SOCIOLOGY OF POPULAR CULTURE
Spring 2005
Mark Rubinfeld
Nightingale 8
Office phone:
832-2430; Home phone: 364-1228
E-mail: mrubinfeld@westminstercollege.edu
Website: www.people.westminstercollege.edu/faculty/mrubinfeld
Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Wed., and Thurs.
Course
Description:
This course explores
the social implications of popular culture. Focusing on film, television,
music, fashion, books, magazines, the Internet, and other forms of
entertainment, the course critically examines how popular culture is produced,
disseminated, consumed, interpreted, and experienced in the
Required Articles
(on reserve):
Berman, Marshall.
“Justice/Just Us: Rap and Social Justice in
Ehrenreich, Barbara.
“Playboy Joins the
Fiske, John.
“The Jeaning of
Fowles, Jib.
“Deciphering Advertisements.”
George, Nelson. Hip
Hop
Gitlin, Todd.
“Imagebusters: The Hollow Crusade Against TV Violence.”
Inness, Sherrie A.
“Barbie Gets a Bum Rap: Barbie’s Place in the World of
Dolls.”
Lasn, Kalle. Culture Jam: How to Reverse
Leblanc, Lauraine.
“I’ll Slap on My Lipstick and then Kick Their Ass: Constructing
Femininity.”
Mantsios, Gregory. “Media Magic: Making
Class Invisible.”
Radway, Janice A.
“Reading the Romance: Women, Patriarchy, and Popular Literature.”
Ritzer, George.
“The McDonald’s System.”
Rubinfeld, Mark.
“Two Approaches to Studying Popular Culture: A Comparison.”
Seabrook, John. Nobrow: The Culture of
Marketing*The Marketing of Culture (selected excerpts).
Sternheimer, Karen. “Fear of Media
Violence: Four Fallacies of Media-Violence Effects.”
Strinati, Domenic.
“Postmodernism.”
Wilson, Cintra. “Mein Uberkampf.”
Course
Objectives:
Utilizing a variety
of learning tools including readings, lectures, video tapes, class discussions,
small group exercises, and group presentations, we will examine popular culture
from three critical viewpoints: production/producers, products/texts, and
audiences/consumers: Applying these perspectives, we will:
·
Learn
about the cultural, economic, and political implications of popular culture.
·
Understand
the race, class, gender, and generational dimensions of popular culture.
· Evaluate how—and how much—popular culture affects perceptions and behaviors.
·
Discover
how people use and manipulate popular culture to actively challenge dominant
social conventions and structures.
·
Develop
independent and cooperative problem-solving skills.
·
Improve
critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills.
Procedures and Course
Outline:
This course utilizes
a variety of learning tools including readings, lectures, videotapes, class
discussions, field trips, group exercises, and oral presentations. Reading
assignments, paper deadlines, and exam dates appear on the attached course outline.
Assignments and Grading:
Final grades will be
based on the following: a mid-term (30% of the final grade), a final
examination (30% of the final grade), two papers (each worth 15% of the final
grade), and a group presentation (10% of the final grade). In addition, you
will be responsible for up to three short homework assignments during the
course. To pass the course, you must complete all of the course
assignments. Final grades will be based on the percentage of total points
earned: A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+
(87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69),
D (63-66), D- (60-62), and F (below 60).
Mid-term
and Final Exam: Both the mid-term and the final exam will include multiple
choice, true-false, and essay questions covering information from the readings,
lectures, and class discussions.
Two
papers: You will have at least two weeks to complete the two papers, each
four-to-six pages long (double spaced), related to the readings. Late papers
will be accepted up to one week late with a ten-point penalty; after one week,
no late papers will be accepted. An absence on the day a paper is due is not a
valid reason for missing a deadline. It is your responsibility to find someone
to deliver the paper for you, or to e-mail a copy of the paper to me on the due
date.
Group Presentation: You will be placed
into groups with each group giving a thirty minute presentation on the social
significance of a popular culture form.
Up
to Three Short Homework Assignments: These will be used to prepare, and
facilitate, discussions on the readings. They will require no outside research,
just thinking, and reaction, to the readings and will be graded as completed or
not completed.
Class Participation and
Attendance:
Classroom discussions
are important; they help to clarify various issues that arise from the readings
and add diversity to the learning experience. I expect that all students will
participate in classroom discussions. Although this class has no formal
attendance policy, a significant number of questions on the midterm and
final will focus on class lectures and discussions. Furthermore, since I will
be weighing class participation in borderline grading situations, students who
regularly attend class and frequently participate in classroom and discussions
will have an “edge” in achieving a higher, final grade. Finally, I
reserve the option of giving quizzes, assigning additional homework, or
emending this syllabus as the need arises.
