2020-2021 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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PHL 232 Philosophies of Mass Culture


3 credits

This course undertakes a philosophical and critical analysis of the unique historical phenomenon known as “mass culture,” which has been theorized as a socio-political and economic formation wherein the cultural productions that populate our aesthetic environment are predominantly organized by the logic of commodification. When and why did mass culture arise, what exactly is it, and how does it affect us? In pursuing answers to these questions, this course will examine various instances of contemporary art and may consider topics regarding the methods of cultural criticism, the formation of the masses, the commodification of aesthetics and the aestheticization of commodities, the differences between modern and postmodern cultures, the relationship between politics and aesthetics, or the effects of mass culture on our sense of individuality, our ability to think critically, and our capacity to conceive a new social imaginary.

Prerequisite(s): PHL 100  or PHL 151  



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