Popular Cultures Summer II 2014 M/T/W/Th 11::00-12:20 College Apartments 9 Instructor: Ali Colleen Neff E-Mail: alineff@wm.edu Office: 2nd Floor College Apartments Office Hours: By appointment Overview From digital samples of African voices on hip-hop albums, youtube documentaries on emerging arts scenes, and the influence of Japanese youth culture on Western fashion websites, the digital age has brought American popular culture into new conversation with global cultures and local subcultures. Meanwhile, social media sites Twitter and Instagram have the power to influence global political change. Not only do new digital media shape the routes by which global cultures work across the world stage, they are also shaped--often in surprising ways--by the various political, economic, social, and creative interests of the people who engage them. In this class, we will explore classic media studies and cultural theory as well as cutting-edge thinking about emerging digital media forms to ask how new media works both to control and to empower new ideas, cultural forms, and discourses. Goals In this course, we work toward a dual series of goals as we engage the topic of media studies in our progress toward becoming better critical thinkers and writers. 1.We will better understand the role of media technologies in cultural formation, and how they shape and are shaped by the groups who engage them 2.We will learn to design projects, and to communicate complex, critical ideas clearly and with a measure of personal and intellectual style. We will gauge our progress toward these goals by checking in with course keywords (listed for each week) and through a series of discursive writing assignments leading to our final research project. Requirements 1. You will be graded on a series of reading presentations, a final project, a keyword- based midterm and class participation. 2.Complete and critically engage all required reading and media 3.Complete all assignments on time and with intellectual and academic integrity 4.Participate fully in the classroom community 5.Communicate your needs and issues with your classmates and teachers responsibly. 6.Turn off all internet and social media when in the classroom (very important) 7. Grow intellectually, as an emerging authority on the world of culture, and as a critical thinker and writer Materials Course materials for this multimedia course can be found by class date in this syllabus. 1 Most materials are available as articles through our Blackboard site, or e-books through Swem Library 2 It is recommended to print these materials and mark them up, and to engage them specifically in class discussion. Milestones Readings and discussions Understand how new cultural movements emerge, and practice methods in writing about them; apply theoretical and topical readings to course goals Keywords Engage basic concepts and practices in media studies and articulate critical arguments about how processes of power work through them Cultural Studies Know how to do research in media and cultural studies Attendance, Participation, Delays 1. Attendance is required at all lectures and discussion sections; more than two unexcused absences will result in a full final grade letter grade deduction 2. While all students prefer different modes of engagement, participation in classroom discussion is a must; communicate with me if you have issues 3. Late work will, unless excused by a documented medical emergency, be docked a full letter grade per day 4. As a rule, communicate responsibly and mindfully about any issues ahead of time WEEK 1: Popular Culture and the Media WEEK 1: Popular Culture and the Media WEEK 1: Popular Culture and the Media WEEK 1: Popular Culture and the Media WEEK 1: Popular Culture and the Media 6/30 Digital Media and American Popular Culture 1. A Tribe Called Red: http://atribecalledred.com 2. RookieMag: http://rookiemag.com 3. Bronies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2EOfhvvURY 4. Turfing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRRnAhmB58 5. Roller Derby: http://rivercityrollergirls.org 6. Politics: http://mashable.com/2011/11/17/ows-tea-party/ Digital Media and American Popular Culture 1. A Tribe Called Red: http://atribecalledred.com 