need discussion 6

Introduction

Review the following resources covering this module’s topics. These resources will be valuable to you as you complete each activity for the week. Questions are provided after most resource descriptions to help focus your thoughts while you explore. This course discusses some topics that some students may find uncomfortable, sensitive, or politically charged. All students are expected to maintain an openness toward the curriculum that fosters a respectful learning experience for class participants. If you have concerns with any course content or concepts, please discuss them with your advisor.

Required Resources

Video:  Global Popular Culture (14:29) This video from the Shapiro Library examines how Western popular culture, such as movies, has impacted culture worldwide. It will help you complete this week’s assignments.

· How has colonialism influenced global popular culture?

· What are contemporary examples of popular culture from other countries impacting popular culture in the United States?

Reading:  Sneakerheads as Fans and Sneaker Fandom as Participatory Culture This reading from the Shapiro Library examines the popular culture phenomenon of sneaker collectors and enthusiasts, known as sneakerheads. It provides an example of applying the social science lens to examine a fandom. It will help you complete this week’s assignments. To read the full article, scroll down the page or click on the  HTML Full Text option.

· What characterizes someone as an “insider” of the sneaker collecting fandom?

· What are other examples of fandoms centered on wearable goods?

Video:  The Socio-Historical Evolution of Karen (21:06) “Karen” is a social media phenomenon that represents, typically, a white woman who expresses a sense of entitlement and authority and uses her privilege to exert control and maintain what she perceives as “order.” This video from the Shapiro Library uses the social science lens to examine the history of “Karen” and contemporary examples in popular culture. It will help you complete this week’s assignments.

· How “Karen” become an example of popular culture?

· What are the possible consequences of creating a caricature such as Karen? 

Reading:  Between the Living and Undead: How Zombie Cinema Reflects the Social Construction of Risk, the Anxious Self, and Disease Pandemic This article from the Shapiro Library examines how zombie films illustrate sociological concepts such as inequality, identity, and collective behavior. It provides an example of using the social science lens to study an area of popular culture. It will help you complete this week’s assignments.

· How do zombie films expand our understanding of health disparities and the sociology of pandemics?

· How might zombie films represent a feedback loop between popular culture and contemporary society?

Additional Support (Optional)

Reading:  Who Are the Enemies? The Visual Framing of Enemies in Digital Games This article from the Shapiro Library explores how enemies are depicted in first-person shooter video games. It provides an example of using the social science lens to study popular culture and illustrates the interdisciplinarity of this type of research. It may help you complete this week’s assignments. To read the full article, click the  PDF Full Text option.

· What are the possible consequences of characterizing enemies in video games in particular ways?

Reading:  Growing Up Where “No One Looked Like Me”: Gender, Race, Hip Hop and Identity in Vancouver This article from the Shapiro Library examines how second-generation African-Canadian teenagers use hip-hop to explore their identity and the concepts of Black masculinity and femininity. It provides an example of using the social science lens to study popular culture. It may help you complete this week’s assignments. To read the full article, click the  PDF Full Text option.

· How does popular culture impact social norms and gendered behaviors?

Library Guide:  IDS 404 Library Guide This library guide contains resources and databases that may help with your research throughout this course.