Video 1: Defining the American Dream

Description: This New York Times video examines the current state of the “American Dream” based on a Times/CBS poll and interviews with New Yorkers.

Video 2: And The Oscar Goes To...

Description: In this video from PBS, the Oscar-nominated films of 2011 are examined for moral, ethical, religious, and spiritual themes. What do these themes (or lack thereof) illustrate about values in the United States as demonstrated through popular culture?

Audio 1: Exploring America’s “National Identity”

Description: This NPR Morning Edition story examines the culture of the United States. Experts discuss if the US is a “melting pot, a salad bowl--or, as one Harvard professor puts it, tomato soup.”

Audio 2: America’s Cultural Exports Now

Description: In this audio clip, professors of humanities and international politics discuss “cultural exports” from the United States. Specifically, they discuss the impact of these exports.

Web 1: What Does it Mean to be Human?

Description: In this website from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, information is provided on the characteristics of humans. As you look through the information on the site, consider how this impacts our differing cultural values (and those areas where we as humans do not differ). Consider focusing specifically on the “Social Life” and “Language and Symbols” pages of the website.