Singapore University of Social Sciences

SOC365 Popular Culture is an advanced-level module which teaches a wide range of theoretical perspectives for understanding the complexities of popular culture and associated social processes. Students will learn the different interpretations that are associated with different schools of thought, and have the opportunity to apply these theoretical insights to empirical examples and case studies from around the world. Popular culture will be studied as a set of artefacts with significant social and political effects and functions. Relevant themes or topics of discussion that will be introduced include globalization, technological advancements, capitalism, consumption, gender, and socio-cultural change in general. SOC365 aims to impart a sophisticated understanding of 'popular culture' as a social phenomenon. This means moving away from lay conceptions of popular culture and avoiding an overly celebratory, pessimistic, or one-sided account. In the process of studying this subject, students will be exposed to insights from several other disciplines such as cultural studies, literary theory, linguistics, organization studies, and media and communication studies. Students will also gain an appreciation of some of the key themes within the fields of Sociology of Culture and Sociology of Consumption in general.