AMST3423: American Popular Culture
Fall 2012
TR 12-1:15pm
Professor Stacy Takacs
Email: stacy.takacs@okstate.edu
Phone: 918-594-8331
Office: MCB2221
Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 1:30-4:00 or by appointment
OSU American Studies Website – For program info, course options, news & events
http://amst.okstate.edu/index.php
Also, catch us on Facebook. Search for “American Studies Oklahoma State University.”
All “fans” are encouraged to post to the site.
Course Description:
When we speak of "popular culture" what exactly are we talking about? Is something
"popular" merely because it is consumed in large quantities, or does the label "popular"
refer to a particular style of production, reception, or participation? This course will
assume a critical stance toward American popular culture, asking about the origins of
both the category and the media that convey it. We will begin by surveying the
emergence and democratization of "leisure time" in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
As wages rose and work hours diminished, what sorts of "amusements" were available
to fill this "leisure time," who took advantage of these amusements, and how did they do
so? Once the historical foundation is established, we will investigate contemporary
examples of popular culture with an emphasis on what people do with cultural “texts”
(loosely defined). We will look at how such texts are constructed and circulated, how
“fans” interact with them, and how the interactions between producers and consumers
are changing in the contemporary era. We will use the figure of the “zombie” to center
our discussions, so if you are not a fan of zombies—horrific or humorous—this may not
be the course for you.
Evaluation will be based on periodic quizzes/assignments, one (5-7 pp) analytical
response paper, one (8-10 pp) research paper, and two exams.
Texts:



David Nasaw, Going Out: The Rise and Fall of Public Amusements;
A zombie-related text of your choice (novel, graphic novel, film or TV show)
A selection of readings available in the "Readings" Folder of the Desire2Learn
site for this course (https://oc.okstate.edu)
Policies:
Participation: Students are expected to attend every class and participate actively in
class discussions, both real and virtual. Participation determines borderline grades and
eligibility for extra credit!
Excessive absence may result in a failing grade for the course. Absences will be
excused only for dire illness and family emergency, both of which must be
substantiated by documentation (a Dr's note, a funeral notice, etc.). If you
accumulate more than three unexcused absences, you forfeit the right to earn extracredit points. More than 6 such absences, and you fail.
Active participation means:
 You will have read the materials and completed any writing assignments,
including on-line assignments, before you arrive in class.
 You will bring the day’s reading materials with you to class so that you may
refer to them.
 You will engage with and respond to your peers during both large and small
group discussions and during on-line assignments.
 You will listen attentively to every speaker and respond respectfully to the
ideas of others. You will NOT phone, text, or surf the internet while in class.
 You will exhibit a deliberate effort to apply, extend, and challenge concepts
we discuss in class. Ask questions, make comparisons, & share your
observations in every class.
Quizzes/Assignments: I will periodically give in-class quizzes or out of class writing
assignments (discussion posts) to test your comprehension of course materials and
terminology. Writing assignments will be due by 5pm on Sundays with additional
comments due before class on Tuesdays. They will always occur over weekends.
Quizzes will be given at the beginning of class and cannot be made up. If you are late,
unprepared, or otherwise absent for the quiz, you will lose those points. Altogether, the
quizzes/assignments will be worth 100 points & will comprise 10% of your course grade.
Essay One: You will complete a 5-7 page analytical essay over a zombie text of your
choosing from a list provided by me. In the essay, you will analyze the text using
appropriate course concepts and readings to ground your insights. See the
ASSIGNMENTS folder on the D2L for full details, and the schedule of readings for the
due date. This essay will be worth 150 points and will comprise 15% of your course
grade. NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Essay Two: You will complete an 8-10 page research essay that applies course insights
on globalization to a cultural phenomenon of your choosing. Topic: What factors—
economic, political, historical, cultural—explain the popularity of this global phenomenon
in the US? See the ASSIGNMENTS folder on the D2L for full details, and the schedule
of readings for the due date. This essay will be worth 250 points and will comprise 25%
of your course grade. 5% of that grade (50 pts) will be based on your completion of a
research worksheet related to your phenomenon (Due 11/15). NO LATE PAPERS WILL
BE ACCEPTED.
