This schedule is dynamic and responds to the needs of the classroom situation and students as we move through the course. Some readings and assignments maybe rearranged, some dropped, others added, as the needs of the situation demands. All changes to the syllabus will be announced in class and made online. The online syllabus is always the final authority on what is due and when, and it is your responsibility to stay current with the changes. And remember: you are accountable for all work, even if you do not attend class.
Remember: Always bring to class the text/readings on the assigned day. |
Week 1 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Aug 26 |
Introduction to English 245
In-class writing |
Read: Course Policies and Ch 1 of The Rhetoric of Popular Culture (RPC) |
|
Discuss Ch 1 RPC; Popular culture: what is it and what is it good for? |
Read: Ch 2 in RPC; respond to Ex 1.1 p 6 and Ex 2.5 p. 71 |
Week 2 |
Class Discussion
|
Homework |
T Sept 2 |
Discuss: Ch 2 RPC; rhetoric: what is it and what is it good for? Brief lecture: useful terms in rhetoric—issue, position, community, ideology |
Read: Steven Johnson — “Watching TV Makes You Smarter” NY Times Sunday Magazine, April 24, 2005. |
Th Sept 4
|
Discuss: Johnson and television in pop culture |
Read: Ch 3 in RPC; respond to Ex 3.2 p 96 and Ex 3.5 p. 110 |
Week 3 |
Class Discussion
|
Homework |
T Sept 9 |
Discuss: Ch 3 in RPC & approaches to pop culture |
Read: Robert Love, “Before Jon Stewart: The Growth Of Fake News. Believe It” (Blackboard) |
Th Sept 11
|
Discuss: News, News and more News
Workshop: “Reading Popular Culture”
|
Read: “How Reality TV Fakes It” and “The Cultural Politics of Wife Swap” (Blackboard) |
Week 4 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Sept 16 |
Discuss: readings |
Draft paper 1 |
Th Sept 18
|
Draft Workshop |
Revise draft |
Week 5 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Sept 23 |
Draft Workshop |
Revise draft |
Th Sept 25
|
Draft Workshop—paramedic |
Polish draft |
Week 6 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Sept 30 |
Paper 1 Due |
Skim: Ch 4 in RPC |
Th Oct 2 |
Politics & Pop Culture |
Watch VP debate & SNL; find contemporary ex of politics & pop culture |
Week 7 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Oct 7 |
Discuss: Politics & Pop Culture & Project #2 |
Read: David Hajdu’s “Where Has ‘Where Have
All the Flowers Gone?’ Gone?” and Roy Mark’s “Gen Y's yen political yap” (both on Blackboard) |
Th Oct 9 |
Discuss: Politics & Pop Culture
Haidu and Mark |
Read: June M. Frazer and Timothy C. Frazer’s “Father Knows Best and The Cosby Show: Nostalgia and the Sitcom Tradition.” &
Matthew Henry’s ‘‘ ‘Don’t Ask me, I’m Just a Girl’: Feminism, Female Identity, and The Simpsons.” (both on Blackboard) |
Week 8 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Oct 14 |
Discuss: Gender & Pop Culture, Frazer & Henry |
Read: Mary Kosut’s “An Ironic Fad: The Commodification and Consumption of Tattoos” (Blackboard) |
Th Oct 16
| Discuss: Kosut |
Read: Steven Levy’s “iPod Nation”; Stephen’s “iPod Experiment” (Blackboard) |
Week 9 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Oct 21 |
Discuss: readings |
Read: Carl S and Virgil Taylor’s “Hip-Hop and Youth Culture: Contemplations of an Emerging Cultural Phenomenon.” (Blackboard) |
Th Oct 23
|
Discuss: reading—Hip-Hop and Youth Culture |
Read Christopher John Farley’s "Hip Hop Nation.” & Ch 6 in RPC |
Week 10 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Oct 28
| Discuss: Farley |
Develop draft |
Th Oct 30
|
Workshop |
Revise draft |
Week 11 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Nov 4 |
Workshop |
Polish draft |
Th Nov 6
|
Workshop |
Read: Ch 1-6 in Kushner |
Week 12 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Nov 11 |
Veteran's Day: No Classes |
Read: Ch 7-9 in Kushner |
Th Noc 13
|
Paper 2 due
Discuss Kushner |
Read: Ch 10-14 in Kushner |
Week 13 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Nov 18 |
Discuss Kushner |
Read: Ch 15-16 in Kushner |
Th Nov 20
|
Discuss Kushner |
Read: Bennet’s “Why Millions are living life online” Wright’s "Dream Machines," and "About Facebook" |
Week 14 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Nov 25 |
Discuss readings |
compose project #3 |
Th Nov 27
|
Thanksgiving Break |
Week 15 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Dec 2 |
Workshop |
Revise project #3 |
Th Dec 4
|
Workshop |
Revise project #3 |
Week 16 |
Class Discussion |
Homework |
T Dev 9 |
Wrap-up |
Polish Project #3/Write semester reflection |
Finals |
Finals
Dec. 11–17 |
There is no in-class final exam in this class, but you are required to turn in a final paper and a reflection on Tuesday, Dec 16th from 9:50-11:40 am--the day scheduled for the exam--and pick up your work from me in my office, LL 309B. If you fail to turn do so during the scheduled exam time, I cannot record your final course grade. |
