Sociology 245
Fall 2013
CRN 37616

Grise Hall 134
TR 9:35-10:55

Course Description:

The popular culture that surrounds us is as poorly understood as it is ubiquitous. This class focuses on major theoretical perspectives, empirical work, and methodological issues in the sociology of popular culture. What is the difference between popular culture, low culture and high culture? Where does popular culture come from and what role does it play in society? What do people do with popular culture? How does popular culture intersect with race, class, and gender?   Overall, we will try to understand the social significance of popular culture using the major theoretical perspective of sociology.

There are four primary objectives for this class:  

• To give you the tools to critically analyze various forms of popular culture and to understand them in their broader social contexts; 
• To help you learn about the economic and cultural implications of popular culture; 
• To help you understand the race, class, and gender dimensions of popular culture; and 
• To increase your ability to use the sociological imagination to better understand how popular culture affects their everyday lives.

This course is an elective for the Sociology major and required for the Popular Culture Studies major.  The Popular Culture Studies program offers WKU undergraduates the chance to broaden their understanding of the arts and culture of everyday life including such areas as television, film, music, sports, advertising, customs and rituals. Through innovative interdisciplinary coursework the major helps students critically analyze a wide range of popular cultural forms, their uses by audiences, and their impact on the broader social, political and economic landscape. If you are interested in learning more about this exciting and innovative program, contact your instructor or check out the Popular Culture Studies website at www.wku.edu/pop.

Students are expected to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct published in the Western Kentucky Undergraduate Catalogue, p. 327-331. Persons violating the Student Code of Conduct (in particular but not limited to the section on academic conduct) in any assignment or exam in this class will receive a minimum penalty of a grade of zero (0) for the assignment, and may receive an "F" for the course at the instructor’s option.  In particular, no form of cheating or plagiarism will be tolerated (see page 339 for details; if you wish further clarification consult the course website or the instructor.) Know your Regulations!

• I expect you to be in class.  Little interaction can occur between us if you are not.  To encourage class attendance I will distribute sign-in sheets on randomly selected days.  I will also pass out a sign-in sheet if one is requested by class members.  Attendance points will be levied based on your attendance on the days the sign in sheets are passed out.  

  • NOTE:  I understand that sometimes things come up in life.  As an adult you have to decide what in your life deserves attention at any given time.  I do not need to be informed of why you miss class.  Excuses do not change the fact that you weren't here and therefore missed out on whatever we were discussing that day. 

• Arriving late to class, talking, reading the newspaper are not acceptable classroom behavior and are disrespectful to your instructor and other students who want to listen and learn.  ALL cell phones should be turned off before entering class. Similarly, if you are likely to have a regular problem with getting to class on time, please let me know in advance.  

• Late assignments will not be accepted without penalty unless accompanied by a doctor's excuse or another form of official documentation of an emergency.  Assignments will be submitted through Blackboard, so if you are absent, you can still submit your assignments.  They are still due on the day of class.  If you are anticipating: computer glitches, extremely tight pants, being the victim of street crime, bad planning, a Senate filibuster, embarrassing messages from "Mom" on your Facebook, animal attacks, hurtful comments by close friends, good lovin' gone bad, terrorism, a disappointing credit report, seeing your new brother-in-law on Cops, Cheaters, or Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, being struck by space junk or trapped under an impenetrable dome, unforseen cataclysmic acts of God, fear of intimacy, sequestration, rural rebound, inflammation due to chronic dry ere, urban malaise, a Christmas stocking full of coleslaw, funding cuts to higher education, a date ending in an interview by Chris Hansen, the paralysis of analysis, rude tweets, demonic possession, trouble with your Toyota accelerator, loss of hope in your audacity, a pants haunting lasting more than four hours, the debilitating shame of buying a Justin Bieber CD, the release of Diablo III, undergoing enhanced interrogation techniques, dating a Kardasian, PTSD from Miley Cyrus twerking it, losing your sociology mojo, vigilante justice, the total destruction of Galador, or anything else that might interfere with your assignment writing, get it in early!
  

• The teacher reserves the right to alter these requirements based on class interest and needs (See my disclaimer at the end of the syllabus.).

Required Course Materials:

Grazian, David. 2010. Mix It Up: Popular Culture, Mass Media, and Society. New York: W.W. Norton.  (NOTE:  I got this ordered late, so I'll post section on the Blackboard until folks have a chance to get their copy.).

Additional reading material will be posted on the Blackboard website for this course. Follow the course outline to know which articles you need to read for which class meetings. 

Course Requirements:

There will be 2 exams, 3 assignments, and a final exam in this class. Material for the exams will be taken from the textbook, lectures, films, and class discussion.  

The weighting is as follows:

Class Attendance and Participation 12.5%
2 Quizzes 25% (12.5% each)
3 Assignments 37.5% (12.5% each)
Comprehensive Final 25%

Grading Scale:

Extra Credit:

If you get 1 million likes on Facebook, I'll raise your grade.    After successful completion,  there will be cake (NOM, NOM, NOM!).  

