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Introduction

Introduction Reflections on Teaching America Abroad Benton Jay Komins American studies scholarship and pedagogy tend to devote themselves to demystifying hegemonic American culture; we ask readers and students alike to examine their subject positions within American ideology. But what happens when we teach America in foreign contexts? Many recent North American Ph.D.’s, pursuing academic careers in a tight job market, find themselves teach- ing abroad. This collection of essays, which grew out of a special session at the 2000 Modern Language Association convention in Washington, D.C., addresses some of the pedagogical challenges that arise in local contexts around the globe. The regions and countries discussed here, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Francophone West Africa, and Turkey, all have selective memo- ries when it comes to the culture and history of the United States, but their views rarely resemble those that we have learned to engage and critique in North American classrooms. From Christchurch to Ankara, the notion of America assumes disparate manifestations. Each essay in this collection therefore consid- ers what motivates particular ideological constructions of American life abroad. It is hoped that the collection will provoke a discussion of the pedagogical tech- niques that the authors have developed for http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Pedagogy Duke University Press

Introduction

Komins, Benton Jay
Pedagogy , Volume 2 (3) – Oct 1, 2002
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Copyright
© 2002 Duke University Press
ISSN
1531-4200
eISSN
1533-6255
DOI
10.1215/15314200-2-3-375
Publisher site
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Abstract

Reflections on Teaching America Abroad Benton Jay Komins American studies scholarship and pedagogy tend to devote themselves to demystifying hegemonic American culture; we ask readers and students alike to examine their subject positions within American ideology. But what happens when we teach America in foreign contexts? Many recent North American Ph.D.’s, pursuing academic careers in a tight job market, find themselves teach- ing abroad. This collection of essays, which grew out of a special session at the 2000 Modern Language Association convention in Washington, D.C., addresses some of the pedagogical challenges that arise in local contexts around the globe. The regions and countries discussed here, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Francophone West Africa, and Turkey, all have selective memo- ries when it comes to the culture and history of the United States, but their views rarely resemble those that we have learned to engage and critique in North American classrooms. From Christchurch to Ankara, the notion of America assumes disparate manifestations. Each essay in this collection therefore consid- ers what motivates particular ideological constructions of American life abroad. It is hoped that the collection will provoke a discussion of the pedagogical tech- niques that the authors have developed for

Journal

Pedagogy – Duke University Press

Published: Oct 1, 2002

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