North American History and Institutions

This course aims to provide students with an understanding of the main historical events that led to the birth, institutionalisation, and social, political and cultural development of the United States. Students will examine the most relevant documents of US history and US current policies, from an institutional and historical perspective. Topics covered by the course include the variety of ideas expressed by US society during its historical trajectory, as well as the close connection between domestic and foreign politics, and between the principles of the American republic and the pragmatism of its leadership.

Through this course, students should be able to read subject-specific texts, and to apply this ability in the work environment, with a view to having a constructive dialogue with colleagues and facing challenges in this field, writing reports and providing useful opinions. They should also be able to talk about this subject to a broader audience. Finally, through the study of historical events they should acquire learning skills to examine case studies on their own.