American Popular Culture

Catalog description

This course examines the origin, nature, and social impact of popular culture in America. Students explore and define what culture is, beginning with the differences between high culture, or the culture of the elite and intelligentsia, and low culture, or the culture of the masses - particularly as these differences in taste, recreation, art, and leisure activities relate to social and economic class, educational level, political power, health, and human development. Subsequently, the focus is primarily on aspects of popular culture. Students acquire and hone the skills of cultural analysis by dissecting both the ephemeral and archetypal facets of an eclectic and wide-ranging sampling of public media, art, music, fads, trends, and entertainment.