Summer 2024 - CMNS 316 D200
Topics in Popular Cultures and Public Communication (4)
Class Number: 2752
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Fri, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Vancouver
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Instructor:
Darren Fleet
dfleet@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Topics on public and popular cultures with a focus on social, political, and cultural dynamics. Explores audiences, publics, and institutions at a global, national, and/or local level. Topics vary and may address themes like: news, music, public media, advertising, sports, childhood, youth cultures, art, and everyday life. This course can be repeated once for credit (up to a maximum of two times).
COURSE DETAILS:
Topic for Summer 2024: Advertising & Promotional Cultures
Does advertising work on us, through us, or both? Are we “brainwashed” by corporate appeals or do we actively participate in the cultural narratives and myths produced by advertisers and promoters? How has advertising responded to critical changes in global capitalism and the shifting social dynamics of the home, the workplace, and the natural environment? In this course we explore how social actors are compelled to express themselves through the language and forms of promotion. We also consider the ways in which the self is articulated as an infinite site of accumulation and improvement in contemporary consumer culture. From eco activists, professional athletes and health workers, to universities, sports franchises and cities, discourses of promotion are ubiquitous. Using contemporary examples and trending advertising campaigns, we explore ideas of authenticity, subjectivity, affect, youth culture, anti-branding, commodity feminism, consumer citizenship, and more. This course will explore the broader social, cultural, and ideological implications of advertising. A significant amount of time will be spent deconstructing contemporary advertising practices and reading ads as rich cultural texts. Overall, the aim of this course is to critically engage with the cultural narratives from which ads draw their meaning.
Grading
- Advertising Group Project 30%
- Branded Spaces Photo Essay 10%
- Attendance & Participation 20%
- Mid-Term Exam 20%
- Final Exam 20%
NOTES:
The school expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relation to established university-wide practices with respect to both levels and distribution of grades. In addition, the School will follow Policy S10.01 with respect to Academic Integrity, and Policies S10.02, S10.03 and S10.04 as regards Student Discipline (note: as of May 1, 2009 the previous T10 series of policies covering Intellectual Honesty (T10.02) and Academic Discipline (T10.03) have been replaced with the new S10 series of policies). For further information see: www.sfu.ca/policies/Students/index.html.
REQUIREMENTS:
Students with credit for CMNS 323 or CMNS 323W should not take this course for further credit.
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
All course readings will be available on Canvas. You will need access to a Netflix Canada account to access some course viewing material.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html