ANG1005 Reading Popular CultureFall 2013
Description:
This course will introduce students to the elusive concept of ‘Popular Culture’ and its importance for our contemporary society and the way it defines qualitatively works of literature and other media (the so- called ‘high’ and ‘low’ labels). This concept has been defined in various ways over time, starting from the turn of the nineteenth century and the popularity of Gothic and detective novels. In the twentieth century, the genre exploded with the advent of television, comics, and cinema. Students will read a range of texts (novels, sitcoms, reality TV, comics, and films) that reflect this evolution and consider its current value in a critical framework that includes cultural studies, new media studies, and gender studies. The course will also consider the invasion of technology in mainstream works, and the parodic elements inherent in popular culture. Finally, all the works considered in this course will demonstrate how popular culture constantly engages with contemporary historical and political issues. [Students should note that some of the works under consideration in this class contain explicit scenes of sexuality.]
Requirements:
- Midterm exam: 45% (4 November 2013)
- Final exam: 45% (9 December 2013)
- Participation: 10%
Bibliography:
- Octavia Butler, Fledgling. Grand Central Publishing, 2005. ISBN 978-0446696166.
- Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland. Bantam Classics, 1984. ISBN 978-0553213454.
- Susan Collins, The Hunger Games. Scholastic Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0439023528.
- Michael Cunningham, The Hours. Harper, 1998. ISBN 978-1443406970.
- Julia Golding, Young Knights of the Round Table. OUP, 2013. ISBN 978-0192732224.
- Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen. DC Comics, 1986. ISBN 978-0930289232.
- Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club. Norton, 1996. ISBN 978-0393327342.
[Students can purchase the books at the university bookstore, with the exception of Watchmen. Students can also purchase e-version of the books.]
Schedule:
- 9 September: Introduction / Viewing: The Matrix
- 16 September: Viewing: Phineas and Ferb (Episodes 1.1 and 2.38) / Alice in Wonderland
- 23 September: Viewing: American Psycho and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
- 30 September: Watchmen / Viewing: Rent (part I)
- 7 October: Viewing: Rent (part II) and Scott Pilgrim vs the World
- 14 October: Bank holiday
- 21 October: Reading week
- 28 October: Viewing: Seinfeld (Episodes 4.11 and 4.17) / Fight Club
- 4 November: Midterm exam
- 11 November: Viewing: Dr. Who (Episode 3.2) / The Hours
- 18 November: The Hunger Games / Viewing: Blade (part I)
- 25 November: Viewing: Blade (part II) / Fledgling
- 2 December: Viewing: Merlin (Episode 1.9) / Young Knights of the Round Table
- 9 December: Final exam
Plagiarism Policy:
Plagiarism – the stealing or “borrowing” of another person’s written work and passing it off as one’s own – is a very serious academic offence. Plagiarism occurs when:
- the work submitted was done, in whole or in part, by an individual other than the one submitting or presenting the work;
- an entire work (e.g., an essay), is copied from another source, or parts of the work are taken from another source without explicit reference to the author;
- an essay copies a sentence or paragraph of another work with minor variations.
Plagiarism occurs not only when direct quotations are taken from a source without explicit acknowledgement, but also when original ideas from the source are not acknowledged. A bibliography or “works cited” is insufficient to establish which portions of the student’s work are taken from external sources; formal modes of citation (i.e., page numbers and the author’s name in parenthetical references) must be used for this purpose.
Professors are required to report all cases of plagiarism to the Dean. The minimal disciplinary measure for cases of plagiarism is an F on the assignment, essay, or exam. Further measures can include an F in the course, suspension from the Faculty, and even the requirement to withdraw from the University.
If you are unclear on the definition of plagiarism or you are unsure about how to avoid it, please do not hesitate to ask me. Ignorance is not a valid defense.
This content has been updated on September 7, 2016 at 10 h 39 min.