Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" describes a callous America in which the dollar trumps justice. It famously exposed the American meatpacking industry's loathsome practices and prompted federal consumer-protection laws. It is, however, primarily a sympathetic sketch of the foreign born, those fabled "masses yearning to breathe free" that Americans…

At the annual meeting of the American Studies Association, scholars deplored the lack of attention paid to the history and culture of ethnic and minority groups. Scholars have recently expanded their understanding of "American" to include Canada, Central and South America. (MLW)

American studies have largely explored the intersection between literature and history. An influx of scholars trained in the 1960s has infused American studies with a strong interest in issues of race and class, as well as popular culture. Some feel that this will dilute its basic mission. (MLW)

Many Asian-American studies programs have emerged on college campuses recently, due largely to high Asian-American enrollment and student pressure. The field originated in the 1960s, and has broadened to incorporate many ethnic groups. Courses may be either broad-based, comparing ethnic or immigrant groups, or narrowly focused on specific themes.…