How did the United States of America become one of the most powerful nations in the world? What political, economic, military, and cultural processes transformed it from a continental power in the 1900 to a global hegemon by the century’s end?
This course traces the rise of the United States as a dominant force in the international order across the twentieth century. Through trade, wars, diplomacy, technological revolutions, ideological contests, popular culture and consumer capitalism, the course examines how American influence contributed to shape institutions, economies, and societies worldwide. Students will explore the domestic foundations of global power (including democratic ideals, racial hierarchies, and industrial capacity) as well as the external projection of that power through imperialism, war, and soft power. Areas of study of the course will include the World Wars, the Cold War, nuclear strategy, the spread of consumer capitalism, civil rights and anti-colonial movements, covert interventions, and the cultural politics of Americanisation. The course draws on transnational and comparative histories to assess both the triumphs and contradictions of American hegemony, inviting students to consider how that legacy continues to define the global landscape today.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- demonstrate a broad understanding of key developments in U.S. political, military, economic, and cultural power throughout the twentieth century;
- critically evaluate historical interpretations of American global dominance and its contested meanings at home and abroad;
- analyse the relationship between domestic developments (such as civil rights, industrialisation, and political ideologies) and the projection of American power internationally;
- locate, interpret, and integrate a range of primary and secondary sources to construct evidence-based arguments about the causes and consequences of U.S. twentieth century hegemony; and
communicate clearly and persuasively in both oral and written formats on key themes including war, diplomacy, capitalism, and culture in twentieth century U.S. global history.
Indicative Assessment
- Essay plan and bibliography (1200 words) (25) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Research essay (2200-word count) (45) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- In-tutorial quiz (40 minutes) (20) [LO 1,2,3]
- Tutorial participation (10) [LO 1,2,4,5]
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Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks, involving a combination of lectures and group discussions; and
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
All prescribed reading will be available on Canvas.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
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