January 30-31, 2016: January 2016 Recap

[A Recap of the month that was in AmericanStudying.]

January 4: DisneyStudying: Spaceship Earth: A series inspired by my first DisneyWorld visit kicks off with what stood out most to me and to my boys on Disney’s most interesting ride.

January 5: DisneyStudying: Tom Sawyer Island: The series continues with the history, appeal, and limits of Disney’s most unique space.

January 6: DisneyStudying: The Carousel of Progress: An attraction that highlights the best and worst of Disney’s visions of America, as the series rolls on.

January 7: DisneyStudying: Splash Mountain: What’s present and absent in a playful water ride and its complex cultural contexts.

January 8: DisneyStudying: Small Worlds: The series concludes with three sides to globalization captured in Disney’s parks.

January 9-10: Canobie and Theme Park Histories: A special weekend post, tracing three stages in the history of American theme parks through one New Hampshire site.

January 11: Spring 2016 Previews: Ethnic American Literature: A Spring semester series kicks off with the four pairs of authors and works we’re reading in my Ethnic Lit course.

January 12: Spring 2016 Previews: English Studies Capstone: The series continues with the five books through which my English Capstone course frames its different goals.

January 13: Spring 2016 Previews: Major American Authors of the 20^th Century: The seven authors and texts I’ve chosen for my lit seminar, as the series rolls on.

January 14: Spring 2016 Previews: American Literature I: Pairings of familiar and unfamiliar authors and works in each of my survey’s four time periods.

January 15: Spring 2016 Previews: A New ALFA Course and a Request: The series concludes with a request for input in my adult learning course—which has just begun but could still use your input!

January 16-17: NeMLA 2016 Preview: A special post on a few of the many things to which I’m looking forward at March’s Northeast MLA convention in Hartford.

January 18: The Real King: My annual MLK Day post kicks off a series on Civil Rights leaders.

January 19: King’s Colleagues: Yuri Kochiyama: The series continues with the inspiring Civil Rights figure whose life pushed way past binaries and boundaries.

January 20: King’s Colleagues: Coretta Scott King: Why and how we should better remember King’s partner in life and activism, as the series rolls on.

January 21: King’s Colleagues: Bayard Rustin: The Civil Rights leader who illustrates the possibilities and challenges of intersectionality.

January 22: King’s Colleagues: John Lewis: The series concludes with three moments that reflect the presence and role of a living legend.

January 23-24: 21^st Century Civil Rights: A special weekend addendum on five 21^st century Civil Rights issues and debates!

January 25: Colonial Williamsburg: Propaganda and Magic: A Williamsburg series kicks off with the political realities and magical effects of a historic site.

January 26: Colonial Williamsburg: Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum: The series continues with three telling exhibits and items from Williamsburg’s folk art museum.

January 27: Colonial Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot: What’s absent from Williamsburg’s historic film and what it can still offer viewers, as the series rolls on.

January 28: Colonial Williamsburg: The Magazine and the Public Gaol: The compelling interpretations and important elisions at my boys’ favorite sites.

January 29: Colonial Williamsburg: The Governor’s Palace Maze: The series concludes with the problems and pleasures of Williamsburg’s most fun attraction.

Next series starts Monday,

Ben

PS. Topics or themes you’d like to see covered in this space? Guest Posts you’d like to contribute? Lemme know!