Composition I

Writing Pop Culture

This course will introduce students to the practice of reading and writing at the college-level. The structure of this course will revolve around how we observe, participate, and become shaped by mainstream culture in our daily lives. By actively negotiating how texts work within historical, social, and political contexts, we will read and write about how the media and pop culture engage with complex and intersecting issues of race, gender, sexuality, class, and nation.

In class, we will approach pop culture with questions considering how we are implicated in what is being argued, sold, or perpetuated through these various texts – how social issues inevitably rise from them. What is at stake for these authors, artists, and writers? What strategies do they use for different audiences? In what ways can we agree with or challenge the productions of our time?

Our readings and discussions may range from advertisements, social media, stand-up comedy, song lyrics, music videos, television shows, and film, to op-eds, speeches, essays, and literature. As writers ourselves, we will consider our own contexts – our relationship to place and audience – and engage with the ethical responsibility of putting forth arguments for awareness, social justice, or change.

 

Assignments

Five major papers between 3-6 pages long (subject to change):

– personal essay

– analysis of a text

– a literature/film review

– argumentative paper

– research-based project

 

Required texts/materials

All readings will be made available on Laulima, and it will be your responsibility to have access to these readings on the day they will be discussed.

 

Course goals

– Become a critical and close reader

– Engage in writing as process: brainstorming, outlining, drafting, proofreading, revision, and peer review

– Practice writing in various modes: personal, analytical, comparative, argumentative

– Build research skills in analyzing, evaluating, contextualizing, and integrating sources

– Sharpen technical skills such as voice, style, sentence structure, grammar, word choice, transitions, thesis writing, and organization.