American Popular Culture and Folklife

Catalog description

AMST 105 / ENGL 105 offers a survey of popular culture and folklife in America's past and present. The course synthesizes a broad scope of materials from areas such as literature, movies, television, sports, amusement parks, music, media, and advertising. While selected topics for readings, lectures, and discussion vary from class to class, all courses focus on a critical examination of a variety of popular and folk cultures in order to produce an enriched understanding of America, its past, its diverse cultures, its evolving values and traditions, and its inhabitants. To meet this goal, popular and folk cultures will be examined from a variety of perspectives, including race, gender, and class. AMST 105 may be taken by students pursuing the American Studies major; for them, the course provides preparation for more advanced courses in American folklore, American literature, and American cultural history. Non-American Studies students may use this course to fulfill the general education requirement (GH). Students will receive the US designation for this course, and it meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.