Student-Student and
Student-Faculty Relationship:
All students must be
respectful of other students. This means no talking while other students are
talking or trying to listen. It also means showing up to class on time so as
not to disrupt the class with late arrivals. Once class begins, no chatting, no
reading outside materials, and no sleeping in class. If you must eat, make sure
it is a “quiet” food. Also, turn off your cell phones. In other
words, act appropriately for a college class—if your actions create a
distraction, you will be asked to leave. In accordance with college policies,
any acts of cheating or plagiarism will be penalized to the severest extent. My
office hours are listed at the beginning of this syllabus. At any time, feel
free to meet with me to discuss any matters relevant to this course. It is
especially important to see me early in the semester if you are having
difficulties. Do not wait till the end of the semester when there is little, if
anything, I can do to help. Finally, feel free to meet with me if you would
like to learn more about sociology, including pursuing it as a major or minor,
or incorporating its application into papers and assignments from your other
classes.
Group
Presentations
Due to time
constraints, there are a number of popular culture forms that we will not be
able to cover in the course. In order to provide you with an overview of some
of these popular culture forms, we will use group presentations that will: 1)
allow us to cover more material than we could normally cover through lectures
and readings, 2) provide you with a greater variety of viewpoints, and 3)
afford you the opportunity to experience working on a group project that
includes public speaking.
Each
group will be responsible for reporting on the sociological significance of a
popular culture form of interest to the group and class. Each group will have
30 minutes (plus an additional five minutes for questions and answers) to
report on the popular culture form. The group should not try to cover all
aspects of the popular culture form but focus, instead, on a few of the more
pertinent points, emphasizing what it thinks the students should learn about
the social significance of the form. Popular culture forms may include Disney
(movies and/or theme parks), particular TV genres (e.g., reality programming,
soap operas, daytime talk shows, sitcoms, children’s shows), particular
film genres (e.g., action, comedy, drama, sci-fi), particular musical genres
(e.g., blues, country, punk, techno), dance forms (e.g., ballroom, tango,
salsa, rave), theatrical productions, computer and/or video games, or any other
popular culture form of interest to the group.
In
presenting their material, group members will need to focus on the sociological
significance of the popular culture form they have chosen, as well as to
tie their presentation to one or more of the five approaches to studying,
understanding, and criticizing popular culture covered in the class. In so
doing, they will need to comment upon how the form they have chosen reinforces
and/or challenges social divisions and social hierarchies.
One week prior to the presentation, each group must submit an outline
of its presentation and what specific topic each individual member will be covering.
On the day of the presentation, each group also needs to include a bibliography
of at least three outside sources that they used to gather information about
their chosen topic.
Each
member of the group must participate in the oral presentation. All students in
the group will receive the same grade unless the group reports to me that one
or more of its members failed to participate, or work cooperatively, with the
bulk of the group members. It has been my experience that the best
presentations are those that involve the following:
Solid preparation: All group members should be equally
prepared for the presentation. This usually necessitates a clear delineation of
member roles in preparing for and conducting the presentation. Furthermore, it
will take some time to choose, edit, and organize the best video and/or audio
clips related to the presentations; don’t wait to the last minute. In
addition, many of the best presentations involve outside research or activity
(e.g., interviewing band members, bringing in a guest speaker, attending a
large concert and videotaping crowds, conducting on-campus surveys about
students’ popular culture likes and dislikes). The bottom line is that
the format is up to each group. There are only two limitations: that the presentation
takes no more than 30 minutes (plus 5 minutes for questions and answers), and
that it addresses the sociological significance of a popular culture form not
already covered in class.
Class activity
and/or handouts: Having the
class take an active role in at least part of the presentation (through
handouts, posters, transparencies, videos, or any other audio or visual aids
that the group deems useful) often results in better class attention and
discussions. In presenting your material, strive to be informative, engaging,
and creative. Try to think of different ways of involving the class into your
presentation so that your audience stays interested.
Introduction of
the panel members: You can make
the group presentation more personal by introducing yourselves at the beginning
of your presentation. This helps to lessen the “intimidation
factor”, and to create an atmosphere more conducive to audience
participation. Furthermore, try not to forget to establish eye contact with
members of the audience, and to smile from time to time. If you can, also try
to avoid reading from your notes or cue cards.
Careful time
budgeting: Use your time
wisely. Thirty minutes is not very long for a presentation. While you should be
prepared to use the entire time for your presentation, this does not mean that
you should try to cram as much information or activities as possible into your
presentation. It is better to cover two well-developed points about a topic than
to zip through ten confused and disjointed points.
Expectations
about audience participation:
Of course you will do the best you can to encourage participation and
discussion from the class. However, the burden of responsibility is not
entirely yours. The rest of the class is also responsible for ensuring that the
group presentations are an engaging and rewarding experience for everyone
involved. This entails: 1) listening attentively (showing respect for
speakers), 2) taking part in the discussion and/or activity, and 3) preparing
at least one question or comment to share with the class during the question
and answer period.