Resource Information:

• The Learning Center

  TLC tutors in most major undergraduate subjects and course levels throughout the week.  To make an appointment, or to request a tutor for a specific class, call 5-6254 or stop by DUC A330. Log on to TLC's website for more info.
  

• Writing Center Assistance

The Writing Center has locations in Cherry Hall 123 and in the Commons at Cravens Library on the Bowling Green campus. The Glasgow Writing Center is located in room 231 on the Glasgow campus. The Writing Center also offers online consultations for students who live at a distance or who cannot visit during our operating hours. Our writing tutors have been trained to provide helpful feedback to students at all phases of a writing project: they can help you brainstorm ideas, structure your essay, clarify your purpose, strengthen your support, and edit for clarity and correctness. But they will not revise or edit the paper for you. See instructions on the website (www.wku.edu/writingcenter) for making online or face-to-face appointments. Or call (270) 745-5719 during our operating hours (also listed on our website) for help scheduling an appointment.  More information about the Glasgow Writing Center hours can be found at the website: http://www.wku.edu/glasgow/writingcenter.php .

• Student Disability Services

  Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services, DUC A200.  The Office for Student Disability Services telephone number is (270) 745-5004 V/TDD.  You should discuss any accommodation you need with them and they will give you a form listing the approved accommodations to give to me to sign. This process should be completed by the end of the second week of class.
  
  Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from me (Dr. Smith) without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.

   

• Research Appointments with your Personal Librarian

   At WKU Libraries, your Personal Librarians are always ready to help! There are librarians for every program on campus, plus Special Collection librarians and archivists. Their goal is to save you time and help you be successful on term papers and research projects by showing you what you need to know to get started and be successful.

  Start your research by scheduling an appointment with your Personal Librarian. Find them at http://www.wku.edu/library/dlps/subj_lib_subject.php, call Helm-Cravens Reference at270-745-6125, or email web.reference@wku.edu

Tentative Course Schedule:

This is a general schedule of quiz dates  and readings to be done in preparation for class.

