American Studies is an interdisciplinary field encompassing the study of American language, literature, society, and culture. Initially, this field combined historical and literary studies with theories and methods from other, more established disciplines. American Studies focuses on discussions about the United States and its relations with various countries around the world.
The objects of study in American Studies vary, but at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University (FIB UGM), research topics often include American literature, history, community, ideology, media, social movements, and intellectual history. Studies focusing on a particular ethnic group or racial group in America, or on their relations with other countries can also be conducted under the banner of American Studies. The use of literary works is strongly encouraged in this context. By treating literature as mental evidence, literary studies within American Studies do not aim to critique the literary work itself, but rather to use it as a lens for examining American society and culture.
Since 2016, the Master’s Program in American Studies has been under the Department of Intercultural Studies, Faculty of Cultural Sciences. Its placement within the Department provides broader opportunities for interaction with intercultural scholarship, which is expected to foster the development of collaborative, cross-disciplinary research capacity. The outcomes of such collaborative research will enrich the development of research-based teaching materials for courses under the 2017 curriculum.