ComS 114: Communication and American Culture
Professor Jenny Stark E-mail: jenstark@csus.edu
Office Hours:
Tues: 11-12
Wednesday: 3:30-4:30
Thursday: 4:30-5:30
I'm always available after class

Final Exam Time:

Area E: Requirements

• Enhances the student's understanding of the development of the individual as an integrated physiological, psychological, and social being.
• Includes a study of how internal and external influences interact in human development and behavior within the context of the human life span
• Promotes critical self-understanding, and accordingly will involve consideration of such topics as individual behavior, the relation of the person to the social and natural environment, human sexuality, nutrition, health, stress, family, aging and death.

Students will:

• The student will examine one or more of these issues from a personal perspective: sexuality, nutrition, health, stress, family, aging and death
• Recognize and critically examine the development of the individual as an integrated physiological, psychological, and social being.
  
• The student will be able to identify the internal and external influences that interact in human development and behavior within the context of the human life span.
  

Specifically in this course:

• Critical analysis of the ways modern American media interact with the conduct of American life
• Emphasizes the role of commercialism and other aspects of contemporary American capitalism, late capitalism, and neoliberalism
• Examines the problem of personal development and relationships in the context of a commercially dominated media system.
• Understanding of how different forms of media interact with American life
• Understand how narrative shapes our perspective on real-life events
• Explain the role of commerce/entertainment and how it forms the American Identity

Personal development in this context includes:

• Connection to others and the world around us
• The ability to concentrate free of distraction
• Increased awareness of issues that are relevant to our lives
• To communicate clearly and effectively
• Recoginition of the influence of entertainment on all aspects of America culture
• The ability to determine when entertainment is appropriate and when it is inappropriate as a means to communicate--
• Enhanced compassion for others
• The desire to imagine what justice can be
• The recognition of our own mortality and how that influences our cultural obsession
• The devolopment of a nuanced approach to learning and comprehension of the world around us

Goals:

This course is driven by a central question: How do different media shape, obscure, and influence American Culture? To answer this question, we will be looking at three different forms of storytelling: A serialized podcast, a serialized drama and written journalism.

Format:

Warning:

The content of the screenings and podcasts contain sensitive content including: profanity, violence and some sexual content. Anyone who may have issues with this may need to consult with their advisor to find another course that satifies this requirement.

Grades:
Homework: 20% (Homework turned in after I have graded will not be accepted)
2 Points Each
Collaborative group Writing (Blog Posts) 30% (Blog links turned in after I have graded will not be accepted)
6 Points Each, 5 Total
Guidelines for writing blogs

Midterm and Final Exam (non cumulative) 50%

Readings:
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business Neil Postman
Study Guide (From UTC)

On the Wire by Linda Williams

Between the World and Me 
Ta-Nehisi Coates

Class Rules:

ALL cell phones and other devices will be turned off during lecture and discussion. You are permitted to use laptops to take notes and during discussions, but you are not to use them for anything unrelated to class. If you use any devices for anything other than class, you will be asked to leave and given an absence for the day. (3 points off total grade)

Students will be assigned to discussion and blog groups on the first day.

Academic Honesty

For online writing, the same Academic Rules Apply
If you quote other material, you need to cite your sources using either the APA or MLA bibliography at the bottom of each post.

1_28
Article about Neil Postman
Sherry Turkle Lecture
Amusing Ourselves to Death: 1-29
The Wire Episode 1
Blog Groups Formed: Explanation
Presentation 1

2_4
Amusing Ourselves to Death 30-63
This American Life, Podcast (only listen to Act I)
This American Life, Podcast only listen to prologue and Act 1
Note: This American Life Podcasts can be found on I-tunes as well. You don't have to take notes or anything, so you are welcome to listen to the audio material on your commutes or however else you use them.
The Wire Episode 2
Presentation 2

Homework 1 Due (Sac CT) Midnight
Spend anywhere between 8-24 hours completely disconnected from social media, non-essential texting and online entertainment. In 2 paragraphs describe your experience.

In another paragraph relate your experience to the Sherry Turkle text, The This American Life Podcast, and/or the Postman text.

2_11
Presentation 3
Amusing Ourselves to Death 30-63
On the Wire 1-36
The Wire Episode 3

Blog 1: Due 2_14 (Sunday) Midnight
Describe an aspect of The Wire that you find persuasive. Is its persuasiveness a good or a bad thing?

2_18
Presentation 4
Amusing Ourselves to Death 64-98
Article on Addiction
Rat Park Cartoon
The Wire Episode 4

Homework 2 Due Sac CT (Midnight)
1. While I have described the many connections between the material: (Postman, Turkle, The Rat Park Experiment) what personal connections are you making between these different topics?

2. Give one example of how the Postman text relates to our present time.

2_25
Presentation 5
Amusing Ourselves to Death 100-162
The Wire Episode 5

Homework 3 Due Midnight
What has been the most surprising aspect of the readings, screenings, and podcasts so far?

Give an example of how Postman's description of politics relates to present news.

Blog 2 Due 2_28 Midnight
Write a response to the article on addiction and the Rat Park experiment.

3_3
Pres_Crime_Serial
Serial Podcast Season 1 Episode 1
Serial Itunes Page (the link is on line 24--S01 Episode 1
Article about Serial
Crime Narratives vs Other Narratives
Melodrama
The Wire Episode 6
Review List Handed out at End of Class

Homework 4 Due Midnight

What character on The Wire is standing out to you the most? Briefly Explain.

Do you think that The Wire succeeds at informing its viewers and therefore contradicting Postman's thesis about television?

3_10
Midterm
Introduction to Ta-Nehisi Coates and Baltimore
The Wire Episode Seven

3_24 Spring Break

Final Exam:

Blogs:

Grade Breakdown: This grade breakdown refers to total points i.e.
if your total points are 80, then you will receive a B-

Links to blogs:
Our Words on The Wire
Above The Wire
Communications 114
Three College Kids
Hornet Citizens (Example of a blog scored 6/6)
Logical0Blog
5 Guys on The Wire
americancultureimpressionsblog
Hawkinatore
Ladies of American Culture
JKANENAGACOMS114
COMSANDAMERICANCULTURE
mlubeck1
NOMONEYENTERTAINMENT
americanculture114
americancultureimpressionsblog
BENSMINDBLOG
FrancosWire
TvAgeBlog
Through The Wire
TOTHEWIREANDBEYOND