This course is an interdisciplinary exploration of U.S. history, society, thought, and imagination with special focus on the Rio Grande Valley as a microcosm of the nation. This course will examine the social construction of identity and difference, the culture of everyday life, and local and global perspectives of the United States, historically, in our present moment, and with a look toward the future. This course will introduce students to prevalent theories and methods within the discipline including, but not limited to critical race, feminist, and post-colonial theory.