Thus, cross-cultural, globally-informed, interdisciplinary study likely will be the rule rather than the exception for the next generation of Americanists, both in the United States and in other countries of the world. In the following dialogue, scholars from the United States and a number of regions overseas share their perspectives on teaching American studies.-- J.F.S.

EDITOR'S NOTE: PARTICIPANTS ARE IDENTIFIED BY REGION OR COUNTRY RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL NAME. COMMENTS OF MULTIPLE PARTICIPANTS WITHIN ONE REGION OR COUNTRY HAVE BEEN CONSOLIDATED. COMMENTATORS INCLUDE:

CHINA: Dr. Zhang Youlun, professor of history at Nankai University, Tianjin, China. Professor Zhang was a Fulbright scholar in 1982-83 at the University of Minnesota, where his research topic was "American Labor and Socialist Leaders, 1850-1900." He is president of the American History Research Association of China. Profesor Zhang can be reached at: Institute of History, Nankai University, Tianjin, PRC. IVORY COAST: Dr. Amani Konan is associate professor of English at the University of Cocody (formerly known as the National University of the Ivory Coast). He was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Iowa and received his doctorate in 1992 from the department of English. Dr. Konan can be reached at: 22 B.P. 711 Abidjan 22, C“te d'Ivoire, West Africa; Phone/fax 225-42-55-72.

LATIN AMERICA: Dr. Andrew Lakritz, an American studies specialist and consultant, holds a doctorate in English from the University of California at Irvine. He was a visiting professor of American studies at the University of Brasilia, Brazil, in the fall of 1996. Dr. Lakritz can be reached at: 1200 N. Veitch St., Apt. 1225, Arlington, VA 22201. E-mail: 105170.140@compuserve.com

Dr. Pablo Pozzi is head of the American studies program at the University of Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Started in 1993, it is the only full-time American studies program in Argentina. He also holds the U.S. history chair at the University of Buenos Aires. Professor Pozzi has a doctorate in history from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He specializes in late 20th-century labor history of both the United States and Argentina. He can be reached at: Ecuador 1185, 8 piso, Buenos Aires, (1425) Argentina; E-mail: Pablo@Pozzi.satlink.net; Phone/fax 54-1-961-7738.

POLAND: Dr. Andrew Lakritz (see above) was a Fulbright lecturer at the University of Silesia in 1990-91.

INDIA: The following scholars are in the vanguard of American studies in South India, which has pioneered innovative American studies programs. Pondicherry University offers a master's level interdisciplinary American studies program; Loyola and Madras Christian colleges offer interdisciplinary courses, and more programs are being finalized at other schools in the region. Dr. Bernard D'Sami is a senior lecturer in history at Loyola College in Madras. Dr. M. Suresh Babu is professor of public administration at Madras Christian College. Dr. A. Marudanayagam is chairman of the department of English and comparative literature at Pondicherry University.

Q: In your geographic area, who are the American studies students?

POLAND: Those taking one or more American studies courses tend to be language students, or teachers of English who want to improve their skills. Also, there are some who are studying English for use in careers in business and diplomacy, or in education -- in national universities or in the private colleges and schools that have sprouted all over Poland in the last few years. LATIN AMERICA: In a number of institutions in Argentina, the students are either history or literature majors, a majority female. The average age is 23. At the University of Palermo, students are a mixture of business majors, teachers and businessmen taking courses in our continuing education program, and history majors who are taking a minor in U.S. studies.

At the University of Brasilia, most students are drawn from the language departments, although several other disciplines -- among them international relations, history, political science and sociology -- are heavily dependent on American studies.

INDIA: Students opting for the survey courses in American studies at Loyola and Madras Christian Colleges generally are majoring in such other disciplines as mathematics, physical and biological sciences, communication, commerce, English literature and computer science.

Q: What attracts students to American studies, and how do they expect to use it in their careers?

IVORY COAST: Some former American studies majors have found jobs with American companies. Most are high school teachers. The main reason may simply be that it reflects their admiration for the United States and a desire to know more about it. Certainly the American Studies Association, linking students and professors, attracts many undergraduates to the field through its conferences, English conversation sessions, film programs and social events.

INDIA: In a way, the courses offered at various institutions satisfy the curiosity of the students to learn, in a holistic manner, about the world's sole superpower -- a curiosity whetted by the print and electronic media. Also, the students are guided by instructors who have an abiding interest in teaching about the United States. As to the possible use of the training, indications are that students intend to pursue such careers as education, journalism, and civil and foreign service -- all of which would benefit from a knowledge of the United States. But since interdisciplinary American studies courses are relatively new, it remains to be seen what the future impact might be.

LATIN AMERICA: In Brasilia, many students who are language and translation majors plan to teach English at various colleges or language schools. For them, the American studies interdisciplinary approach is crucial, affording an opportunity to survey intensively American life and institutions, history and culture, thus clarifying and deepening their knowledge of the language.

In Buenos Aires, others are interested in securing jobs in the United States, or complementing their business skills with knowledge of the United States that might help them professionally. Still others simply seek to round out their training, especially in learning new perspectives, theories and hypotheses.

