Department of American Studies: Literature and Media

Members of the Department of American Studies: Literature and Media focus in their teaching and research on the literature and media culture of the United States.

Teaching

Obligatory undergraduate (B.A.-level) survey courses on the history of American literature

Depending on the specialisation, students are required to attend 30 hours or 60 hours of the History of American Literature classes, which are supplemented for some groups with 30 hours of lectures. After taking the classes and attending the lectures students get a good grasp of major literary developments in American literature from the 17th to the beginning of the 21st century, they know names of major authors, titles of their works, names and characteristics of the most important literary movements and are able to show the development of major themes of the literature of the United States throughout the ages. Most importantly, they also gain a better understanding of the art of literature and learn interpretative strategies that help them to better appreciate and understand literary texts, and to enjoy them more. All courses finish with a written examination.

Elective undergraduate (B.A.-level) proseminars and seminars, and graduate (M.A.-level) seminars on selected United States literature topics are also offered every academic year.

M.A. program: American Literature and Culture (link).

Full-time B.A. program in American Studies (link).

Research

The main research areas of the Department members include:

  • modernist and contemporary poetry, literature of the South, postmodernist prose, Romantic prose and poetry, American comics and graphic novels, American popular culture;
  • and such broad areas as postcolonial literary and media studies, aspects of literary and media theory, memory and literature/media, religion and literature/media, feminist theory, intermediality, and word and image studies.

Activities and Events

  • 5th Re-Examining American Literature Student Symposium "Objects in American Literature and Culture", 22 March 2025 roku; more about the event: link.
  • Polish Association for American Studies 2023 Annual Conference "America and Deep Time: Alternate Geographies, Temporalities and Histories" takes place at our Faculty on October 25-27, 2023. You can find out more about the conference here.
  • 4th Re-Examining American Literature Student Symposium "American Pasts and American Futures in Literature and Culture" took place on March 25, 2023; more about the event: link.
  • Book Lovers Among Students (BLASt): a series of moderated regular, usually monthly, meetings devoted to discussions on selected texts from the U.S. literature. Read the texts and join the club! Everyone is welcome! To learn more, please contact Professor Paulina Ambroży at apaulina@amu.edu.pl
  • Current events: (guest lectures, poetry-reading contest, etc.) go to "News" and "Events" [in English] or "Aktualności" and "Wydarzenia" [in Polish]
  • Past events:
    • Life-Writing Conference, Adam Mickiewicz University, March 7, 2015
    • LIES 2011: our Department co-organized the 7th Literature in English Symposium (April 17th, 2011)

Head

Paulina Ambroży

University professor

Paulina Ambroży

Members