Grading: As previously mentioned, each member in the
group receives the same grade. The final grade will be based on the following criteria:
1) substance or content, 2) creativity and resourcefulness (use of materials,
exercises, activities, etc.), and 3) form and style (articulation, length,
organization, preparedness, etc.). If there are any problems with one or more
group members not contributing to group meetings or to the group work, first
try to approach the member(s) with your concerns and, if that fails, notify me
as soon as possible. If the group consensus is that one or more members of the
group are not participating to the satisfaction of the group, the
non-participating member or members will not get credit for the assignment, and
receive a zero for their group presentation grade. This ensures that the group
is not penalized for the lack of preparation of any of its members and that no
group member or members receive credit for the work that others are doing.
Having fun: Education does not always have to be a
chore. In addition to learning new material, this is an opportunity to develop
public speaking skills, gain self-confidence, make new friends, and have some
fun. This is your time to teach and to reach. This is also an excellent
opportunity to be daring and creative. Go for it!
|
Week |
Topic |
Assignments |
|
1 |
Introduction to the Sociology
of Popular Culture |
No assignments. |
|
2 |
Critical Media Literacy
(and) “High Culture-Low Culture” (Aesthetics, Values, and Effects
of Popular Culture) |
Wednesday
January 12 “Imagebusters,” Todd Gitlin (and) “Fear
of Media Violence,” Karen Sternheimer |
|
3 |
“High Culture-Low
Culture (Aesthetics, Values, and Effects of Popular Culture) (and) Mass
Culture (and) The Production of Culture |
Tuesday
January 18 (Academic Monday) “AUTUMN (Mood Disorders,
The Ecology of Mind, The Manchurian Consumer, Posthuman),” Kalle Lasn Wednesday January 19 WINTER (The Cult
You’re In, The End of the American Dream, The Unofficial History of
America, Your Corporate Connection),” Kalle Lasn |
|
4 |
Mass Culture (and) The
Production of Culture (and) Structural-Textual Analysis (Texts, Images, and
Representations) |
Monday
January 24 “The
Next Kurt Cobain,” John Seabrook Wednesday January 26
“The
McDonald’s System,” George Ritzer |
|
5 |
Structural-Textual Analysis
(Texts, Images, and Representations) |
Monday January 31
“Media Magic: Making
Class Invisible,” Gregory Mantsios (and) “Deciphering
Advertisements,” Jib Fowles |
|
6 |
Structural-Textual
Analysis (Texts, Images, and Representations)
(and) Cultural Studies (Appropriation and Resistance) |
Monday February 7 “Two Approaches to
Studying Popular Culture: A Comparison,” Mark Rubinfeld (and) “Playboy Joins
the (and) Barbie Gets a Bum
Rap,” Sherrie A. Ennis Wednesday February 9 “Reading the
Romance,” Janice A. Radway (and) “I’ll Slap on
My Lipstick and then Kick Their Ass,” Lauraine Leblanc Due: Wednesday February 9 ***FIRST PAPER ASSIGNMENT *** |
|
7 |
Cultural Studies
(Appropriation and Resistance)
(and)
Midterm Review (and) Midterm Exam |
Monday February 14 “Justice/Just
Us,” Marshall Berman Wednesday February 16 ***MIDTERM EXAM*** |
|
8 |
Cultural Studies
(Appropriation and Resistance)
(and) Contemporary Issues in Popular Culture |
Wednesday
February 23 “Hip
Hop |
|
9 |
Contemporary
Issues in Popular Culture |
Monday
March 7 “SUMMER
(Demarketing Loops, Media Carta, Redefining Progress, Epilogue), Kalle Lasn Due: Wednesday March 9
“Top
Three Choices for Group Presentations” |
|
10 |
Contemporary Issues in
Popular Culture (and) Celebrity Culture |
Monday March 14
“The
Empire Wins,” John Seabrook |
|
11 |
Celebrity Culture |
Monday
March 21 “Mein Uberkampf,” Cintra Due:
Wednesday March 23
***SECOND PAPER
ASSIGMENT*** |
|
12 |
Postmodernism (and)
Future of Popular Culture Studies |
Monday
March 28 “Postmodernism,” Domenic
Strinati Due:
Wednesday March 30
“The Jeaning of |
|
13 |
Field Trip (and) Group
Presentation Preparations |
Monday April 4
***Field
Trip*** Wednesday April 6
Group
Presentation Preparations |
|
14 |
Group Presentations |
Monday
April 11 Group
Presentations Wednesday April 13
Group
Presentations |
|
15 |
Group Presentations
(and) Final Exam Review, Class Wrap-up, and Student Course Evaluations |
Monday April 18 Group
Presentations, Group Presentation Grades and Feedback, Final Exam Review, and
Class Wrap-up Wednesday April 20 Leftover Group Presentations,
Group Presentation Grades and Feedback, Final Exam Review, and Class Wrap-up ***FINAL EXAM*** is scheduled for Friday, April 22nd, |