What You'll Learn
Engage with deep analyses of American culture, democracy, modernity, capitalism, globalization, racism, and immigration as viewed internationally. Each module of the course dives into region-specific views:
- America through Chinese Eyes – Perspectives informed by historical and contemporary Chinese views, including Sun Yat-sen’s thoughts.
- America through Mexican Eyes – Insights from influential figures like Octavio Paz, exploring immigration, identity, and cross-border relations.
- America through French Eyes – Reflections by Alexis de Tocqueville, Simone de Beauvoir, and Jean Baudrillard, dissecting American democracy, culture, and hyper-reality.
- America through African Eyes – Analysis from renowned figures such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, addressing American racial dynamics and cultural exchange.
- America through Russian Eyes – Taught by Dr. Lida Oukaderova, this module traces 150 years of Russian perceptions of the United States—examining how history, ideology, film, literature, and shifting political systems have shaped evolving, often contradictory Russian views on American democracy, capitalism, race, and cultural identity.
The course also uniquely "reverses the gaze," examining how Americans have historically viewed Africa, China, Mexico, and France.
Who Should Enroll:
- College students seeking interdisciplinary perspectives on America
- Professionals in international relations, education, and global affairs
- Culturally curious lifelong learners interested in world cultures and international viewpoints
- International students seeking deeper understanding of American identity and culture
You will be able to:
- Gain a nuanced understanding of American society and culture from diverse global perspectives
- Make use of algorithms in your programming
- Hone your skills that have been developed in the previous courses
LECTURE SAMPLES
MEET YOUR RICE PROFESSORS
Anne Chao, Ph.D.
Dr. Chao is a Program Manager of the Houston Asian American Archive (HAAA), which focuses on the immigration experience of Asian Americans to Houston. Dr. Chao is a College Associate and a Divisional Advisor to undeclared humanities students at Rice University. She is a member of the Advisory Boards of the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, the Chao Center for Asian Studies, the Kinder Institute, the Shepherd School of Music, and a member of the Patron Group of the Moody Arts Center. Her expertise includes modern Chinese history, diaspora studies, and transnational cultural exchanges, providing deep insights on America from Chinese perspectives
Moramay López-Alonso, Ph.D
Dr. López-Alonso is an Associate Professor of History at Rice University. She earned her Ph.D. in History from Stanford University, specializing in Latin American and economic history. Her extensive research includes examining living standards, inequality, poverty, and economic development in Latin America, with a particular focus on Mexico. Dr. López-Alonso is the author of "Measuring Up: A History of Living Standards in Mexico, 1850-1950" and has published widely in prominent academic journals. Her expertise provides critical perspectives on Mexican views regarding American identity, immigration, and cross-border dynamics.
Julie Fette, Ph.D.
Dr. Fette is an Associate Professor of French Studies at Rice University. She earned her Ph.D. from New York University and École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris. An interdisciplinary historian of modern French society, her research emphasizes gender, xenophobia, social exclusion, immigration, and postcolonialism. Her first book, Exclusions: Practicing Prejudice in French Law and Medicine, 1920-1945, analyzes discrimination shaped by anti-Semitism and xenophobia in early 20th-century France. Her upcoming monograph, Gender by the Book: 21st-Century French Children's Literature (Routledge, 2025), explores representations of gender and race in contemporary French children's literature. Dr. Fette is a faculty scholar at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy’s Center for the Middle East and a faculty affiliate of the Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, as well as the Program in Politics, Law & Social Thought. Recognized internationally, she was knighted by the French Ministry of National Education as Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes académiques.
Jeffrey Fleisher, Ph.D.
Dr. Fleisher is a Professor and Department Chair of Anthropology at Rice University. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. An archaeologist specializing in eastern and southern Africa, his research examines the roles of rural communities and non-elite individuals within urban settlements, exploring social inequality, power dynamics, and cultural practices through archaeological methods. He has pioneered innovative approaches to understanding ephemeral archaeological contexts such as earthen architecture and public spaces. His extensive research projects, including work at UNESCO World Heritage Site Songo Mnara, provide deep insights into African perceptions of urbanism, social space, and America.
Lida Oukaderova, Ph.D.
Dr. Oukaderova is an Associate Professor of Film Studies at Rice University, specializing in the history of European and Russian cinema, as well as Soviet cultural history. She is the author of The Cinema of the Soviet Thaw: Space, Materiality, Movement (Indiana University Press, 2017) and is currently writing a book on ethics in Soviet and Russian film. Professor Oukaderova received her PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Texas at Austin and her undergraduate degree in German Literature from Martin Luther University in Halle, Germany. Before coming to Rice, she taught at George Washington University in Washington, DC.
CONTACT
Any questions? Please e-mail RiceOnline@rice.edu
CONTACT
Any questions? Please e-mail RiceOnline@rice.edu