This course studies British and American popular culture, exploring the ways in which each of us is both a user of and is used by popular culture. Popular culture is all around us, influencing how we think, how we feel, and how we live our lives in countless ways. We will look primarily at television (e.g. soap operas, situation comedies, reality shows, cartoons, MTV clips, etc.), film, commercials, and popular music. In the process, analysis will be made of how such critical factors as gender, class, age, race, ethnicity, region, and sexuality are shaped by and reshaped in popular culture. Course outline and list of readings are available. Assessment: Final exam or one critical essay.
