COURSE SYLLABUS   Popular Culture and Media Theory FMS 370/570 Spring 2025 Mondays, 11:15 – 14:00   Lecturer: Ted Turnau, Ph.D. Lecturer contact: Ted.Turnau@aauni.edu Office hours: Mondays, 14:30 – 15:15, room 4.02, or by appointment.

 

Credits US/ECTS	36	Level	Bachelor/Master
Length	15 weeks	Pre-requisites	FMS 152 or instructor’s    permission.
Contact hours	42 hours	Grading	Letter

 

1.    Course Description

 

Songs, TV shows, movies, and magazines form much of the world we live in, our environment. But what do they all mean? We need to understand that, because popular culture and media influence us all. This course will introduce you to scholars who have thought about these issues, and to their very different answers about what the popular culture and media are, and how best to understand them.

 

We humans enjoy making meanings and sharing them with others.  And these meanings have a lot of power to influence us, sometimes in ways we don’t even notice.  What is the best way to understand popular culture and the media?  This course will introduce you to several thinkers – some philosophers, some psychologists (at least one), some anthropologists, and others – who have thought long and hard about the media and popular culture.  They have different answers about what is culture and media, how do they make meaning, what is the best ways to interpret their messages?  And what do these theories tell us about what it means to be human, what is really real?  If these kinds of questions interest you, and you would like know more about the media and popular culture and what it all means, then this course is for you.

 

 

2.    Student Learning Outcomes

 

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Identify and demonstrate an understanding of terms associated with various theories of culture and media,
2. Read various theorists from primary sources with comprehension;
3. Articulate the various theories in his or her own words,
4. Evaluate the theories, noting strengths and weaknesses,
5. Apply the various theories to popular culture works, that is, to analyze popular culture and media from various theoretical perspectives.
   

 

3.    Course Materials

 Required Materials (Available in the Library or to Download)

• All readings are posted on class website on NEO
• List of required articles (see class schedule or check on NEO website).

Recommended Materials (Available in the Library or via Interlibrary Loan)

 Storey, John. An Introductory Guide to Cultural Theory and Popular Culture.

Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1993.

Burton, Graeme. More than Meets the Eye: An Introduction to Media Studies.

 Also, see bibliography at the end of syllabus for more resources.

 

4.    Teaching methodology

 Each unit will begin with an introductory lecture about the figure we will be studying, followed by a discussion based on the assigned reading(s). We will then apply the theory we have learned to a specific example of popular culture. Finally, we will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each theory. Lots of lecture, workshopping and discussion.

 

5.    Course Schedule

We will take this material at a pace you can handle, so we may not get to all the units. Be flexible. I’ll try not to rush, and do tell me when I need to slow down. No one gets left behind. All the readings and questionnaires can be found on the class website. Some of the exams and assignments may change if we have to go online.

 

