Southern
Studies
Concentration

A Concentration in Southern Studies offers students the opportunity to explore traditional disciplines through an interdisciplinary perspective that focuses on the significance of the American South (and societies in the western hemisphere that directly affected its development) as a region comprised of different cultures and peoples. Students study the American South and its history, politics, religious traditions, visual and musical images, language, archeological past, natural environment, as well as its future. This Concentration encourages students to examine the myths and realities of life in the South and to foster scholarly investigation of this unique and fascinating region in order to understand its place and role in the nation. While the immediate goal of a Concentration in Southern Studies is to stimulate intellectual curiosity and to provide strategies for investigation of this region, the long term goal is to help Davidson students understand the universal by examining the particular and come to a greater understanding of the larger world.

Fannie Lou Hamer at 1964 Democratic National Convention

Concentration Requirements

Satisfactory completion of five courses or their equivalent to include:

One introductory course: HIS 343 (The Old South); HIS 344 (The New South); ENG 281 (Southern Writers)

At least one 300 or 400-level seminar: HIS 440 (Slavery in the Americas); HIS 451 (African American Cultural History); HIS 455 (Law and Society in American History); ART 402 (Capstone Seminar); ENG 486 (Faulkner and Welty); or department seminars to be designated by the Advisory Committee.

Three electives chosen from the following approved list of courses. One elective may be an independent study (395), practicum, or summer internship undertaken with the approval of the Advisory Committee.

Southern Studies Courses

ANT 205 Ethnic Relations

ANT 222 African Civilizations
ANT 257 The African Continuum

ECO 221      Economic History of the United States
ENG 281      Southern Literature
ENG 282      African-American Literature
ENG 383      Caribbean Literature
ENG 486      Faulkner and Welty
FRE 361       Francophone Africa and the Caribbean
HIS 302        African American History to 1877

HIS 303 African American History since 1877

HIS 340        Colonial America
HIS 343        The Old South
HIS 344        The South Since 1865
HIS 346        The Civil War and Reconstruction

HIS 357 Civil Rights Movement in the United States

HIS 440 Slavery in the Americas
HIS 451 African American Cultural History

HIS 455 Law and Society in American History

MUS 122      Music of the United States
REL361        Religion of the American South
SOC 205      Ethnic Relations
SPA 374       Caribbean Peoples, Ideas and Arts

Only two courses in a student's major may be counted toward the Concentration; no more than two courses in any one department may be counted toward the Concentration; and no more than two courses focusing on the Caribbean may count toward this Concentration.

A grade of "C-" or higher is required in all courses counted toward the Concentration.

Faculty Teaching Courses in the Southern Studies Concentration

Daniel Aldridge
Nancy Fairley
Brenda Flanagan
Alberto Hernandez-Chiroldes

Mike Guasco
Neil Lerner

Gerardo Marti

Sally McMillen

Elizabeth Mills

Carlos Rivera
Clark Ross
Shaw Smith
Lauren Yoder

John Wertheimer

Ann Wills

The Southern Studies Concentration
is administered by the
Southern Studies Advisory Committee
The faculty liaison is Dr. Sally McMillen, who is on leave in 2006 and will be replaced by Dr. Shaw Smith. Students shall submit their application to the Advisory Committee by the end of fall semester of their junior year. The application will designate the courses to be used to satisfy Concentration requirements. Any internship or course taken at another institution must be approved by the Advisory Committee. Approval of the application for the Concentration is made by the registrar upon the recommendation of the Southern Studies Advisory Committee.

Southern Studies Advisory Board
Sally McMillen, Professor pf History
Elizabreth Mills, Professor of English
Shaw Smith, Associate Professor of Art
For additional information contact:
Sally McMillen
History Department
Davidson College
Davidson, NC 28036
(704) 892-2271
email: samcmillen@davidson.edu

Search Davidson Davidson Home

This page was created by Ann Douglas, History Departmental Assistant
Send comments and/or questions to andouglas@davidson.edu