North American Studies
Founded in 2008, North American Studies (NAS) at Leuphana is a growing discipline that promotes the teaching of and research on the cultures and literatures of Canada and the United States. With the success of two international conferences, the White-Indian Relations conference in 2009 and the Plain People conference in 2015, the idea of North American Studies at Leuphana took shape. Our innovative seminars are directly linked to and profit from our research interests: eco criticism and critical animal studies, ethnic and religious minorities as well as indigenous studies. Moreover, our interdisciplinary curriculum introduces students not only to critical scholarship but also to the art of creative fiction and non-fiction. Students are encouraged to explore North American Studies in their B.A. and M.A. theses.
Seeking to facilitate a dialogue between academia and the public, NAS offers the annual lecture series, Maple Leaf & Stars and Stripes , which brings accomplished scholars and acclaimed writers from North America as well as Europe to Leuphana. In addition, NAS was a founding member of the Northern German Network of North American Studies /Norddeutsches Netzwerk Nordamerikastudien, thereby placing Leuphana on the North American Studies map. In 2014, the Embassy of the United States in Berlin selected the members of NAS as the key creatives and editorial board for the American Studies Blog of the American Studies Journal. In the winter semester 2018/19, the Institute of English Studies joined forces with the Language Center in the area of North American Studies. As a result of these diverse endeavors and joint efforts, NAS will continue to contribute to the creation and strengthening of local, national, and transatlantic networks.