CTSJ 232 Introduction to Cultural Studies

This course introduces the methodologies and key theories of cultural studies, focusing on analyses of popular culture and subcultures. Readings will include selections from Roland Barthes, Walter Benjamin, bell hooks, Jean Baudrillard, Guy Deborg, Stuart Hall, Matthew Arnold, Raymond Williams, J. Halberstam, Michel de Certeau, Henry Louis Gates, Inderpal Grewal, Oliver Sacks, and others. We will focus on non-traditional academic disciplines and media, including: television studies, new media theory, performance studies, history of science, fashion, cartoons, built environments, slang, and fan culture, with the intention of honing rigorous research skills and critical argumentation.