Exams: There will be one mid-term and one final exam in this class. The exams may
consist of identifications, short-answer responses, and/or essay questions and will cover
the course readings, lectures, media, and discussions in equal measure. Check the
course schedule to determine the exam dates. The exams will be worth 250 points each,
and together will comprise 50% of your course grade. MAKE-UP EXAMS WILL BE
GIVEN ONLY IN CASES OF DOCUMENTED EMERGENCY.
Special Needs and Disabilities: If you have a disability, physical or otherwise, you
must register with the appropriate liaison in the Student Disability Services Office (103
North Hall; 918-594-8354). Once you have registered, I will be happy to make
accommodations for your needs if at all possible.
Academic Honesty: All work you turn in for this class must be your own work.
Incidents of minor plagiarism—including the failure to cite your sources properly—will
result in a failing grade for the assignment. Any more egregious violation (turning in
someone else's paper as your own, copying content from the internet, or cheating during
an exam, for example) will result in a failing grade for the course. Consult OSU’s
Office of Academic Affairs for more information on OSU’s Academic Integrity policy.
Media: Films assigned for both in-class and out-of-class viewing will be available either
online or on reserve at the OSU Tulsa library. NOTE: You will not be permitted to check
the films out of the library, so schedule the appropriate amount of time to view them. To
access reserves, visit the circulation desk in the library, provide the staff member with
the course number and title of the film/show, and he/she will check it out to you. I will
provide links on D2L to media that are available online.
Grading:
Quizzes/Assignments
10%
(100 points)
A=90-100%
Essay 1
15%
(150 points)
B=80-89%
Essay 2
25%
(250 points)
C=70-79%
Midterm Exam
25%
(250 points)
D=60-69%
Final Exam
25%
(250 points)
F=59% or less
Total
100%
(1000 points)
Schedule:
 Do all assigned reading BEFORE you come to class and be prepared to discuss.
 Selections starred with an asterisk (*) can be found in the “Readings” section of D2L.
 Selections that are hyperlinks can be found by clicking on the link or typing the URL
into an online search engine, like Google
 Watch means watch the video, film or clip BEFORE you come to class.
Introduction to Popular Culture
8/21
What is Popular Culture? Why Study It?
8/23
What are the Social Functions of Popular Culture?
Read: *Gary Harmon, “On the Nature and Functions of Popular Culture”
In-Class Screening: The Simpsons “Wild Barts Can’t Be Broken” (1999)
History of American Popular Culture
8/28
History of Popular Entertainment I: Early American Theatre
Read: Nasaw, Going Out (Chaps 1-6, pp. 1-79)
8/30
History of Popular Entertainment II: Fairs and Other Spectacles
Read: Nasaw, Going Out (Chaps 7-9, pp. 80-119)
9/4
History of Popular Entertainment III: Arrival of Moving Pictures
Read: Nasaw, Going Out (Chaps 10-14, pp. 120-204)
9/6
The History of Popular Entertainment V: New Modes of Leisure
Read: Nasaw, Going Out (Chaps 15-17, pp. 205-256)
Theorizing Popular Production and Consumption
9/11
Theorizing Cultural Consumption
Read: *Dwight MacDonald, “Masscult and Midcult”
*John Fiske, "Commodities and Culture"
In-Class Screening: Barbie Nation (clips)
9/13
Reading Popular Culture: Theories of Pleasure
Read: *John Fiske, “Productive Pleasures”
*Richard Dyer, “Entertainment and Utopia; In Defense of Disco”
Ways of Reading Popular Culture
9/18
Reading Film I: Ideology Critique
Read: *Jonathan Gray “Common Sense”
*Harry Benshoff and Sean Green, “Whiteness”
*Kyle William Bishop, “Imperialist Hegemony & the Cinematic Voodoo Zombie”
Watch: EITHER White Zombie (1932) OR I Walked with a Zombie (1943) – Both are
available on Reserve in the OSUT Library, or you can watch White Zombie online at:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N5-UzUxBss>
DUE: Discussion Post – In lieu of a quiz this week, post an analysis of the film’s
portrayal of race, gender, or power relations to the Discussion Board (on the D2L).
