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Popular Culture Studies

$500$975

Spring 2025

Monday, January 27 – Friday, May 16, 2025

Format

Fixed-Pace Course

Prerequisites

None

Credit

Upper

Popular culture is familiar and omnipresent, but not simple. Students enrolled in this class study popular culture artifacts and events not as ends in themselves, but as means of examining the underlying cultural mindset which those artifacts and events both reflect and mold. Dr. Seuss, Superman, Barbie dolls, The Walking Dead, shopping, cars, cell phones… what hidden messages do they carry, and what do they teach us about ourselves? The instructor uses a variety of materials and activities to guide and support students in their quest for meaning.

Completion of this course requires regular access to a laptop or desktop computer with working microphone and webcam, as well as a reliable internet connection.

This Fixed-Paced course incorporates a blend of synchronous and asynchronous elements. Students and teacher meet live via zoom on a regular weekly schedule. In addition, students complete coursework including guided readings, interactive videos, text and video-based discussion threads, problem sets, individual and collaborative projects, and so on. While these activities are time-flexible, teachers sequence them with weekly deadlines to help students keep on track and encourage and support the development of productive time management skills.

Term

Subject Area

Division

Credit Type

Upper

Do you attend a CLI partner school?

Yes, No

Format

Fixed-Pace Course