SF-1207 American Popular Culture
In this course we will be spending a lot of time reading / viewing, analyzing, and discussing different forms of popular culture in the United States from a variety of different time periods. We will also consider a variety of media and genres, from documentary film, feature film, television and podcast to literary genres such as the novel, the autobiography, and the graphic memoir to analytical nonfiction writing about history, art history, politics, and culture. Three key themes we will explore are: 1) The American Dream 2) Passing and 3) Self-Invention / Self-Creation. Of course, not only should we be prepared to encounter thought-provoking syntheses between these three themes but we should also expect to discover plenty of other themes and throughways in our course materials, especially as they pertain to the role that the popular cultural imaginary plays in producing cultural meaning and its relationship to power at its intersections of class, age, race, ethnicity, gender, etc. We will lean upon our own expertise as producers and consumers of popular culture as a starting point for exploring the numerous ways that it influences how we see ourselves, other people, and the world around us.
Prerequisite
Student has satisfied all of the following Academic Unit (Computed) in the selection list Advertising Public Relations and Social Media, Art and Design, Biology, Biology and Radiation Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, Communication Journalism and Media, Economics, English, Environmental Science and Studies, History Language and Global Culture, INTO College of Arts and Sciences, Math and Computer Science, Medical Dosimetry, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science and Legal Studies, Psychology, Radiation Sciences, Sociology and Criminal Justice ... And Student has satisfied all of the following Latest Class Standing in the selection list Freshman