MCOM 419: Popular Culture and Mass Communication Spring 2014 Tuesdays, 4-6:45 p.m., UC323. Professor Drew Morton E-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: List Here
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course focuses on the theories of media studies that have broadened the scope of the field in the past thirty years. Topics and authors include: comics studies (Scott McCloud), fan culture (Henry Jenkins), gender (Lynn Spigel), new media (Lev Manovich), race (Aniko Bodrogkozy, Herman Gray), and television (John Caldwell, Raymond Williams).
Before the conclusion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Exhibit an understanding of the technological developments that have driven the evolution of television (mastery will be assessed by the objective midterm and final exams). 2. Exhibit an understanding of the industrial structures that have defined the history of American television (mastery will be assessed by the objective midterm and final exams). 3. Exhibit an understanding of the terminology and theories that help us analyze television as a cultural artifact and as a work of art (mastery will be assessed by classroom participation and short response papers).
REQUIRED TEXTS/MATERIALS:
Edgerton, Gary. The Columbia History of American Television (Columbia University Press, 2009).
Other readings may be distributed via photocopy, PDF, or e-mail.
Students will also need to have Netflix, Hulu, and/or Amazon to stream certain video titles on their own.
SCHEDULE:
WEEK ONE: Radio, Television, and the Sitcom (1.0)
Screenings: Texaco Star Theater (1948-1956), The Goldbergs (1949-1956), and Amos ‘n’ Andy (1951-1953).
WEEK TWO: Anthology Drama
Reading: Edgerton, Chapters 1-3. Screenings: Marty (1953, 51 minutes).
WEEK THREE: Television and Positive Social Change
Reading: Edgerton, Chapters 4-5.
Screening: The Twilight Zone (“The Monsters are Due on Maple Street,” 1960, 25 minutes) and The Outer Limits (“The Architects of Fear,” 1963, 51 minutes).
WEEK FOUR: Television and Positive Social Change
Reading: TBA
Screening: Good Night and Good Luck (2005, George Clooney, 93 minutes).
PAPER #1 DUE
WEEK FIVE: Television and Negative Social Change
Reading: TBA
Screening: A Face in the Crowd (1957, Elia Kazan, 125 minutes).
WEEK SIX: Race and Television
Reading: Edgerton, Chapter 6 and Bodrogkozy (Handout).
Screening: Color Adjustment (1992, Marlon Riggs, 80 minutes).
WEEK SEVEN: MIDTERM EXAM
WEEK EIGHT: Television Authors: Lear and Mary Tyler Moore and the Sitcom (2.0)
Reading: Edgerton, Chapter Eight and Feuer (Handout).
Screening: All in the Family (1971-1979) and The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977).
WEEK NINE: Televisuality
Reading: Gitlin and Caldwell (Handout).
Screening: Hill Street Blues (1981-1987) and Miami Vice (1984-1990).
PAPER #2 DUE WEEK TEN: Postmodern Television
Reading: Collins and Jenkins (Handout).
Screening: Twin Peaks (1990-1991), Community (2009-Present).
WEEK ELEVEN: The Contemporary Sitcom (3.0)
Reading: Mittell and Rowe (Handout).
Screening: Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-Present) and The Simpsons (1989-Present).
WEEK TWELVE: HBO and the Crime Show
Reading: Mittell, Genre and Television (Handout).
Screening: The Sopranos (1999-2007), The Wire (2002-2008).
WEEK THIRTEEN: AMC and the Serial Drama
Reading: Mittell, Complex TV (Online).
Screening: Mad Men (2007-Present), Breaking Bad (2008-2013).
PAPER #3 DUE
WEEK FOURTEEN: Gender and the Television Sitcom
Reading: Mittell (Handout).
Screening: Seinfeld (1989-1998) and Girls (2012-Present).
WEEK FIFTEEN: FINAL EXAM
Screening: Network (1978, Sidney Lumet, 121 minutes).
GRADE BREAKDOWN: Attendance/Participation/Homework/Quizzes: 20% Midterm and Final Exams: 20% Student Presentations (3): 30% Three response papers (three pages each): 30%
COURSE POLICIES: Be sure to complete your reading and assignments on the date they are scheduled on the syllabus. Late assignments are docked 1/3rd of a letter grade each day they are late.
Excessive absences will affect your final grade in the course (see the grade breakdown above). If you miss more than half the meetings, you will be terminated from the course. Note: If you attend each session and do not participate, the maximum grade you can earn for your attendance/participation portion is a D grade.
In accordance with the University’s academic integrity policy (see below), students who violate the policy will earn an automatic F for the course.
Cell phones are to be set on vibrate and not to be used during class.
Be sure to bring all your course materials to class each day we meet. Finally, please allow a 24-48 hour turn-around time for any e-mails. Due to this policy, be sure not to leave any major concerns/questions about assignments for the last minute!
I reserve the right to alter this syllabus.
TAMUT POLICIES: Disability Accommodations: Students with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations through the A&M-Texarkana Disability Services Office by calling 903-223-3062. Academic Integrity: Academic honesty is expected of students enrolled in this course. Cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration, falsification of research data, plagiarism, and undocumented use of materials from any source constitute academic dishonesty and may be grounds for a grade of ‘F’ in the course and/or disciplinary actions. For additional information, see the university catalog. A&M-Texarkana Email Address: Upon application to Texas A&M University-Texarkana an individual will be assigned an A&M-Texarkana email account. This email account will be used to deliver official university correspondence. Each individual is responsible for information sent and received via the university email account and is expected to check the official A&M-Texarkana email account on a frequent and consistent basis. Faculty and students are required to utilize the university email account when communicating about coursework. Drop Policy: To drop this course after the census date (see semester calendar), a student must complete the Drop/Withdrawal Request Form, located on the University website http://tamut.edu/Registrar/droppingwithdrawing-from- classes.html) or obtained in the Registrar’s Office. The student must submit the signed and completed form to the instructor of each course indicated on the form to be dropped for his/her signature. The signature is not an “approval” to drop, but rather confirmation that the student has discussed the drop/withdrawal with the faculty member. The form must be submitted to the Registrar’s office for processing in person, email [email protected], mail (7101 University Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503) or fax (903-223-3140). Drop/withdraw forms missing any of the required information will not be accepted by the Registrar’s Office for processing. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the form is completed properly before submission. If a student stops participating in class (attending and submitting assignments) but does not complete and submit the drop/ withdrawal form, a final grade based on work completed as outlined in the syllabus will be assigned.