American Studies at Bates

Visit the full American Studies site

What does it mean to be “an American?” How does our understanding of American culture, and our relation to it, differ depending on historical context, social position, and the interpretive and ideological perspectives we bring to bear?

American studies pursues these questions using a variety of interdisciplinary approaches, texts, performances, and material culture as points of departure for a wide-ranging exploration of American culture. By analyzing race, gender, sexuality, social class, disability, and other identities — and reflecting on their own connections to these topics — students examine what it means to belong, hold privilege, or face exclusion.

Contact Us

Matt Von Vogt, Academic Administrative Assistant
4 Andrews Rd
Pettengill Hall
Phone: 207-786-8296 mvonvogt@bates.edu

What You Will Learn

garnet iconography with academic building, presentation slide, and clipboard with pen
To analyze the production, circulation, and critical reception of material culture and the American identity
garnet iconography with speech bubbles, books on a shelf, and crowd of people
To consider the ways that performances in everyday life, such as cooking and dress, produce cultural meaning
garnet iconography with open notebook, speech bubbles, and books
How to communicate effectively in writing and speech
garnet iconography with magnifying glass, stack of papers, and people in front of concentric circles
To consider intersectionality as a tool of critical analysis
garnet iconography with bar graph, academic building, and desktop computer
To examine the distributions of rights, privileges, and citizenship, and the allocation of economic resources
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How to foster ethical engagement in larger communities — local, national, and international

Life After Bates

The Program in American Studies prepares students for fulfilling careers in a variety of fields, including research and teaching; policy, advocacy, and community work; law; cultural organization and curating; and digitization and management. Graduates have attended law school and gone on to work in philanthropy or for major law firms; serve as administrators in both public community-based education and charter schools; and work in athletics, beauty, and the performing arts. 

94%

of 2020-2024 Bates graduates are employed and/or attending graduate school — settled into their next opportunity within 6 months of graduation.

Selected Places of Employment/Service
  • Fulbright
  • Ketchum
  • AmeriCorps VISTA
  • Busek Space Propulsion and Systems
  • Maine State Museum
  • Nebraska Democratic Party
  • Uncommon Schools
  • CIEE
  • Law Office of Lindy Korn PLLC
  • North American Language and Culture Assistants Program
Selected Graduate Schools
  • Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health
  • Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Boston College
  • Harvard University
  • University of Chicago
  • Bank Street College of Education
Students participating in a workshop break into small groups to discuss cultural production.
Student prepares for his upcoming presentation in a Screening Citizenship: Jewish Latin American Film class.
Two students prepare for the Annual Senior Exhibition in their first-floor Olin Arts Concert Hall studios.
Associate Professor of American Studies reads from an annotated book to his class.
A student engages in discussion with their professor during American Studies class in Pettengill Hall.
Four students and their professor engage in a small group discussion in a Pettengill Hall study lounge.
Four students and their professor engage in a small group discussion facing the blackboard in a Pettengill Hall study lounge.

Moments from inside Myron Beasley’s course Intro to AMST in the AMST Lounge in Pettengill Hall on March 23rd, 2026. (Theophil Syslo | Bates College) Myron Beasley, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of American Studies, he also serves on the committee of Gender and Sexuality Studies at Bates College. His ethnographic research includes exploring the intersection of cultural politics, material culture and social change. He has been awarded fellowships and grants by the Andy Warhol Foundation, the Whiting Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and most recently the Ruth Landes Award from the Reed Foundation. His ethnographic writing about Africana Cultural Politics, Contemporary Art, Material Culture and cultural engagement has appeared in many academic journals including Text and Performance Quarterly, Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture, The Journal of Poverty, Museum & Social Issues, The Journal of Curatorial Studies, Food and Foodways, and Performance Research. His food film/installation ritual/feast (of his ethnography is Brazil) has appeared in UMMI and Paris film festivals. His recent curatorial projects include The Ghetto Biennale (Haiti), CAAR Paris 7 (France), and Dak’art (Senegal).

Two students engage in a class discussion during a Race and Tobacco class in Roger Williams Hall.
Four students engage in a class discussion during a Race and Tobacco class in Roger Williams Hall.
A student raises their hand during a Race and Tobacco class in Roger Williams Hall.
Two students share work on their computer with their professor during Race and Tobacco class in Roger Williams Hall.
Three students engage in a class discussion during a Race and Tobacco class in Roger Williams Hall.
A professor presents to a small group of students during a Race and Tobacco class in Roger Williams Hall.
A professor presents to a small group of students during a Race and Tobacco class in Roger Williams Hall.
Why Study American Studies at Bates?

Students in our program enjoy a wide range of hands-on experiences, from working with local organic farms and community gardeners to archaeological fieldwork in Alaska and on Maine’s Malaga Island. They also engage in curatorial work with local and regional galleries and museums, and work closely with well-known artists and musicians. In addition, students have the opportunity to collaborate with program faculty on research and experience a dynamic senior capstone grounded in a supportive faculty-student community.

Featured Courses

Meet the Faculty

Our faculty specializes in a range of fields, including musicology, gender and sexuality studies, politics, and history. They present research across the globe, curate national and international art exhibits and performances, contribute to national and international journals, and have received national awards from the Andy Warhol Foundation, the Whitney Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, and more.

Photo of Myron M. Beasley

Myron M. Beasley

Associate Professor of American Studies

American Studies Chair, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Photo of Dale E. Chapman

Dale E. Chapman

Alice Swanson Esty Professor of Music

Music, American Studies
Photo of Aleksandar M. Diamond-Stanic

Aleksandar M. Diamond-Stanic

Associate Professor of Physics

Physics and Astronomy, American Studies
Photo of Yunkyoung Garrison

Yunkyoung Garrison

Associate Professor of Psychology

Psychology, Asian Studies, American Studies
Photo of Jamie A. Haverkamp

Jamie A. Haverkamp

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies, American Studies
Photo of Rebecca Herzig

Rebecca Herzig

Charles A Dana Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies

Gender and Sexuality Studies Chair, American Studies
Photo of Amy B. Huang

Amy B. Huang

Assistant Professor of Theater

Theater, American Studies
Photo of Melinda A. Plastas

Melinda A. Plastas

Associate Professor of Gender and Sexuality Studies and American Studies

Gender and Sexuality Studies, American Studies
Photo of Anelise H. Shrout

Anelise H. Shrout

Associate Professor of Digital and Computational Studies and History

Digital and Computational Studies, History, American Studies

News & Events

David Omasombo ’26 & Chiwer Mayen ’26: Standing Tall for Lewiston
June 30, 2026

David Omasombo ’26 & Chiwer Mayen ’26: Standing Tall for…

David Omasombo ’26 and Chiwer Mayen ’26 have shared many basketball courts across their young lifetimes, including historic Alumni Gym, but the first one stands out in their memories for being the worst, in a technical sense. The surface was uneven, the rims inconsistent, and, most of the time, there were no nets.