2. RookieMag: http://rookiemag.com 3. Bronies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2EOfhvvURY 4. Turfing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRRnAhmB58 5. Roller Derby: http://rivercityrollergirls.org 6. Politics: http://mashable.com/2011/11/17/ows-tea-party/ Digital Media and American Popular Culture 1. A Tribe Called Red: http://atribecalledred.com 2. RookieMag: http://rookiemag.com 3. Bronies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2EOfhvvURY 4. Turfing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRRnAhmB58 5. Roller Derby: http://rivercityrollergirls.org 6. Politics: http://mashable.com/2011/11/17/ows-tea-party/ Digital Media and American Popular Culture 1. A Tribe Called Red: http://atribecalledred.com 2. RookieMag: http://rookiemag.com 3. Bronies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2EOfhvvURY 4. Turfing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQRRnAhmB58 5. Roller Derby: http://rivercityrollergirls.org 6. Politics: http://mashable.com/2011/11/17/ows-tea-party/ 7/1 Read this summary of Stuart Halls Argument on what The Popular means: culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.com and read this excerpt from Stuart Halls Representation textbook. Its challenging and well unpack it in class, but it contains all of the seeds of the work we are about to do on culture, communication, the popular, and especially, media studies. You can skim up to page 43, but thoroughly read p. 44 on, including the excerpts at the end. http://kassanoff.wikischolars.columbia.edu/file/view/stuart%20hall%20representation%20ch.%201-2.pdf Read this summary of Stuart Halls Argument on what The Popular means: culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.com and read this excerpt from Stuart Halls Representation textbook. Its challenging and well unpack it in class, but it contains all of the seeds of the work we are about to do on culture, communication, the popular, and especially, media studies. You can skim up to page 43, but thoroughly read p. 44 on, including the excerpts at the end. http://kassanoff.wikischolars.columbia.edu/file/view/stuart%20hall%20representation%20ch.%201-2.pdf Read this summary of Stuart Halls Argument on what The Popular means: culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.com and read this excerpt from Stuart Halls Representation textbook. Its challenging and well unpack it in class, but it contains all of the seeds of the work we are about to do on culture, communication, the popular, and especially, media studies. You can skim up to page 43, but thoroughly read p. 44 on, including the excerpts at the end. http://kassanoff.wikischolars.columbia.edu/file/view/stuart%20hall%20representation%20ch.%201-2.pdf Read this summary of Stuart Halls Argument on what The Popular means: culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.com and read this excerpt from Stuart Halls Representation textbook. Its challenging and well unpack it in class, but it contains all of the seeds of the work we are about to do on culture, communication, the popular, and especially, media studies. You can skim up to page 43, but thoroughly read p. 44 on, including the excerpts at the end. http://kassanoff.wikischolars.columbia.edu/file/view/stuart%20hall%20representation%20ch.%201-2.pdf 7/2 1. Greg Tate, Black Jazz in the Digital Age: http://www.criticalimprov.com/article/view/287/431 2. Selections from Danah Boyds Apophenia: http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/08/16/twitter_pointle.html http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/12/29/race_and_social.html http://www.danah.org/papers/2009/WhiteFlightDraft3.pdf 3. Read Barry Shanks The Political Meaning of Music Beauty in PDF on Blackboard 1. Greg Tate, Black Jazz in the Digital Age: http://www.criticalimprov.com/article/view/287/431 2. Selections from Danah Boyds Apophenia: http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/08/16/twitter_pointle.html http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/12/29/race_and_social.html http://www.danah.org/papers/2009/WhiteFlightDraft3.pdf 3. Read Barry Shanks The Political Meaning of Music Beauty in PDF on Blackboard 1. Greg Tate, Black Jazz in the