+1 862 207 3288 The goal of these papers is to reflect upon the ideas presented in the course and to think critically about popular
culture. It is highly encouraged to introduce and analyze popular culture from your life wherever appropriate.
Also feel free to include new perspectives on cultural experiences from your past or present or thoughts you
have as you observe culture both on and off campus. The paper should be 2-3 double-spaced, typed pages.
You may use these writing prompts in a variety of ways. You may choose to answer only one of the prompts.
This may also mean that you choose to focus on one part of the prompt. It is not necessary to address every
question posed; these are meant to spark thought and give direction. You may also choose to answer several of
the prompts either separately or together.
Learning goal:
To experiment with using a practice of looking by examining the ideologies inherent in popular culture that are
often hidden or unacknowledged consciously. Through this practice of looking we can begin to unpack the
negotiation of social relationship and the construction of meaning that constantly occur and affect us as we
interact with popular culture.
Required component for this assignment:
Choose a “text” (this could be a book, film, movie, advertisement, toy, consumer product, etc.). Analyze this
piece of popular culture in light of our discussion of ideology, Storey’s discussion in Cultural Theory and
Popular Culture (pg. 2-5) and the discussion of ideology in Practices of Looking (several places but in
particular pg. 22-26). In many ways the easiest way to approach this assignment might be to use an
advertisement. However, I do not want to discourage you from making other choices. Whatever you choose
make sure you give a brief description of it in your paper. If possible attach an image of some kind. For the
blog component of this assignment (which will come later) you will eventually need some sort of multimedia to
support your entry (YouTube clip, image, audio, etc). The assignment will need to include both an analysis and
reflection on your text (see below).
Writing prompts:
Questions about your analysis:
What ideas underlie the text you are analyzing? What types of associations is it trying to make? How is the
text representing certain groups of people in particular ways? What kind of effect might this have? How does
your text exemplify one of descriptions of ideology explored in the readings?
Reflections on ideology:
How conscious have you been of the ideologies that underlie popular culture? Has this academic look at
ideology begun to change the way you think about popular culture? How have different ideologies affected
your life? Have they affected how you think about yourself? Have they affected what you think about others?
Have these effects been positive or negative?
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