Date	Class Agenda
Session 1 Feb. 3rd	Topic: “Introduction: Syllabus, Expectations, and What is Popular Culture and Media Theory?” and begin “Highbrow vs. Lowbrow”. Description: Finding our feet in this subject matter, as well as what I expect of you, and what you should expect of me. Reading due:  None. Assignments/deadlines: None.
Session 2 Feb. 10th	Topic: “Highbrow versus Lowbrow: The Emergence of “Popular Culture” and Mass Media” Description: An exploration and critique of the Culture and Civilization Tradition. Reading due: 1. F. R. Leavis: “Mass Civilization and Minority Culture”; 2. William Romanowski, “High and Low Culture Wars.” Assignments/deadlines: Have the reading questionnaires ready for in-class discussion (this is true of all the units).
Session 3 Feb. 17th	Topic: Culture and Civilization Tradition cont. Begin “Marxism 1: Ideology.” Description: An exploration and critique of Classical Marxism. Reading due: 1. Karl Marx and Frederick Engels: “Ruling Class and Ruling Ideas.” 2. Marx: “Base and Superstructure.” 3. Engels: “Letter to Joseph Bloch.” Assignments/deadlines: Critiques of Leavisism; reading questionnaires.
Session 4 Feb. 24th	Topic: “Marxism II: Retheorizing Ideology” Description: An exploration and critique of the Frankfurt School and Neo-Gramscian Analysis. Reading due: 1. Theodor Adorno: “Culture Industry Reconsidered.” 2. Herbert Marcuse: “From Consensual Order to Instrumental Control.” Assignments/deadlines: Reading questionnaires. Test 1, covering vocabulary terms Culture and Civ. School and Marxist Schools we’ve covered.
Session 5 March 3rd	Topic: “Marxism II,” continued. Description: See above. Reading due: Tony Bennett: “Popular Culture and the ‘Turn to Gramsci.” Assignments/deadlines: reading questionnaires or critiques we didn’t get to last week.
Session 6 March 10th	Topic: “Culturalism and the Emergence of ‘Sub-Culture’” Description: An exploration and critique of Culturalism, esp. the theory of Raymond Williams and early Stuart Hall. Reading due: 1. Raymond Williams: “The Analysis of Culture.” 2. Stuart Hall and Paddy Whannel: “The Young Audience.” Assignments/deadlines: reading questionnaires.
Session 7 March 17th	Topic: Finish Culturalism, begin “Structuralism I: The System is the Meaning” Description: An exploration and critique of structuralist cultural theories. Reading due: 1. Ferdinand De Saussure: “Signs and Language.” 2. Will Wright: “The Structure of Myth.” Assignments/deadlines: reading questionnaires.
March 24th	NO CLASS: MIDTERM BREAK! Rest well.
Session 8 March 31st	Topic: Finish Structuralism I, begin “Structuralism II: The Mythological System” Description: An exploration and critique of the cultural theories of Roland Barthes. Reading due: 1. Roland Barthes: “Myth Today,” and 2. Roland Barthes, “The World of Wrestling.” 3. Watch the video “Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling.” Assignments/deadlines: Reading questionnaires.
Session 9 April 7th	Topic: “Poststructuralism I: The System Gets Slippery” Description: An exploration and critique of the theory of Jacques Derrida. Reading due: 1. Jacques Derrida: “Différance.” (Optional) Derrida: „Structure, Sign, and Play.” Assignments/deadlines: Reading questionnaires. Test 2, covering terms from Culturalism and Structuralism (as far as we’ve covered).
Session 10 April 15th	Topic: “Poststructuralism I” cont. Finishing Derrida, getting into Althusser. Description: An exploration and critique of the theory of Louis Althusser. Reading due: Louis Althusser: “From Capital to Marx’s Philosophy.” Assignments/deadlines: Reading questionnaires. [NOTE: Depending on how much time we have, we may skip Althusser and go straight to Lacan – be flexible.]
April 21st	NO CLASS: EASTER MONDAY.
Session 11 April 28th	Topic: “Poststructuralism II: Identity and Power” Description: An exploration and critique of the theory of Jacques Lacan. Reading due: 1. Jacques Lacan, “The Mirror Stage,” (and the reading guide). Assignments/deadlines: reading questionnaires.
Session 12 May 5th	Topic: Finishing Lacan, introducing Foucault. Description: An exploration and critique of the theory of Michel Foucault. Reading due: Michel Foucault: “Method,” and Chris Weedon: “Feminism and the Principles of Poststructuralism.” Assignments/deadlines: reading questionnaires.
Session 13 May 12th	Topic: “Poststructuralism II” cont. Finishing Foucault. Description: Foucault continued. Reading due: Weedon: “Feminism and the Principles of Poststructuralism” (if we didn’t get to it last week). Assignments/deadlines: reading questionnaires. Test 3, covering terms from the poststructuralists we’ve covered. Also, deadline for early final papers (please email me in MS Word by class time).
Session 14 May 19th	Topic: “A Christian Theological Approach: Popular Culture as Dialogue” Description: An exploration (and critique?) of my own approach to popular culture. Reading due: 1. Theodore Turnau: “Popular Cultural Theory from a Christian Worldview Perspective,” 2. Turnau, “Jack Be Evil, Jack Be Quick,” 3. Turnau, “Displacing the Sacred.” Assignments/deadlines: Write some discussion questions based on the readings. Deadline for final papers to be uploaded to NEO (by 5 PM).

