NORAM1502 – American popular culture
Course content
This course examines contemporary American Popular culture and its historical roots. Cultural theory will be used to further understanding of television, film and other mass media, sports, and various types of popular music and literature. Examples will be studied as artifacts, which enable us to illuminate American values, beliefs and expectations. An attempt will also be made to analyze American "cultural imperialism" as it is experienced in Norway and the rest of the world. Conversely, we will study how the internationalism of American popular culture changes forms of expression within the United States, as well.
Learning outcome
The course tries to give students a broader understanding of the cultural phenomena they experience, as global receivers of American popular culture. Through analyzing popular culture, students will also gain insight into the many layers of American life and society.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The course can be taken as a first course.
Recommended previous knowledge
The course assumes a good proficiency in written and oral English
Teaching
The course is taught throughout the semester with 2 hours per week, 28 hours in all. One hour will be lecture and one hour of group discussion. There is a mid-term break (one week in autumn term, two weeks in spring term) during which the students are expected to prepare obligatory assignments (see below) and otherwise study on their own. The teaching is compulsory, with a final assessment only for students with attendance and active participation of minimum 85%.
Examination
Students will write an essay (pass/fail), as prerequisite for taking a 4 hour exam. The exam will be graded on a scale from A to E (pass) and F (fail).