The American West — John Mack Faragher — AMST 141 — TTh 1.30-2.20

This class studies the history of the American West–”real and imagined” (I wonder why?)–from the 15th Century through the Sunbelt era. You also get to work with materials from Yale’s Western Americana Collection and watch movie clips! In the evaluations, one student “highly recomends it.” It can’t be that hard.

From Celebrity to Stardom — Joseph Roach — ENGL 362 — MW 2.30-3.45

A course about the development of the “star” from 1660 through the present, with special attention to the “charismatic attraction in the long eighteenth century” (as opposed to other, shorter centuries). The syllabus even includes a “charismatic celebrity exercise” (Sarah Palin? Tyra? Justin Bieber?), or, in other words, a chance to talk about which Hollywood star you are currently stalking.

Big City Politics in America: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago — Cynthia Horan — PLSC 264 — Th 3.30-5.20

If you’re a fan of California’s largest city, then this is the perfect class for you. The course examines how globalization is changing New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, covering such topics as economic restructuring, government reorganization, urban space, and racial conflicts. It sounds fun, but apparently isn’t for the faint of heart. One evaluation reads, “Avoid this class if you think it’s just going to be a cool history-like course on the politics of these three cities.”

Radical California — Stephen Pitti — AMST 395 — T 1.30-3.20

Frustrated by Prop 8 and the never ending illegality of marijuana in California? Here is the perfect class in which to unleash your battle cry. This course surveys 20th-century California history and culture, including the civil rights movement, the rise of Hollywood, and popular music. Also, the focus is mainly on San Francisco and Los Angeles, so you can ignore the conservative parts of the state. One student notes “you study how Radical California is ‘radical’ in three different interpretations: on the fringes of things, in the center of things (‘radius’), and awesome.”

Topics in Southern California History — John Mack Faragher — AMST 459 — W 2.30-4.20

This course studies “the history of a place with little public memory” (again, I wonder why?). The only downside is that it is a junior history seminar, so it will probably be very difficult to get into.

Want to check out more great classes this semester? Read the Bullblog No-Bull Guide to the Bluebook.