WMST 420 - Women and Popular Culture

Fall (4) Putzi

A multidisciplinary examination of historical and contemporary representations of women in–and their engagement with–American popular culture, paying particular attention to the intersections between gender, race, class, and/or sexuality. Primary texts include popular fiction, television shows, and music. We will attempt to understand the complex cultural processes at work in the popular construction(s) of gender using theoretical frameworks informed by the politics of feminism. The purpose of this course, then, is not to glorify or denigrate popular culture or its treatment of women; rather, it is to acquire analytical tools that will allow us to read, critique, and consume popular culture in a constructive, thoughtful fashion. Fulfills either the Humanities or the Social Science requirement for the Women’s Studies major/minor.