Spring 2004

ANT 309L • American Public Sphere

Course Description

Students need to register for one of the following discussion sections: 26570, Th 12-1:00, RAS 213 26575, F 9-10:00, BAT 215 26580, F 11-12:00, RAS 211A 26585, F 11-12:00, JES A205A

This course is an introduction to culture, media, and politics in the U.S. It takes culture to be: (1) a public circulation of objects, sensibilities, and forms of expression such as music, films, newspapers, styles of dress, and body mannerisms and (2) a way of life which is lived as identities and located in particular practices of everyday life and in institutions, laws, forms of publicity, publics, social movements, and physical and social spaces. How is culture produced through television, film, radio, music and other expressive forms? What constitutes a ?public identity? and its difference from a ?private identity?? How are seemingly ?private? things such as feelings, identities, and the familiy constructed through public forms, politics, and institutions? How do marginalized groups construct particular identities and cultures? What kinds of social spaces and cultural forms are important to social and political life in the United States? (i.e. malls, highways, restaurants, bars, coffee houses, clubs, sports teams, universities, social movements).

Texts

Francis Fitzgerald, Cities on a Hill Susan Harding, The Book of Jerry Falwell John Stilgoe, Outside Lies Magic Leah Cohen, Glass, Paper, Beans Herbert Schiller, Culture, Inc. Stephanie Coontz, The Way We Never Were

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