AMERICAN CULTURE RESOURCES

See also topics on Native American Youth and African-American Youth.

WEBSITES

How to tell if you're an American

Interesting series of postings on American culture.

National Public Radio - This I Believe

Popular Culture and American Culture Associations

BOOKS

Culture. Encyclopedia Americana

. Definition, development, and elements.

Bender, D.L. (1989). American Values: Opposing Viewpoints

. St. Paul, MN: Greenhaven Press. Contrasting views regarding the political, social, economic, religious values, patriotism and the critical need of the U.S.

Bernards, N. & Modl, T. (eds.). (1988). The Mass Media: Opposing Viewpoints

. St. Paul, MN: Greenhaven Press. Opposing perspectives on the role of media and advertising on society and politics.

Bloom, A. (1987). The Closing of the American Mind: How Higher Education has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today’s Students

. New York City: Simon and Schuster. A profound, disturbing, and overall negative analysis of contemporary American culture.

Brake, M. (1985). Comparative Youth Culture: The Sociology of Youth Culture and Youth Subcultures in America, Britain and Canada

. London and New York City: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Casty, A. (1968). Mass Media and Mass Man

. New York City and Toronto: Holdt, Rinehart and Winston. Analysis of the tremendous role of mass media.

Hunter, D.J. (1992). Culture wars: The struggle to define America

. Basic Books. The author of American Evangelicalism here attempts to place current battles over abortion, art, education, family, etc. in the context of a struggle over American identity between a coalition of Fundamentalists, Orthodox Jews and conservative Catholics, on one side, and progressives and liberals on the other.

McGuire, M.B. (1992). Religion: The Social Context

. (3rd ed.). Wadsworth Publishing Company. An introduction to the sociology of religion. Helps us to consider how religion as a social system influences young people. (Especially chapters 3 and 8.)

Schultze et al. (1991). Dancing in the Dark: Youth Pop Culture and the Electronic Media

. Eerdmans. Raises challenging questions and suggestions for a philosophy of pop art and culture.

Young, K. (1949). Sociology: A Study of Society & Culture

. American Book Co.