Americans Abroad: Misconceptions about the US in Latin America

An under-discussed aspect of teaching American culture abroad is the need to disabuse students of false impressions caused by the U.S. media. Professors of American culture, language, and literature often find this process difficult because of the global reach of American media in the form of television programming and film. The power of these American forms is compounded by the music of the nation, rapidly disseminated via the Internet and television programs. Although much American music is considered countercultural, it nonetheless reinforces the stereotypes in its attempt to debunk the myths of American culture and the easy middle-class lifestyle. American Studies professors grapple with these myths of America as they work with students across the globe.

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