English 313-01:
Popular Culture
Summer 2011
Jerome Richfield Hall 304
T R 5:30 - 8:45
Office Hours: T 2:30 - 3:30

Introduction
This course looks closely at popular culture by way of film, television, literature, and cyberspace. We begin by asking what signifies nation, self, and other in the 21st century?  What texts resist and reaffirm class, race, gender, and popular culture itself? In what ways has the internet transformed human relations?

Method
A a novel, a film, a TV show, and an internet site. We’ll define popular culture through these four primary texts with the help of literary theory, film theory, new media studies, and cultural studies.  Our friendly, workshop-style environment will promote productive peer review, class discussions, and inspiring group projects.

4 Primary Texts
Hamilton. Goldfinger (1964)
Ellis. Rules of Attraction (1998)
Star. Sex and the City (1998 - 2004)
Zuckerberg et al. Facebook.com (2004 - present)

Additional Texts
Allen. Annie Hall
Barker.  Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice
Bordo. "'Material Girl': The Effacement of Postmodern Culture"
Butler. "Imitation and Gender Insubordination"
Campell. Casino Royale
Crowe. Jerry Maguire
DaCosta. The Music Man
de Beauvoir. The Second Sex (excerpt)
Derrida. "Differance"
Edwards. "10"
Fiske. Television Culture (excerpt)
Foucault. The History of Sexuality (excerpt)
Gilbert. You Only Live Twice
Harron. American Psycho
McDonald.  The Romantic Comedy: Boy Meets Girl Meets Genre
McKay. Anchorman
Nichols. The Graduate
Said. Orientalism (excerpt)
Saussure. Course in General Linguistics (excerpt)

Course Objectives

• Understand that popular culture signifies and shapes political, familial, and institutional sources of selfhood and human relations
• Comprehend verbal and visual representations of these disciplinary forces through literal, implied, and symbolic levels
  
• Identify a text’s point of view, tone, exposition, and audience
• Analyze ideology through the textual and visual
• Gain cultural literacy through experiencing films, internet sites,  and literary works

Course Evaluation

• Popular Culture Blog 25%  
• Ethnography 25%
• Primary Text Class Discussion 20%
• Final Exam 30%

1. Popular Culture Blog 25%
During the first week of class, create a blog devoted to popular culture. NOTE: Your blog is important!  Each week, you'll post a reflection (@500 words) on our readings, discussions, and/or other issues related to popular culture. You’ll also post any additional writing assignments to your blog. Your classmates will read your blogs as will scholars from around the world. Anyone doing research on popular culture could potentially land on your blog. NOTE: Since this is your personal blog, it will be tempting to write informally, as if you’re chatting with a friend. All of your work, however, must meet high academic standards including a formal tone. Feel free to be creative; experiment with new media!

Your blog will feature the following:

• Introduction to blog @ 500 words
• Profile with *preferred email address*
• Weekly 500-word reflections
• Additional writing assignments
• Individual reflection on your contribution to group presentation

NOTE: email me (swexler@csun.edu) your blog address asap! Please put your preferred email address on your blog. Begin here: http://www.blogger.com

2. Ethnography 25%
Ethnography is a genre of writing that uses fieldwork to provide a descriptive study of human societies.  Yours consists of two parts: observation and analysis. First, choose a setting where people go and where you can sit and observe uninterrupted for at least an hour, e.g., Starbucks, library, park, restaurant, bowling alley, etc.  What do you see, hear, and smell? Write down your observations in paragraph form (i.e., don't list). Try to be objective. Second, under your observation, write a brief analysis informed by the theory discussed. Your ethnography will look like this:

• First half is observation.  Write down what you see, not what you think it means
• Second half is analysis.  Use our texts to make sense of your observations
• @ 750 words (three pages) not inlcuding Works Cited page.
• Works Cited
• Hardcopy for class discussion and instructor review.
• Post on blog.

3. Primary Text Class Discussion 20%
In groups of five, select one of our primary texts (Rules of Attraction, Goldfinger, Sex and the City, or Facebook.com) and discuss your "text" in terms of our understanding of popular culture. This 30-minute class presentation is a discussion not a lecture. Help your classmates analyze your text through history, politics, culture, and theory.  Consider how your primary text presents class, race, gender, nationalism, and so on. Discuss how your text resists and/or reaffirms old ways of seeing human relations.   Note the following responsibilities:

• Design a classroom activity 
• Each individual writes a 500-word reflection that states in explicit terms how s/he contributed to the group presentation. Post on blog.

4. Final Exam 30%
Your final exam will consist of multiple choice and/or short answer questions representing the entire course content.  

Participation
There is no percentage or points ascribed to participation since participation is mandatory. Class participation includes attendance, discussions, student-instructor conferences, and workshop activities.  Everyone has something to contribute to the class. If you do not feel comfortable speaking in class you may participate in other ways, such as group activities and peer review.  You must complete all of your readings by their due date. Although participation grades will not be distributed, I will be happy to discuss any questions you have about your progress.

Policies
When you enroll in our class you make a commitment to your classmates. This is a participatory, collaborative workshop-style class and attendance is absolutely essential to our success. Since we meet only twice per week, grades are dropped a letter after three absences and an F is given after six.  All work is due on the date specified in our syllabus. You are responsible for completing and submitting any work due for a day that you miss and you must come prepared with any work required for the following class.  Please feel free to contact me or see me during my office hours to learn what you missed and how to prepare for the next session. 

NOTE:

(1) Late work will not be accepted unless you have obtained an extension from me ahead of time. You must submit your essay even if you miss class on its due date. 

(2) Due to the participatory nature of this class, laptops and cellphones are not permitted.

Grades
You must complete all work to pass the course. Please feel free to come by my office or email me if you'd like to discuss your progress and/or other concerns during the semester.  

• Popular Culture Blog 25%
• Ethnography 25%  
• Primary Text Class Presentation 20%
• Final Exam 30%

Academic Honesty
You must be scrupulously honest in documenting the work that you have drawn from others.  Like other institutions, CSUN Primarytains a strict academic honesty policy.  Plagiarism is illegal and dishonest.  All cases of academic dishonesty must be reported to the Dean, who may suspend or permanently dismiss you from CSUN.  You will receive a course grade of F if you plagiarize in E313.