Seminars in the Pop Culture Learning Community (LC) will explore film, music, literature, and other forms of popular culture. As we study various media, we will investigate how our love of particular genres and texts shapes our identities. Whether it is writers from around the globe or “alternative culture” here in Austin, we will examine how popular culture impacts our world.
Signature events include: Austin Recording Studio Visit; Texas Book Festival trip; Austin Movie Studio Tour; Film Screenings; Wizard World Austin.
Fall 2023
Film as Text
Film as Text
Faculty member teaching this course: Amy Adams
Films are a very powerful reflection of popular culture. Many rhetorical experts argue that film is one of the most powerful mediums because of its ability to deliver pathos, complex concepts, and messages — on multiple levels — all at the same time. In this seminar, we will look at some important films to see what they say about us and what we say about them.
Fandom
Fandom: Self + Society
Faculty member teaching this course: Erica Zamora
What does it mean to be a fan of something? Fandom can be powerful. It can be a source of community, fun, connection, and a safe place to explore. In this seminar, we'll look at fandoms of all types: from literature to sports to pop music and explore how fandom can play into individual identity development as well as reflect what's going on in society.
Popular Music and Society
Popular Music and Society
Faculty member teaching this course: David Uskovich
This course explores the cyclical relationship between popular music and society. We will look at the ways that music reflects and challenges social conditions, and how different social conditions give rise to different musical genres. We will also examine how communities are bound through their likes and dislikes of particular musical genres.
The Play is the Thing
The Play is the Thing
Faculty member teaching this course: Tim Braun
The course will explore the psychology, sociology, history, philosophy, and idea of “play.” What is “play” and what is “play” for? Via academic research and writing, students will construct games, attend a sporting event, build short graphic novels, make a short iPhone film, and explore the rules and laws in our society using multi-modal learning while getting to know what college is all about. After all, college is a different game than the ones you have played before.