 

 

6.    Course Requirements and Assessment (with estimated workloads) 

Assignment	Workload (average)	Weight in Final Grade	Evaluated Course Specific Learning Outcomes	Evaluated Institutional Learning Outcomes*
Reading Questionnaires (graded on completion, not correctness – just do it, even if you get some stuff wrong).	60 hours	20%	Identifying and demonstrating an understanding of terms associated with various theories of culture and media; articulating various theories in his or her own words; reading various theorists from primary sources with comprehension; evaluating the theories, noting strengths and weaknesses.	1,2
Vocabulary quizzes (three times in the semester).	45 hours	15% each (45% total)	Identifying and defining key terms, understanding their significance within the broader cultural and media theories.	1,2
Term paper (see description below)	45 hours	35% (15% for grad students)	Reading various theorists from primary sources with comprehension; articulating various theories in his or her own words, critical evaluation of these theories, practical application of theoretical perspectives; evaluating the theories, noting strengths and weaknesses; and applying the various theories to popular culture works, that is, analyzing popular culture and media from various theoretical perspectives.	1,2,3
Independent research paper (grad students only)	10-15 hours	15% (grad students only)	All of the learning outcomes are in play here.	1,2
Extra-credit reflection paper	2 hours	2%	Critical evaluation of theories.	1,2
TOTAL	150	100%

*1 = Critical Thinking; 2 = Effective Communication; 3 = Effective and Responsible Action

 

7. Detailed description of the assignments 

Homework

Do the reading questionnaires, and the “5 Key Questions” summaries.

Assessed area	Percentage
Assessed on completion rather than correctness. If you have it done by class time, ready for discussion, you get full credit.	100%

 

Term Paper

I will require one short paper in which you will choose two theorists from different schools of thought (NOT Romanowski or Saussure, and no “Leavis vs. Williams” – I’ve gotten too many of those, you can do either one of them, but not both in combination) and compare and contrast them (or some part of their theories).  You will need to: (1) describe the theories; (2) critically compare them (tell me what you like and don’t like, and why); and (3) apply the theory you like best to a specific example drawn from your native culture.

One word of caution: Be sure that your application is an application, a reading of a piece of popular culture from the perspective of the chosen theorist. If you find a piece of popular culture that illustrates the theory you’ve chosen, that is NOT in itself an analysis from your chosen theoretical perspective; it’s just the theory illustrated in a piece of popular culture. This is a subtle but important difference.

It should be 1600-2300 words (6.5-9.5 pages), double-spaced, typed—there will be a penalty if you go significantly under or over the limit. If you use outside sources (even the readings from class), I will expect you to footnote each quote or idea, including page numbers (see plagiarism policy below). A “sources used” list is not sufficient.

Assessed area	Percentage
Clarity of written expression (but remember: if I cannot understand your writing, lack of clarity can damage other assessment areas as well; or vice-versa, crystal clear prose cannot help but improve other assessment areas).	10%
Comprehension of theories	20%
Critically engagement with theories	35%
Application of “winning” theory to real life popular cultural example	35%

 

Independent Research Paper (M.A. only)

For those taking the class for M.A. credit, you are to do an additional paper of similar on a popular cultural theorist not covered in class. Describe his or her theory, your evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses, and apply it to a piece of popular culture.

Assessed area	Percentage
Clarity of written expression (see above)	10%
Comprehension of theory	20%
Critical engagement with theory	35%
Application of theory to real life popular cultural example	35%

Relevant to both final and M.A. papers: Early papers. If you complete the one week paper early, I would be happy to read it, make comments, and let you improve it before you had it back to be graded. This applies only to complete manuscripts ready at the beginning of the next-to-last class.

 

Extra-Credit Reflection Paper

If you would like to do an extra-credit paper, you can get a couple extra points from a 2-3 page paper in which you lay out your own theory of popular culture and media, interacting with positions and perspectives you found helpful in class. 

Assessed area	Percentage
Critical assessment of theories	33%
Synthesis	33%
Personal reflection	33%

 

8. General Requirements and School Policies

General requirements

All coursework is governed by AAU’s academic rules. Students are expected to be familiar with the academic rules available in the Codex and Student Handbook and to maintain the highest standards of honesty and academic integrity in their work. Please see the AAU intranet for a summary of key policies regarding coursework.