Digital Age: http://www.criticalimprov.com/article/view/287/431 2. Selections from Danah Boyds Apophenia: http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/08/16/twitter_pointle.html http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/12/29/race_and_social.html http://www.danah.org/papers/2009/WhiteFlightDraft3.pdf 3. Read Barry Shanks The Political Meaning of Music Beauty in PDF on Blackboard 1. Greg Tate, Black Jazz in the Digital Age: http://www.criticalimprov.com/article/view/287/431 2. Selections from Danah Boyds Apophenia: http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/08/16/twitter_pointle.html http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2009/12/29/race_and_social.html http://www.danah.org/papers/2009/WhiteFlightDraft3.pdf 3. Read Barry Shanks The Political Meaning of Music Beauty in PDF on Blackboard 7/3 No Class. Watch Copyright Criminals on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIoR3PYpduo Follow and fill out the worksheet (on Blackboard) that will help you design your final project so that you can share your potential topic with us on Monday No Class. Watch Copyright Criminals on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIoR3PYpduo Follow and fill out the worksheet (on Blackboard) that will help you design your final project so that you can share your potential topic with us on Monday No Class. Watch Copyright Criminals on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIoR3PYpduo Follow and fill out the worksheet (on Blackboard) that will help you design your final project so that you can share your potential topic with us on Monday No Class. Watch Copyright Criminals on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIoR3PYpduo Follow and fill out the worksheet (on Blackboard) that will help you design your final project so that you can share your potential topic with us on Monday KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: WEEK 2: Thinking about Media, Digitally WEEK 2: Thinking about Media, Digitally WEEK 2: Thinking about Media, Digitally WEEK 2: Thinking about Media, Digitally WEEK 2: Thinking about Media, Digitally 7/7 7/7 1. Read the short article Marshall McLuhan, The Medium is the Message: http://engl114- pressman.commons.yale.edu/files/2008/08/medium-is-the-message2.pdf 2. And skim his entire book, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man: http://beforebefore.net/80f/s11/ media/mcluhan.pdf 1. Read the short article Marshall McLuhan, The Medium is the Message: http://engl114- pressman.commons.yale.edu/files/2008/08/medium-is-the-message2.pdf 2. And skim his entire book, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man: http://beforebefore.net/80f/s11/ media/mcluhan.pdf 1. Read the short article Marshall McLuhan, The Medium is the Message: http://engl114- pressman.commons.yale.edu/files/2008/08/medium-is-the-message2.pdf 2. And skim his entire book, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man: http://beforebefore.net/80f/s11/ media/mcluhan.pdf 7/8 7/8 1. Instagram and the impact of immediate visuality: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/20/ instagram-vine-and-the-evolution-of-social-media/ 2. Moira Burke and Robert Kraut, Social Capital on Facebook: Differentiating Uses and Usershttp:// citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.227.6644&rep=rep1&type=pdf 3. Jessica Winter, Instagram is even more depressing than Facebook. Heres why.http://www.slate.com/ articles/technology/technology/2013/07/ instagram_and_self_esteem_why_the_photo_sharing_network_is_even_more_depressing.html 1. Instagram and the impact of immediate visuality: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/20/ instagram-vine-and-the-evolution-of-social-media/ 2. Moira Burke and Robert Kraut, Social Capital on Facebook: Differentiating Uses and Usershttp:// citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.227.6644&rep=rep1&type=pdf 3. Jessica Winter, Instagram is even more depressing than Facebook. Heres why.http://www.slate.com/ articles/technology/technology/2013/07/ instagram_and_self_esteem_why_the_photo_sharing_network_is_even_more_depressing.html 1. Instagram and the impact of immediate visuality: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/20/ instagram-vine-and-the-evolution-of-social-media/ 2. Moira Burke and Robert Kraut, Social Capital on Facebook: Differentiating Uses and Usershttp:// citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.227.6644&rep=rep1&type=pdf 3. Jessica Winter, Instagram is even more depressing than Facebook. Heres why.http://www.slate.com/ articles/technology/technology/2013/07/ instagram_and_self_esteem_why_the_photo_sharing_network_is_even_more_depressing.html 7/9 7/9 1. Nick Salvato Out of Hand: YouTube Amateurs and Professionals, TDR: The Drama Review, Volume 53, Number 3, Fall 2009 (T 203) , pp. 67-83 (PDF on Bboard)) 2. Maria A. Kopacz (bio) and Bessie Lee Lawton Rating the YouTube Indian: Viewer Ratings of Native American Portrayals on a Viral Video Site (PDF on BBoard) 3. William Merrin , Still Fighting the Beast:Guerrilla Television and the Limits of YouTube (PDF on BBoard) 1. Nick Salvato Out of Hand: YouTube Amateurs and Professionals, TDR: The Drama Review, Volume 53, Number 3, Fall 2009 (T 203) , pp. 67-83 (PDF on Bboard)) 2. Maria A. Kopacz (bio) and Bessie Lee Lawton Rating the YouTube Indian: Viewer Ratings of Native American Portrayals on a Viral Video Site (PDF on BBoard) 3. William Merrin , Still Fighting the Beast:Guerrilla Television and the Limits of YouTube (PDF on BBoard) 1. Nick Salvato Out of Hand: YouTube Amateurs and Professionals, TDR: The Drama Review, Volume 53, Number 3, Fall 2009 (T 203) , pp. 67-83 (PDF on Bboard)) 2. Maria A. Kopacz (bio) and Bessie Lee Lawton Rating the YouTube Indian: Viewer Ratings of Native American Portrayals on a Viral Video Site (PDF on BBoard) 3. William Merrin , Still Fighting the Beast:Guerrilla Television and the Limits of YouTube (PDF on BBoard) 7/10 7/10 1. Esther Milne , FCJ-010 Email and Epistolary technologies: Presence, Intimacy, Disembodiment http:// two.fibreculturejournal.org/ 2. Christine Bacareza Balance, How It Feels to Be Viral Me: Affective Labor and Asian American YouTube Performance (PDF on BBoard) 1. Esther Milne , FCJ-010 Email and Epistolary technologies: Presence, Intimacy, Disembodiment http:// two.fibreculturejournal.org/ 2. Christine Bacareza Balance, How It Feels to Be Viral Me: Affective Labor and Asian American YouTube Performance (PDF on BBoard) 1. Esther Milne , FCJ-010 Email and Epistolary technologies: Presence, Intimacy, Disembodiment http:// two.fibreculturejournal.org/ 2. Christine Bacareza Balance, How It Feels to Be Viral Me: Affective Labor and Asian American YouTube Performance (PDF on BBoard) KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: WEEK 3: Digital Innovation, Social Media WEEK 3: Digital Innovation, Social Media WEEK 3: Digital Innovation, Social Media WEEK 3: Digital Innovation, Social Media WEEK 3: Digital Innovation, Social Media 7/14 7/14 7/14 No class. Watch The Matrix on your own time. Also, Read selections from Dave Thompkins, How to Wreck a Nice Beach: The Vocoder from World War II to Hip-Hop, The Machine Speaks (Available through amazon.com) We will use this book as a basis for our presentations and discussion this week. No class. Watch The Matrix on your own time. Also, Read selections from Dave Thompkins, How to Wreck a Nice Beach: The Vocoder from World War II to Hip-Hop, The Machine Speaks (Available through amazon.com) We will use this book as a basis for our presentations and discussion this week. 7/15 7/15 7/15 Read these two articles on social media: 1. Article contextualizing digital utopia: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/arts/25conn.html? pagewanted=all 2. Ulises A. Mejias, FCJ-147 Liberation Technology and the Arab Spring: From Utopia to Atopia and Beyondhttp://twenty.fibreculturejournal.org Read these two articles on social media: 1. Article contextualizing digital utopia: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/arts/25conn.html? pagewanted=all 2. Ulises A. Mejias, FCJ-147 Liberation Technology and the Arab Spring: From Utopia to Atopia and Beyondhttp://twenty.fibreculturejournal.org 7/16 7/16 7/16 Read these three short articles on social media: 1. Instagram and the impact of immediate visuality: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/20/ instagram-vine-and-the-evolution-of-social-media/ 