Apply course concepts if and when possible. DO THIS BEFORE 5 PM ON SUNDAY
9/16. Read your peers’ posts and comment as appropriate before you come to class
on Tuesday. You MUST respond to at least 2 of your peers’ posts to receive full
credit.
9/20
Reading Film II: The Work of Genre and Formula
Read: *John Cawelti, “The Concept of Formula in the Study of Popular Culture” – Find this
article yourselves using the Library search engines and databases
*Barry Keith Grant, “Elements of Genre”
9/25
Case Study: Genre and Ideology in George Romero’s Zombie Films
Read: *Robin Wood, “Return of the Repressed”
*Terrence McSweeney “Land of the Dead and the Home of the Brave: Romero’s
Vision of a Post-9/11 America”
Watch: Night of the Living Dead (1968; http://archive.org/details/night_of_the_living_dead)
In-Class Screening: Clips from Dawn of the Dead, Land of the Dead
DUE: Discussion Post – In lieu of a quiz this week, post a response to Robin
Wood’s analysis of Night of the Living Dead on the Discussion Board (on D2L). Read
Wood’s analysis BEFORE you watch the film. Then discuss the merits or demerits of
Wood’s analysis. What does he get right; what does he get wrong? DO THIS
BEFORE 5 PM ON SUNDAY 9/23. Read your peers’ posts and comment as
appropriate before you come to class on Tuesday. You MUST respond to at least 2
of your peers’ posts to receive full credit.
It’s the Economy, Stupid! Political Economy and Popular Culture
9/27
Basic Theories
Read: *David Paul Nord, “An Economic Perspective on Formula in Popular Culture”
*David Hesmondalgh, “Industries that Make Texts: The Distinctive Features of the
Cultural Industries”
10/2
Developments in Cultural Production: Conglomeration and Synergy
Read: *Robert McChesney, “Conglomeration and Synergy”
In-Class Screening: The Monster That Ate Hollywood
10/4
Impact of Media Convergence on the Popular Arts: Film
Read: *Henry Jenkins, “The Matrix and Transmedia Storytelling”
Watch: Tim Kring on Transmedia Storytelling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWyo00IoXo8&feature=related
Due: Essay 1: Analysis of a Zombie Text (Due 10/7 by 5 pm to Dropbox)
10/9
Impact of Media Convergence on the Popular Arts: TV
Read: *Jonathan Gray, “Expansion, Overflow & Synergy”
10/11
Case Study: The Walking Dead
Read: Henry Jenkins, “Making My Peace with the Bicycle Girl: Reflections on The Walking
Dead Web Series”
http://henryjenkins.org/2011/10/a_conversation_about_transmedi.html
Visit: AMC’s Walking Dead Website: http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead
Watch: The Walking Dead, “Pilot” (on Reserve in OSUT Library)
The Walking Dead Webisodes, in “Video” tab of the above website (3 of your choice)
Play: Social Game on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AMCTheWalkingDeadGame
10/16
Midterm Exam
Room for Popular Maneuver?: The Internet and Participatory Culture
10/18
The Internet and Fan Cultures
Read: *Henry Jenkins, “Digital Cinema, Media Convergence, and Participatory Culture”
“Participatory Culture” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participatory_culture
10/23
Is it All Good?
Read: *Marc Andrejevic, “Watching TV Without Pity”
*Suzanne Scott, "Authorized Resistance: Is Fan Production Frakked?"
10/25
Read:
Has the Digital Age Made Us All Zombies?
*Rodney Clapp, “Attack of the Zombies”
Tony Dokoupil, “Could the Internet Bring On a Zombie Apocalypse?”
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/06/10/could-the-internet-bring-on-azombie-apocalypse.html
*Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan, “Your Brain is Evolving Right Now”
*Sherry Turkle, “Always On”
Interactivity and Identity: Video Games, the Self, and Social Relations
10/30
Video Games, Identity and Community: Some (Recent) History
Read: *Zach Waggoner, “Videogames, Avatars and Identity: A Brief History”
*S. Craig Watkins, “We Play: The Allure of Social Games, Synthetic Worlds and
Second Lives”
Amy O’Leary, “In Virtual Play, Sex Harassment Is All Too Real”
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/02/us/sexual-harassment-in-online-gaming-stirsanger.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120802
11/1
Read:
Playing the Undead
*Tanya Krzywinska, “Zombies in Gamespace: Form, Context, and Meaning in
Zombie-Based Video Games”
*Chris Suellentrop, "Putting the Guilt Back in Killing."
