Professor Zine Magubane
magubane@bc.edu
McGuinn 418
Office Hours: T/Th 10:30-11:50
SC 304: Race, Ethnicity, and Popular Culture
Fall 2013 Syllabus
This course is an historical and sociological examination of the role of popular culture in the making of
American society and culture. The purpose of the course is to trace how notions of fame, celebrity, and
consumption have interacted over time to help to produce the idea of America as a nation that with an
ethos of equality that, nevertheless, routinely produces inequality along class, race, and gender lines.
Required texts:
Cline, E. Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion
Cohen, L. A Consumers’ Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption n Postwar America
Cooper, A. Celebrity Diplomacy
Ferris, K.O and Harris, S. Stargazing: Celebrity, Fame, and Social Interaction
Halpern, J. Fame Junkies: The Hidden Truths Behind America’ Favorite Addiction Jay-Z. Decoded
Morgan, M. The Real HipHop: Battling for Knowledge, Power, and Respect in the LA Underground
Nakamura, L. and Chow-White, P. Race After the Internet
Piazza, J. Celebrity Inc.: How Famous People Make Money (this book is only available on AMAZON.COM)
Richey, L. and Ponte, S. Brand Aid: Shopping Well to Save the World
Sternheimer, K. Celebrity Culture and the American Dream
*Although it is listed as a required text at the BC Bookstore, we will NOT be using Cybertypes: Race,
Ethnicity and Identity on the Internet
Course Requirements
October 10 (First Paper Due)
November 12 (Second Paper Due)
December 12 (Third Paper Due)
Each paper is worth 30 % of your final grade
Class attendance and participation is worth 10% of your final grade
September 3: Introduction
Topic 1: What We Watch: Celebrity, Fame, and Popular Culture
September 5: Celebrity Culture and the American Dream, Ch. 1-4
September 10: Celebrity Culture and the American Dream, Ch. 5-8
September 12:
•
•
Stargazing: Celebrity, Fame, and Social Interaction, Ch. 1, 2,3,7
Fame Junkies, Ch. 5, 7, 8
September 17:
•
Celebrity Inc: How Famous People Make Money, Ch. 1, 2, 3, 5
Topic 2: What We Buy: Fashion, Consumption, and Popular Culture
September 19:
•
A Consumers’ Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Post War America, Part 1
September 24:
•
A Consumers’ Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Post War America, Part 2
September 26:
•
A Consumers’ Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Post War America, Part 3
October 1:
•
A Consumers’ Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Post War America, Part 4
October 3:
•
Overdressed: The High Cost of Cheap Fashion, Introduction & Chapters 1-3
October 8:
•
•
•
Overdressed: The High Cost of Cheap Fashion, Chapters 4, 6
Why I Hate Abercrombie & Fitch (O’Neill library e-reserve)
October 10:
•
Overdressed: The High Cost of Cheap Fashion, Chapters 7, 9
Topic 3: Philanthropy, Celebrity & Consumption
October 15
•
•
Film: T-Shirt Travels
Overdressed: The High Cost of Cheap Fashion, Chapter 5
October 17:
•
Brand Aid: Shopping Well to Save the World, Introduction & Chapters 1-3
October 22:
•
Film: Alicia in Africa
October 24:
•
Brand Aid: Shopping Well to Save the World, Chapters 4-Conclusion
October 29:
•
Celebrity Diplomacy, Chapters 1-4
October 31:
•
Film: I Am Because We Are
November 5:
•
•
Celebrity Diplomacy, Chapters 5-Conclusion
Celebrity Inc., Chapter 10
Topic 4: #WHATWETWEET: The Culture of Cyberspace
November 7:
•
Race After the Internet, Introduction & Part 1
November 12:
•
Race After the Internet, Part 2
November 14:
•
Race After the Internet, Part 3
November 19:
•
Race After the Internet, Part 4
Topic 5: What We Listen To: The Politics of Hip Hop
November 21:
•
The Real HipHop, Chapters 1-3
November 26:
•
Film: ‘Hip Hop’: Beyond Beats & Rhymes
November 28:
NO CLASS
December 3:
•
The Real HipHop, Chapters, Chapters 4-6
December 5:
•
•
Film: ‘Made in America’
‘The House that Hova Built’
•
‘The Fame and Fortune of Jay-Z’ (listen to the podcast)
December 10:
•
•
Decoded
‘Oh, I’m So Good At Math: Lessons From the Jay-Z Business Model’