Put simply, American Studies is the academic field covering anything and everything to do with the United States. While American history is a part of American Studies, as are American geography, politics, etc., American Studies encompass so much more. It might suffice it to say that American Studies involve the accumulation of enough knowledge concerning the United States to qualify someone to make judgments and predictions concerning the culture, people, and future of the United States of America.
To the average Australian, the United States may conjure up some well-known stereotypes–fast food, cowboys, big cars, Hollywood, and more. Certainly, these things are a part of American history and popular culture. However, armed with these limited reference points, one would be fairly clueless if relocating to or doing business in the United States. American Studies seek to bridge this gap.
For example, an Australian studying American history will learn about the U.S. Civil War. He or she will know that, along with the issue of slavery, the states of the American South sought to make individual state laws trump the laws of the federal government. With American Studies, this student will understand how the states’ rights issues is still important today.
What about understanding how Americans think? Several years ago, a cheese producer tried to market cheese to the American people by showing cheese hanging free in cheese shops, cut on a countertop, and generally “breathing.” This million-dollar marketing campaign flopped. Why? Students of American History knew instantly that Americans do not view food as “living” and “breathing.” Americans like their food as far removed from its source as possible, preferably with individual portions hermetically sealed in plastic. Another cheese manufacturer realized this, and started marketing strings and blocks of cheese individually wrapped in plastic. Today, this is how most Americans buy their cheese.
Working in politics, business, or any field, knowledge of American Studies is vital to success in the United States.