SOC790 Sociology of Mass Culture

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2013
Extent and Intensity
1/1. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. Bernadette Nadya Jaworsky, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Edita Bezdičková (assistant)
Mgr. Karel Musílek, MSc (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Ladislav Rabušic, CSc.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Tue 14:00–15:40 U35
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Imagine a sociology course where you already “know” much of the empirical material that we will examine during the semester. Television, film, music, art and other forms of non-elite culture provide the data for this intensive investigation of the role of mass culture in contemporary life. Sociological theory provides the lens through which we look at the ways in which mass or popular culture interacts and intersects with society. Moving from capitalism to consumerism and from the Frankfurt School to Fiske on TV theory, we will think about its different effects on our own lives as well as on society as a whole. We’ll consider the many ways in which mass culture has been defined and understood historically and consider how these might affect a globalized future. Topics include gender, race, and ethnicity, class and commodification, globalization, subcultures, identities, and the processes of resistance and domination.

Course Objectives

By the end of the semester, students should be able to:

• Recognize, define and discuss the concept of “mass culture”
• Review and analyze patterns of historical change in the social effects of mass culture
• Compare and contrast different sociological theories of mass/popular culture
• Apply a sociological lens for analysis of the influence of mass culture in various social spheres, including the state, the economy, the family, education, religion and civil society
• Critically reflect about their own experiences in light of sociological and historical data
• To cultivate research proficiency and expertise by undertaking a semester-long research paper that involves primary sociological texts, the incorporation of a strong thesis and multiple drafts
Syllabus
  • • 1st Seminar: Introduction
  • • 2nd Seminar: The History of Mass Culture
  • • 3rd Seminar: Early Theories of Mass Culture
  • • 4th Seminar: Critical Approaches to Mass Culture (focus: television)
  • • 5th Seminar: Functionalist Approaches to Mass Culture (focus: ritual & sport)
  • • 6th Seminar: Interaction Approaches to Mass Culture (focus: youth/subcultures/fandom)
  • • 7th Seminar: No class – reading period
  • • 8th Seminar: Creating Mass Culture (focus: music)
  • • 9th Seminar: How the Media and Culture Industries Work (focus: film)
  • • 10th Seminar: Social Class and the Search for Meaning (audiences)
  • • 11th Seminar: Shopping & Consumption (focus: places)
  • • 12th Seminar: Gender, Race, & Ethnicity/Globalization (focus: Czech pop culture)
  • • 13th Seminar: Conclusion (focus: the digital age)
Teaching methods
Weekly seminar meetings, reading of literature, written responses to readings, oral presentations
Assessment methods
Conditions for passing the course:

1. Systematic work on and (short, 1-page) written responses to readings
2. Discussant Performance (10-15 minutes)
3. Final essay (minimum 10 pages)
4. Written final exam

Particular activities of students will be evaluated as follows:

25% - reading, responses and class participation
15% - oral presentation
25% - written exam
35% - research essay
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2003, Spring 2012.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2013/SOC790