COURSE UNIT TITLE

: CONSUMER SOCIETY AND HISTORY OF AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE

DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
TAR 6142 CONSUMER SOCIETY AND HISTORY OF AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE ELECTIVE 3 0 0 11

Offered By

History

Level of Course Unit

Third Cycle Programmes (Doctorate Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR GÜLSÜM TÜTÜNCÜ UĞURLUBAY

Offered to

History

Course Objective

This course aims at examining the American popular culture by the way of images, symbols, objects and signifiers, and scrutinizes the role of mass media in consumer society.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Define the significance of America in popular culture history
2   Understand the symbols and values underlying the American popular mind
3   Analyze the working logic that shapes consumer culture, social status and identity established by the act of consuming
4   Describe the correlation between the media and social objects of desire
5   Realize the interrelatedness of popular culture, consumer society, and mainstream ideology

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 Introduction to the course material Lecture+discussion
2 Popular culture, mass media, and advertising industry Lecture+discussion
3 The globe as a department store and materialist worldview Lecture+discussion
4 Buying as a means of self-expression and the individual choice Lecture+discussion
5 American popular culture history: 1900-1940 Lecture+discussion
6 American popular culture history: 1940-1980 Lecture+discussion
7 American popular culture history: 1980-present Lecture+discussion
8 Midterm exam Midterm exam
9 Consumer society and the habit of consuming as a global lifestyle Lecture+discussion
10 Understanding happiness in consumer society: I consume therefore I am Lecture+discussion
11 Leisure society and entertainment culture Lecture+discussion
12 Centers of global attraction: American big city Lecture+discussion
13 Fads and fashion, fan cultures, objects of desire, and social media: power of the image Lecture+discussion
14 Fads and fashion, fan cultures, objects of desire, and social media: power of the image II Lecture+discussion
15 Symbols of the new world and transformation: posthuman body Lecture+discussion
16 Final Exam

Recomended or Required Reading

Berger, Arthur Asa. Ads, Fads, and Consumer Culture: Advertising's Impact on American Character and Society. 4th Edition. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011.
Lewis, Lisa A., ed. Adoring Audience: Fan Culture and Popular Media. New York: Routledge, 1992.
Horowitz, Daniel. Consuming Pleasures: Intellectuals and Popular Culture in Postwar World. Philadelphia: U of Pennsylvania P, 2012.
Cantor, Paul A. The Invisible Hand in Popular Culture: Liberty vs. Authority in American Film and TV. Lexington: U of Kentucky P, 2012.
Toffoletti, Kim. Cyborgs and Barbie Dolls: Feminism, Popular Culture and Posthuman Body. London: I.B.Tauris, 2007.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Lectures
Homeworks/presentations

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 STT TERM WORK (SEMESTER)
3 FIN FINAL EXAM
4 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.30 + STT * 0.30 + FIN* 0.40
5 RST RESIT
6 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.30 + STT * 0.30 + RST* 0.40


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

1. Midterm exam covers the topics instructed in class from the beginning of semester to the day of the exam.
2. Final exam covers the topics instructed in class after the midterm exam to the end of the semester.
3. Class presentations are submitted also in written form and considered homework.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

1. 70% attendance is obligatory. You cannot enter class more than 20 minutes late.
2. Non-attendance will not be considered as an acceptable excuse.
3. Participation to the term and final examinations will be considered in the
evaluation.
4. Students are expected to act in accordance with scientific rules in lessons and homework.
5. Course materials are uploaded to online.deu.edu.tr.
6. Students are expected to behave in accordance with their student identity in classes.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Dr. Gülsüm Tütüncü Uğurlubay
e-mail: tutuncugulsum@gmail.com
Phone: +90 (232) 301 94 08
Room: Öğretim Üyeleri Binası 3. Kat 313 nolu Oda

Office Hours

By appointment

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 3 42
Student Presentations 14 2 28
Preparation for midterm exam 1 15 15
Preparation for final exam 1 15 15
Preparing assignments 1 20 20
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 14 4 56
Reading 14 5 70
Preparing presentations 1 21 21
Midterm 1 3 3
Final 1 3 3
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 273

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6
LO.14
LO.243
LO.33
LO.455
LO.53

CONTACT INFORMATION
Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Cumhuriyet Bulvarı No: 144 35210 Alsancak / İZMİR
Phone: +90(232) 412 12 12 - Fax: +90 (232) 464 81 35

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