CHINA: At the bi-national Nanjin University-Johns Hopkins University Center for U.S.-Chinese Culture Studies, junior graduate students are prepared for the teaching profession and for advanced studies. The center enrolls dozens of students annually, most of whom are pursuing research in American history.

Q: What subjects are included in the program?

POLAND: Students of English engage in a variety of course work that ranges from language and linguistics, conversation, grammar and pedagogy (the teaching of English) to such subjects as philosophy and Polish and European history. Because Polish universities are more fragmented than those in the United States, a student of language who wants to enroll in business or economics courses, for example, must take those courses in separate institutions. Music studies are confined to conservatories; athletics and physical education courses are found in their own institutions, and so on. Thus English- language students, and students of U.S. culture and society, are more highly specialized than their American counterparts.

LATIN AMERICA: At the University of Palermo, students are taught history, literature, media, art, economics, foreign relations, women's studies, government and politics in this program. Specializing requires at least 10 courses in U.S. studies.

At the University of Brasilia, most students pursue linguistics, pedagogy, theories and practice of translation, the history of the English language, and language study -- including grammar, conversation and reading comprehension.

INDIA: The four colleges offering across-the-board interdisciplinary survey work at the undergraduate level present such courses as American literature, history, politics, science/technology and sociology. Madras Christian College offers a two-semester survey course entitled `The United States of America: Ideas, Process and Administration,' taught by faculty members from the departments of English, public administration and political science. The graduate master's program at Pondicherry University offers extensive courses in American literature, history, politics and government, international relations and American philosophical thought.

IVORY COAST: Within the department of English, first- and second- year students take American civilization, covering mostly history and what it is like to live in the United States. Third-year students begin working towards their bachelor's degree, which actually consists of two certificates. One, called Lettres EtrangŠres, or "foreign letters," is required of everyone. There is a choice for the second certificate from among African, British and American literatures and civilizations, linguistics and communication. Advanced degrees also are available in these subject areas. Students of American literature cover drama, fiction, essays and literary history, focusing on such representative authors as William Faulkner, James Baldwin, Eugene O'Neill, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Louise Erdrich, Lorraine Hansberry, Amiri Baraka, Toni Morrison and Robert Frost.

CHINA: In the graduate division of Nankai University, in which American history is deemed one of the key academic subjects, courses range across the spectrum. Examples: the history of American diplomacy, U.S. cultural history, the U.S. social and labor movements, women in the United States, American historiography, America's ethnic groups, the meeting of four civilizations in the Americas, and a comparative study of Sino-U.S. cultural institutions.

Q: What is the approach taken to teaching American studies in your region or at your institution?

IVORY COAST: We generally use the subject-by-subject approach, although we try to make it more interdisciplinary by relating literary trends to historical events.

INDIA: The main emphasis is on an interdisciplinary approach in all institutions.

LATIN AMERICA: In Buenos Aires, although the courses are taught subject-by-subject, they are all mainly interdisciplinary, with heavy emphasis in cultural studies. Students use sociological and historical backgrounds to delve into the subjects. In terms of methodology, we combine written articles, books and texts with films, novels and poetry.

At the University of Brasilia, American studies is taught as a literary course and is not interdisciplinary. However, one of the lead teachers in the department is working to organize a nucleus that would draw faculty from different departments into an American studies program. The University of Sao Paulo already has such an American studies nucleus. Many scholars in history, literature, anthropology, sociology and other disciplines throughout the country teach courses with American studies content. As for the active American Studies Association in Brazil, the group tends not to be interdisciplinary in the United States sense.

POLAND: At the University of Silesia, interdisciplinarity is a very important component of English and American studies. Many senior professors have extensive backgrounds in both literature and philosophy. Individual professors often combine literary studies with historical, economic, political and social studies. In addition, the program introduces students, of necessity, to cross-cultural or multicultural perspectives, even if these perspectives have a different look than those in the United States. There is a keen interest in Poland's own multicultural past and present; through the study of U.S. history and culture, Poles can find a valuable route to exploring these issues on a comparative basis.

Q: If American studies is one of several area or regional studies being offered at educational institutions in your region, what are the others?

LATIN AMERICA: The University of Palermo also offers especializaciones in European, Asian and Latin American studies. But American studies is by far the most successful, with the most demand.

INDIA: There are no area study programs of any kind. However, when American studies courses are established, we expect that it will lead to the eventual development of several other similar programs. We see, as one of the best arguments for the creation of an American studies course, the fact that it might be part of a much-desired area studies concentration.

Q: In the United States, American studies is a full-time enterprise for students, often leading to advanced academic degrees. Is this the case at your institution, or in your region?

LATIN AMERICA: At this time, there are no full-time American studies programs anywhere in Brazil. To my knowledge, only two American studies programs exist in all of Latin America -- a master's program at the Universidad de las Americas, in Puebla, Mexico, and, of course, the program at the University of Palermo, in Buenos Aires.

IVORY COAST: Those who choose American studies for their second B.A. certificate go on to full-time master's programs. Several students and professors are writing theses on American studies topics.

INDIA: Today, only Pondicherry University offers such a full-time course of study, leading to an M.A. in American studies. But Annamalai University is preparing a curriculum for an interdisciplinary full-time master's degree program in American studies that, it is anticipated, will be offered as of July or August 1997.