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In this course, we will read and analyze a series of narratives (books, movies, and TV) which are concerned with the promotion and/or criticism of corporate capitalism. While we often view corporations as producers of goods and services, they also help to produce culture. To understand the culture industry, we will look at several examples of "commercial culture," stories and images designed to be mass produced and sold on the market. Alongside these, we will examine several texts which are about the culture of corporations themselves: how they are managed, their histories, and theories about the role corporations play in society. |
Representation of the Sears & Roebuck Corporate Headquarters from their 1902 Catalogue |
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Sanyika Shakur,
Scott Adams,
Douglas Coupland,
John Kao,
Octavia Butler,
Blue Steel (dir: Kathryn Bigelow)
My Beautiful Laundrette (dir: Stephen Frears)
The Cocoanuts (Marx Brothers)
Trading Places (dir: John Landis)
Xena, Warrior Princess (created by: Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert)
The X-Files (created by: Chris Carter)
You will be responsible for writing four essays in this class, two of which will be two pages each, and two of which will be four pages each. You will be re-writing both four-page essays for a grade (your re-write grade will replace your first draft grade). Due dates are listed on the syllabus. Topics will be handed out in class and listed here.
The journals are informal, one-page responses to the reading or class discussions. They are intended to keep you thinking on paper, and can be as weird and creative as you want. You will need to do nine one-page journal entries, due roughly on a weekly basis. Donšt turn in more than one entry at a time.
Grades are based on the following criteria:
10% class participation (including in-class writing exercises)
A week-by-week outline of the readings, movie/TV showings, and paper due dates.