2. Moira Burke and Robert Kraut, Social Capital on Facebook: Differentiating Uses and Usershttp:// citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.227.6644&rep=rep1&type=pdf 3. Jessica Winter, Instagram is even more depressing than Facebook. Heres why.http://www.slate.com/ articles/technology/technology/2013/07/ instagram_and_self_esteem_why_the_photo_sharing_network_is_even_more_depressing.html Read these three short articles on social media: 1. Instagram and the impact of immediate visuality: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/06/20/ instagram-vine-and-the-evolution-of-social-media/ 2. Moira Burke and Robert Kraut, Social Capital on Facebook: Differentiating Uses and Usershttp:// citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.227.6644&rep=rep1&type=pdf 3. Jessica Winter, Instagram is even more depressing than Facebook. Heres why.http://www.slate.com/ articles/technology/technology/2013/07/ instagram_and_self_esteem_why_the_photo_sharing_network_is_even_more_depressing.html 7/17 7/17 7/17 MID-TERM MID-TERM KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: WEEK 4: Pop Goes the World WEEK 4: Pop Goes the World WEEK 4: Pop Goes the World WEEK 4: Pop Goes the World WEEK 4: Pop Goes the World 7/21 7/21 7/21 Visual Representations and the Vice Documentary 1. Watch two vice documentaries (to be assigned) 2. Read Stuart Hall, from Representations, Chapter 5 (Blackboard) Visual Representations and the Vice Documentary 1. Watch two vice documentaries (to be assigned) 2. Read Stuart Hall, from Representations, Chapter 5 (Blackboard) 7/22 7/22 7/22 Digital Cosmopolitanism and Afrofuturism 1. Browse and read 5 articles from the website http://africasacountry.com and be prepared to share what youve read in class 2. Read Alondra Nelson, Future Texts from Social Text 20.2 (2002) 1-15 Digital Cosmopolitanism and Afrofuturism 1. Browse and read 5 articles from the website http://africasacountry.com and be prepared to share what youve read in class 2. Read Alondra Nelson, Future Texts from Social Text 20.2 (2002) 1-15 7/23 7/23 7/23 1. R. Niezen, 2005, Digital Identity: The Construction of Virtual Selfhood in the Indigenous People's Movement, Comparative Studies in Society and History 47.3, 532-551 (PDF on BBoard) 2. Lisa Nakamura and Peter A. Chow-White , eds., Race After the Internet (Selection) (PDF on BBoard) 1. R. Niezen, 2005, Digital Identity: The Construction of Virtual Selfhood in the Indigenous People's Movement, Comparative Studies in Society and History 47.3, 532-551 (PDF on BBoard) 2. Lisa Nakamura and Peter A. Chow-White , eds., Race After the Internet (Selection) (PDF on BBoard) 7/24 7/24 7/24 Selections from )_Media Worlds_ (Bboard) Selections from )_Media Worlds_ (Bboard) KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: KEYWORDS: WEEK 5: Case Studies WEEK 5: Case Studies WEEK 5: Case Studies WEEK 5: Case Studies WEEK 5: Case Studies 7/28 7/28 7/28 7/28 Case Study: Senegalese Hip-Hop 1. Ali Colleen Neff, The New Masters of Eloquence(PDF on Bboard) 2. Social Text Online article: http://www.socialtextjournal.org/periscope/2011/11/in-one-all-senegalese- women-freestyle-artists-unify-the-global-ghetto.php 3. Freestyle video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qg05IBWKGM 7/29 7/29 7/29 7/29 Course Review: Putting it all in perspective; where do we go from here? Reread the Stuart Hall article from the first week of class: http://kassanoff.wikischolars.columbia.edu/file/view/stuart%20hall %20representation%20ch.%201-2.pdf 7/30 7/30 7/30 7/30 In-Class Presentations 7/31 7/31 7/31 7/31 Final Paper Due Graded Item Number of points (of 100 total) Assignment Sheets will be available for each assignment as it is presented in class Graded Item Number of points (of 100 total) Assignment Sheets will be available for each assignment as it is presented in class Two in-class featured reading presentations and precis (an example will be given to you) 20 Mid-Term Exam on keywords (7/17) 20 Final paper due. This is a case study for which you will receive an assignment design worksheet the rst week of class; these will be self-directed. 25 Final Presentation: You will give a ten-minute presentation of your research project 10 Course Participation 25