Popular Culture and Social Theory

Popular culture is one of the strongest tools we have for thinking through social phenomena outside of the conventions of academic writing. Television series such as Black Mirror can provoke our thinking on topics like alienation and racism; popular novels by authors like Stephen King can unpack issues like social isolation and role conflict; and stand-up comedians like Chris Rock can deliver some of the fiercest critiques of economic and social inequality. In this course, we use the insights that popular culture provides to gain proficiency in key current sociological theories. Each week, we pair reading items from one contemporary theorist with one piece of popular culture, such as a movie, a sitcom, a short story, or a stand-up comedy routine. Course assignments move from analyzing popular culture items to applying current sociological theory to real-world phenomena. Through these activities, students familiarize themselves with theoretical frameworks such as field analysis, critical race theory, economic sociology, and feminist sociology.