History 3410O: Popular Culture in the United States
Winter 2021
Instructor: Professor James Miller
This is an online course. There is no ‘live’ section and there are no classroom components. The course is offered asynchronously. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COURSE WILL BE ONLINE EVEN IF CLASSES HAVE RESUMED ON CAMPUS IN THE WINTER TERM.
This course explores the popular culture of the United States from the early decades of the nineteenth century to the eve of US entry into World War I. The class will be shaped by several broad questions. First and foremost, what do we mean when we call culture “popular”? We will examine a variety of answers to this question, but our main focus will be on forms of entertainment that may or may not have had their roots in ‘the people’ but were certainly intended to attract a broad, even mass, audience. Topics will include minstrel shows and music halls, the penny press and dime novels, world’s fairs and amusement parks, and the early days of the US film industry. Through the examination and analysis of such topics we will pursue several main themes:
- the relation of commerce to culture
- the impact of technology and industrialization on forms of leisure and entertainment
- the connections between economic and social change and popular culture
- the role of popular culture in reflecting and promoting social attitudes and practices regarding class, gender, and race
- the growing influence of US culture on the rest of the world
Please be aware that in this class we will encounter difficult and disturbing historical materials and subjects as we study forms of entertainment—such as blackface minstrelsy—that are considered offensive today, and indeed were considered offensive by many people at the time.
Requirements:
The course is designed to ensure that, in total, its requirements–in terms of preparation, readings and viewings, research, and assignments–take up no more time than would a regular course consisting of three hours in the classroom and several hours per week of preparation time outside of it. There are, however, important differences from many other courses. The most important one is this: the structure of this course requires that you participate in a variety of ways EVERY week. Each week you will be required to engage with a variety of sources and materials such as readings, viewing of material online, and short introductory lectures by the instructor. You will also show that you have done so through various assignments such as content-based quizzes and contributing to your online discussion group. It will not be possible to miss weeks and then ‘catch up’ at some later point.
Assessment and Assignments:
- Weekly quizzes based on required readings
- Weekly contributions to discussion group
- Bi-weekly short reflections
- Research Assignment
- Final Take-home Exam
If you have any questions please contact me at james.miller@carleton.ca