Fictions of Consumption
ENGL 229
Fall 2007
| Section:
01
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What is consumer culture and what does it have to do with literature and other forms of cultural production? This course is an introduction to the rise of consumer culture and to representations of that phenomenon in Europe and the United States, from about 1850 to 1950. Several of our main areas of inquiry throughout the semester will be: the principles of display and forms of visuality that characterize consumer culture; the gendered construction of the consumer; and the commodification of racial and ethnic identities. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Speaking, Writing |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ENGL |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (FGSS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Our fictions include literary, theoretical, historical, sociological, and cinematic texts by authors including Edith Wharton, Oscar Wilde, Michel Foucault, Sigmund Freud, Henry Mayhew, and King Vidor. We are studying films (THE CROWD, EASTER PARADE) both because Hollywood movies have been a significant forum for the display of clothing and other commodities and to consider what watching movies has in common with the sort of visual experience first promoted by the department store.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Two 5-page papers, one 10-page paper, weekly short response papers and entries in a ¿shopping journal.¿ |
| Instructor(s): Cohen,Lisa Times: ..T.... 01:10PM-04:00PM; Location: FISK404; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 5 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: 8 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 5 | JR non-major: 4 | SO: 0 | FR: X |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 4 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 4 |
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