND WHO ARE ESTABLISHING NEW
DIRECTIONS FOR AMERICAN LITERATURE.

E. **AMERICAN CIVILIZATION**

HOST INSTITUTION: NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE A MULTINATIONAL GROUP OF
18 FOREIGN UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND SCHOLARS WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING
OF U.S.

SOCIETY, CULTURE, VALUES AND INSTITUTIONS. THE PROGRAM EXAMINES SOME OF
THE CRITICAL HISTORICAL EPOCHS, MOVEMENTS, ISSUES AND CONFLICTS THAT
HAVE INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE U.S. NATION AND ITS PEOPLE AND
INCLUDES A STRONG CONTEMPORARY COMPONENT, PARTICULARLY CURRENT
POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC ISSUES AND DEBATES. THE COMPLEXITY AND
HETEROGENEOUS NATURE OF AMERICAN SOCIETY IS HIGHLIGHTED, AS WELL AS THE
INSTITUTIONS AND VALUES THAT HAVE ENABLED THE NATION TO ACCOMMODATE THAT
DIVERSITY.