American Studies by any measure is a path-breaking field. It emerged from the efforts of restless academics to bring the vitality of engaged, cultural criticism into concerted scholarly practice. Frustrated by the limitations of disciplines, these scholars developed fertile conversations across disciplinary boundaries. From its inception, this interdisciplinary endeavor we now call American Studies has excelled in framing new and exciting questions, expanding the range of sources for research and devising cutting-edge methods of scholarship.

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