Theories of popular culture have been applied to mediated cultural productions taking place in print, on radio, film, and TV, on video, in music, on the stage, at the mall, and on the street. At present, we are witnessing an exponential increase of interest in and use of "interactive media" and electronically mediated communication (EMC). While we will look at older media technologies, this course also examines interactive digital/electronic/networked media as part of its overview of media and popular culture. How might these so-called "new media" confirm yet put into question aspects of existing theories of popular culture?

Course Goals: You should gain a working knowledge of several theories of mass culture and popular media -- including the contexts within which these theories were developed and the criticisms made of them -- and be able to make links between these theories and the examples and aspects of contemporary popular culture we will look at over the term.

Course Objectives:

1.- Through readings and discussion we will look at links between theories of popular culture and the relationship between popular culture and media. Though access to popular culture is not equally distributed, either within the West, or at a broader global scale, the contemporary volume of popular culture suggests the value of looking at theories that try to understand and explain it. Such theories themselves form part of the discourse on and politics of popular culture, media, and mediation.

2.- Drawing from different technical forms, we will study examples of popular culture. These forms include print, video, music, film, and Electronically Mediated Communications or EMC (also called Computer Mediated Communication, or CMC).

3.- Finally, we will make links between theories of popular culture and the actual media/mediated forms and practices examined in class and your research. Some questions worth asking: what is the difference or similarity or convergence between popular culture and media/mediation; what are the relationships among popular culture, "world culture," and EMC; are current theories of popular culture adequate for theorizing new media and imaging technologies?