American Studies and Indonesia: What to Consider and Why

 

 

Craig L. Dicker

 

 

American Studies programs and courses in Indonesia contribute to the foundation of mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries. A number of universities have embarked on developing specializations in American Studies. Since American Studies is an interdisciplinary field, universities must first delineate their conception of the field. The university’s human resources and expertise need to be assessed and considered in designing the program. Student interests and motivations for focusing on the field need to be taken into account. The nature of the program will, in part, drive how the university prioritizes its acquisition of relevant information resources. The first part of this chapter focuses on the decisions curriculum designers make in developing a program’s “explicit” content and some of the implications of their decisions. The second half of the chapter focuses on the notion of the “implicit” or “hidden” curriculum of American Studies programs. The implicit curriculum is embedded in the structure of the program, its requirements, examination procedures, required courses and admissions prerequisites. At the classroom level, it can be seen through the daily interactions of classroom participants. The importance of implicit curricula and their implications are discussed. Finally, the need for mutual support and understanding implies a two-way exchange of information and ideas. While American Studies programs are developing in Indonesia, Indonesian Studies programs also need to be developing in the United States.

 

 

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Dicker, C. L. (2004). American studies and Indonesia: What to consider and why. In B. Y. Cahyono & U. Widiati (Eds.), The tapestry of English language teaching and learning in Indonesia (pp. 291-305). Malang: State University of Malang Press.

 

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