Introducing ‘The American South’: A Free Online Course from the Institute of Humanities at Northumbria University
On October 31^st 2016, join over 4600 learners across the world and begin a unique, five-week online education experience. Encouraged to ponder all things southern – from Martin Luther King, Jr. to the mint julep – learners will explore this most intriguing yet often maligned region of the United States, guided by experts from the Institute of Humanities at Northumbria University. Learners will read articles, watch videos, participate in quizzes and group discussions, and even undertake some southern recipes in their own kitchens. Interacting with experts as well as each other, those enrolled on this free and distinctive course will experience a truly interdisciplinary introduction to the history, climate, culture and politics of the former Confederacy, exploring its manifestations in literature, film, music, television and food. They will be forced to consider the connections (and leaps) between ideas, stereotypes, and reality: how much of what we ‘know’ about the South is actually grounded in or relevant to the southern experience? Similarly, where and when does the South begin, end, and simply exist?

To join this free course and watch an introductory video from BAAS Chair Professor Brian Ward, head to https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/american-south