Watch: Tea Party Zombies Must Die!
Globalization and Popular Culture
11/6
American Culture Abroad
Read: *Neil Campbell and Alasdair Kean, “The Transmission of American Culture”
Watch: Japanese Monsters Catch On To The Thriller Dance Craze
http://io9.com/5420306/japanese-monsters-catch-on-to-the-thriller-dance-craze
11/8
Case Study: Heavy Metal Travels
Read: *Deena Weinstein, “The Globalization of Metal”
Watch: Rob Zombie, “Living Dead Girl” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvsMPOfblfg OR
“Dragula” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqQuihD0hoI&
In-Class Screening: Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey (clips); Global Metal (clips)
11/13
NOTE: I will be at a conference this week. Thus, we will not meet face-to-face. You
may contact me via email if you have questions. Here are your assignments:
Watch: Heavy Metal in Baghdad
DUE: Discussion Post – In lieu of a quiz this week, post a response to the film
Heavy Metal in Baghdad on the Discussion Board (on the D2L). Weinstein argues
that “the geographical dissemination of heavy metal has both economic and
cultural dimensions” (36). How do we see these “dimensions” reflected in the story
of Acrassicauda? DUE BEFORE 5 PM ON SUNDAY 11/18. Read your peers’
posts and comment as appropriate before you come to class on Tuesday 11/20.
You MUST respond to at least 2 of your peers’ posts to receive full credit.
11/15
No Class Meeting
DUE: Research Worksheet (submit to Dropbox by 11:59 pm, Sunday 11/18)
11/20
“Foreign” Cultures in America: East Meets West
Read: *Ralph Linton, "The 100 Percent American"
*David Desser, “Consuming Asia: Chinese/Jap. Popular Culture & Am. Imaginary”
11/22
Class Cancelled: Thanksgiving
11/27
Case Study: Asian Comics on the Ascent
Read: *John Lent, “Comic Art in Asian Cultural Context”
*Fred Patten, “Anime in the US”
“Manga” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manga
In-Class Screening: Zombie Hunter, Sankarea, Animatrix
Media Ecology
11/29
Read: “What is Media Ecology?”
http://www.media-ecology.org/media_ecology/index.html
*Todd Gitlin, “Supersaturation”
12/4
Role-Playing Games & Zombie Walks—What’s Up with That?
Read: Kyle Mackie, “Ghouls Just Want to Have Fun”
http://kylemackiemasters.wordpress.com/2012/02/ (esp, part II on Fun)
Optional: Sarah Juliet Lauro, “Playing Dead: Zombies Invade Performance Art . . .
and Your Neighborhood” <http://io9.com/5875897/did-zombie-flash-mobs-helppave-the-way-for-occupy-wall-street>
Visit: “Tulsa Zombie Walk” on Facebook—examine relevant responses
Humans V. Zombies website http://humansvszombies.org
The “Zombie Squad” website http://www.zombiehunters.org/
12/6
(Don’t) Panic: The Zombie Metaphor Spreads
Read: *David Flint, “The Living Dead Devour Pop Culture”
*Centers for Disease Control, “Preparedness 101: Zombie Panic”
“Moral Panic” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_panic
Watch: Fox & Friends, “Are Bath-Salts to Blame for Zombie-like Crimes”
http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/06/06/are-bath-salts-to-blame-for-zombie-likecrimes/
Greg McNeal, “Zombie Cannibal Apocalypse?” Forbes Blog
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2012/06/01/zombie-cannibalapocalypse-cdc-weighs-in-but-is-abcs-castle-to-blame/
In-Class Screening: Mad TV, “The Black Experience and Zombies”; Castle “Undead
Again” (clips)
Due: Essay 2 -- Globalization & Pop Culture (Due 12/9 by 11:59 pm to Dropbox)
12/11
Final Exam