8/27	Tuesday	Introduction to the Course
8/29	Thursday	What is Popular Culture and Why Does it Matter? Defining Culture and Defining Popular Griswold, Wendy. 2008.“Culture and the Cultural Diamond,” Cultures and Societies in a Changing World. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.  Grazian, David.  2010. "The Straight Story: The Social Organization of Popular Culture." Pp. 3-21 in Mix It Up.  New York: W.W. Norton. Danesi, Marcel. 2012. "What is Pop Culture?" Pp. 26-34 in Popular Culture: Introductory Perspectives Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.
9/03	Tuesday	Levels and Types of Culture Shils, Edward. 1960. "Mass Society and Its Culture." Daedalus 89(2):288-314. Danesi, Marcel. 2012. Pp. 2-8 in Popular Culture: Introductory Perspectives Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.
9/05	Thursday	Popular Culture and Social Class Grazian, David, "The Rules of the Game: Cultural Consumption and Social Class in America." Pp. 134-151 in Mix It Up.New York: W.W. Norton.  Barnett, Lisa A. and Michael Patrick Allen. 2000. "Social Class, Cultural Repertoires, and Popular Cuture: The Case of Film." Sociological Forum 15(1):145-163.
9/10	Tuesday	The Sociology of Popular Culture: Major Conceptual Approaches Functionalism Grazian, David. 2010. "Friday Night Lights: A Functionalist Approach to Popular Culture." pp24-43 in Mix It Up. New York: W.W. Norton. Kidd, Dustin. 2007. "Harry Potter and the Functions of Popular Culture." The Journal of Popular Culture 40(1):69-89.
9/12	Thursday	Foley, Douglas E. 1990. "The Great American Football Ritual: Reproducing Race, Class and Gender Inequality." Sociology of Sport 7(2):111-135.
9/17	Tuesday	Critical Theory Grazian, David. 2010. "Monsters, Inc.: A Critical Approach to Popular Culture." Pp. 46-65 in Mix It Up. New York: W.W. Norton. Adorno, Theodor W. and Anson G. Rabinbach. 1975. "Culture Industry Reconsidered." New German Critique 6:12-19.
9/19	Thursday	Controlled and Controlling Images Klinenberg, Eric. 2005. "Convergence: News Production in a Digital Age." Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 597:48-64. Massoni, Kelley. 2004. "Modeling Work: Occupational Messages in Seventeen Magazine." Gender and Society 18(1):47-65.
9/24	Tuesday	[Movie] Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class
9/26	Thursday	Quiz 1
10/1	Tuesday	Interactionism Grazian, David. 2010. "Something to Talk About: An Interaction Approach to Popular Culture. PP. 68-87 in Mix It Up. New York: W.W. Norton. Danesi, Marcel. 2003. "Talking like Teenagers." Pp. 51-74 in Forever Young: The 'Teen-Aging' of Modern Culture. University of Toronto Press.
10/3	Thursday*	NO CLASS - FALL BREAK
10/8	Tuesday	Chen, Katherine K. 2009. "Authenticity at Burning Man." Contexts 8(3):65-67. Rose, Randall L. and Stace L. Wood.  2005. "Paradox and the Consumption of Authenticity through Reality Television." Journal of Consumer Research 32:284-296. Grindstaff, Laura and Emily West. 2006. "Cheerleading and the Gendered Politics of Sport." Social Problems 53(4):500-518.
10/10	Thursday*	[Movie] The Merchants of Cool or The Bro Code
10/15	Tuesday	Studying Pop Culture Sociologically: Production and Reception Popular Culture as a Social Creation Grazian, David. 2010. "Bright Lights, Big City: Creating Popular Culture." New York: W.W. Norton. Evening Event: David Lavery (MTSU) speaks on "Caveman vs. Astronaut: Joss Whedon vs. Michael Bay, Weapons to be Determined"
10/17	Thursday	Youth Creation of Culture Corsaro, William A. and Donna Eder. 1990. "Children's Peer Cultures." Annual Review of Sociology 16:197-220. Garner, Roberta, Judith Bootcheck, Michael Lorr, and Kathryn Rauch. "The Adolescent Society Revisited: Cultures, Crowds, Climates, and Status Structures in Seven Secondary Schools." Journal of Youth and Adolescence 35(6):1023-1035.
10/22	Tuesday	Industrial Production of Culture Grazian, David. 2012. "Risky Business: How the Media and Culture Industries Work." Pp. 112-131 in Mix It Up. New York: W.W. Norton.
10/24	Thursday	[Movie] Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood
10/29	Tuesday	Audiences and the Social Interpretation of Meaning Grazian, David. 2010. "The Searchers: Audiences and the Quest for Meaning in Popular Culture." Pp. 154-173 in Mix It Up. New York: W.W. Norton.
10/31	Thursday	Interpretive Communities and Audience Research Radway, Janice. 1984. "Interpretive Communities and Variable Literacies: The Functions of Romance Reading." Daedalus 113(3):49-73. Shively, JoEllen. 1992. "Cowboys and Indians: Perceptions of Western Films among American Indians and Anglos." American Sociological Review 57(6):725-734.
11/5	Tuesday	Quiz 2
11/7	Thursday	Consumer Culture: Buying as Being  Grazian, David. 2010. "Scenes from a Mall: Cultural Consumption and Style in Everyday Life." Pp. 176-193 in Mix It Up. New York: W.W. Norton. Pugh, Allison J. 2011. "Distinction, Boundaries or Bridges?: Children, Inequality and the Uses of Consumer Culture." Poetics 39:1-18.
11/12	Tuesday	Culture Jamming Carducci, Vince. 2006.  "Culture Jamming: A Sociological Perspective." Journal of Consumer Culture 6(1):116-138. Sandlin, Jennifer A. and Jennifer L. Milam. 2008. "Mixing Pop (Culture) and Politics": Cultural Resistance, Culture Jamming, and Anti-Consumption Activism as Critical Public Pedagogy" Curriculum Inquiry 38(3):323-350.
11/14	Thursday	Popular Culture, Social Problems, and Social Change The Dark Side? Sternheimer, Karen. 2013. "Media Phobia #1: Popular Culture Is Dumbing Down America"
11/19	Tuesday	Sternheimer, Karen. 2013. "Media Phobia #2: Media Violence Causes Real Violence” Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, “Key Facts on TV Violence,”
11/21	Thursday	Sternheimer, Karen. 2013. Chapters 4 (“Media Phobia #4: Popular Culture Promotes Teen Sex”) and 5 (“Media Phobia #5: Popular Culture Promotes Teen Pregnancy and Single Parenthood”)
11/26	Tuesday	The Light Side? Phillips, Laurie M. 2013. "Offering Hope and Making Attributions through YouTube: An Exploratory Ethnographic Content Analysis of the Social Change-Oriented 'It Gets Better Project'" The Journal of Social Media in Society 2(1):30-65. Guo, Chao and Gregory D. Saxton (forthcoming) "Tweeting Social Change: How Social Media are Changing Nonprofit Advocacy." Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. Bekkers, Victor, Henri Beunders, Arthur Edwards, and Rebecca Moody. 2011. "New Media, Micromobilization, and Political Agenda Setting: Crossover Effects in Political Mobilization and Media Usage." The Information Society 27:209-219.
11/28	Thursday	NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY (I'm in your house, eating your turkeys! NOM! NOM! NOM!)
12/3	Tuesday	Les Visiteurs de Berea
12/5	Thursday	Johnson, Steven. 2012. "The Peer Progressives." Pp. 3-52 in Future Perfect: The Case for Progress in a Networked Age. New York: Riverhead Books.

Finally, my standard disclaimer: