POPULAR                      CULTURE         American Studies 300              FALL, 2002/9            Dr. Richard Goode              McEwen 210 Office Hours: MWF 10:00-11:00              Tel: 337-2206  E-Mail Gooder@queens.edu

Text                Requirements                 Course Objectives               Grading            Syllabus

English Home Page

Wed Aug 28            Introduction to Popular Culture. What is Popular Culture and Why Study It?

Mon Sept  2             PC, 1-35: The Study of Popular Culture: The Popular Culture Formula, Definitions of Popular Culture, the "House" of
                                Popular Culture, Popular v. Elite Culture, Misconceptions about Popular Culture

Wed Sept  4            Taking Popular Culture Seriously: Read PC, 39-57.
                                Look at the current list of Top Ten Movies. What has changed since 1991? Why?
                                Bring an advertisement to class from a magazine and be prepared to analyze it the way
                                Mark Miller does in the article you read for today. Write it up to turn in (one page).

Mon Sept 9             Read PC 58-79. Urban Legends and Dr. Seuss.
                               Recall any Urban Legends you have heard (or make one up for class analysis) and be prepared to tell it to the class.
                               Also, which children stories you know can be analyzed the way Alison Lurie analyzes Dr. Seuss?

Wed Sept 11          Popular Myths. Read PC, 82-109           Pop Culture after 9/11  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,62676,00.html

Mon Sept 16          Three American Myths. Read PC, 121-133

Wed Sept.18         The Myth of Success. Read PC, 134-148.

Mon Sept. 23         The Myth of Romantic Love. Read PC, 149-166. Find and analyze romance songs from films since 1990.

Wed Sept. 25         Popular Icons. Read PC, 169-185 Assignment: Choose one of these ICONS for a brief analysis using the techniques
                               described in the reading: a specific sports car, SUV, or family sedan; a cell phone; a Fender guitar, a Wendy's Restaurant.

Mon Sept  30         The Shopping Mall. Read PC, 196-210. Check out these pictures of the Mall of America

Wed Oct    2          Barbie Dolls. Read PC, 211-233.  Take a look at http://www.barbie.com

Mon Oct    7          Stereotypes. Read PC, 236-244; 292-311.  Some images of Beauty.

Wed Oct 9             MID-TERM EXAM

Mon Oct 14         Popular Heroes. Read PC, 314-330. Study the "Instant Guide to Pop Heroes," p. 312.

Wed Oct 16         Superman. Read PC, 331-343. Bring comic books to class featuring other popular heroes.

Mon Oct 21         Real life Pop Heroes. Read PC, 344-352. Celebrity as Hero.

Wed Oct 23         Rogue Heroes. Read PC, 353-365.

Mon Oct 28         Roseanne v. Martha Stewart. Read PC, 366-373.

Wed Oct 30         Popular Rituals. Read PC, 376-386. Halloween. Read PC, 403-411. Read: "Halloween"
                            Read this Dave Barry column.

Mon Nov 4           Sports as Ritual. Read PC, 391-402.

Wed Nov 6           Family Reunions and other Popular Rituals. Read PC, 387-390

Mon Nov 11         Popular Art Formulas. Read PC, 412-429., Academy Award Winning Films    TV Ratings

Wed Nov 13         Soap Operas. Read PC, 445-462.

Mon Nov 18         TV Game Shows, Reality Shows, and Situation Comedies.

Wed Nov 20         Horror Films. Read PC, 463-475. Hand-out on Sci-Fi Films.

Thanksgiving       While you are home for the holidays keep a "popular culture" log of the icons, ritual events and underlying myths
                              that you observe during the Thanksgiving festivities you participate in or observe..

Mon Dec 2           Course Projects & Presentations

Wed Dec 4           Course Projects & Presentations

Mon Dec 9           Review for Final Exam.  STUDY GUIDE FOR FINAL EXAM
                             Our Exam is on Friday, Dec. 13 at 8:30 in our regular classroom.

COURSE TEXT:

Jack Nachbar, Popular Culture: An Introductory Text, Bowling Green State University Popular press, 1992.

Readings will also be assigned from web sites and from articles linked to the course home page.  These will be noted on the syllabus.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Daily Quizzes (25%, lowest 2 dropped)                                       3. Mid-Term (25%)
2. Course  Project (8-10 page paper and class presentation)            4. Final Exam (25%)

GRADING

                         94-100 = A                    87-89 = B+                           77-79 =C+                                 65-69 = D+  
                         90-93 =  A-                    84-86 = B                             74-76 = C                                  60-64 = D
                                                               80-83 = B-                            70-73 = C-                            below 60 = F