ENG395S

Progressive political movements in the 1960s promised cultural visibility and social equality to oppressed and marginalized communities. 1970s US art and popular culture reflects the ongoing and often painful tension between white supremacist gatekeepers and multicultural voices. Students work with a range of artefacts that may include Hollywood and art films, popular music, selected television episodes, art photography, science fiction stories, and sports magazines. Inspired examples of political engagement (protests by A.I.M.--American Indian Movement, second-wave feminism, gay liberation) are analysed by comparing self-representation with representations in the media. Students learn to analyse multiple kinds of written and visual texts with a view to understanding how politics and culture intersect and generate meaning. Prerequisite(s): one English course.