 

Course Specific Requirements 

·         Attendance policy for Turnau’s courses: The lectures and class discussions will be the primary means of learning in this class. Therefore, it is very important that you actually come to as many classes as you can (coming to them all would be ideal). Here's my attendance policy: You may miss one class.  If you miss a second, then I will require you to post on NEO three comments and/or questions that show you watched the lecture recording. The same for the second or third. If you do it within 48 hours, I can even mark you present! Do NOT miss four classes—you may fail. Note: Coming more than 15 minutes late to class will count as one-half of an absence. If you are more than 30 minutes late, I will mark you as absent. Missing classes may adversely affect your grade, so please come to class, and come on time.

 

·         Please also see “What Is Plagiarism?” on the class NEO website. If you are unsure whether you have committed plagiarism, please see me before you hand in the paper. I would love to give you guidance and advice. I’m all sorts of forgiving before the deadline. After you hand it in, I’m all sorts of not forgiving (read: fire and sulfur raining down from the sky on your immortal soul). Be smart and avoid plagiarism like the plague. Please. Also, know that A “resource list” or “works cited” list is insufficient. I need footnotes or in-text citations that tie a source to a particular sentence.

 

·         Students may NOT use AI text generating websites or apps for their papers or homework assignments. Letting an AI bot do your writing for you is a form of plagiarism. Using such aids will result in a failing grade for that assignment.

 

Bibliography and Additional Resources 

This is a list of good collections of primary sources and some secondary sources that you might want to track down if you would like to study further. The articles you read were taken from some of these books (though not all of them). 

 

If it looks like too much to sort through, allow me to suggest a few good places to start: Storey’s Introductory Guide would be a good place to start for popular culture theory, though it may be out of print.  He covers a lot of the same ground in his later Cultural Studies and the Study of Popular Culture, though he organizes it around different genres of popular culture instead of around different theoretical schools.  Burton’s book is a good primer on media studies.  And the introductory sections of each of these big readers contain good overviews of the field of popular culture and media theory. 

 

Alexander, Jeffery C. and Steven Seidman. Culture and Society: Contemporary

Debates. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1990.

 

Burton, Graeme. More than Meets the Eye: An Introduction to Media Studies.

 

Cashmore, Ellis and Chris Rojek, eds. Dictionary of Cultural Theorists. London:

Arnold, 1999.

 

Dirks, Nicholas B., Geoff Eley and Sherry B. Ortner, eds. Culture/Power/History:

A Reader in Contemporary Social Theory. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1994.

 

Durham, Meenakshi Gigi and Douglas M. Keller, eds.  Media and Cultural Studies:

Keyworks. Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 2001.

 

During, Simon, ed.  The Cultural Studies Reader. London: Routledge, 1993.

 

Gray, Ann and Jim McGuigan, eds. Studying Culture: An Introductory Reader. 2d

ed. London: Arnold, 1997.

 

Jenks, Chris. Culture: Key Ideas. London: Routledge, 1993.

 

Kearney, Richard, and Mara Rainwater, eds. The Continental Philosophy Reader.

London: Routledge, 1996.

 

MacKay, Hugh and Tim O’Sullivan, eds. The Media Reader: Continuity and

Transformation. London: Sage, 1999.

 

Marris, Paul and Sue Thornham, eds. Media Studies: A Reader. 2d ed. Washington

Square, NY: New York University Press, 2000.

 

Mukerji, Chandra, and Michael Schudson, eds. Rethinking Popular Culture:

Contemporary Perspectives in Cultural Studies. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1991.

 

Romanowski, William D. Pop Culture Wars: Religion and the Role of Entertainment

in American Life. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.

 

Storey, John. An Introductory Guide to Cultural Theory and Popular Culture.

        Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1993.

 

___________, ed. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: A Reader. Hertfordshire, UK: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1994.

 

__________, ed. What is Cultural Studies: A Reader. London: Arnold, 1996.

 

__________, Cultural Studies and the Study of Popular Culture: Theories and

Methods. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1996.

 

Surber, Jere Paul. Culture and Critique: An Introduction to the Critical Discourses

of Cultural Studies. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1998.

 

Turnau, Ted. Popologetics: Popular Culture in Christian Perspective. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2012.