Paper 5 - Suggested Topics

The key concern of this unit are the functions which media serve within a culture. Specifically, this section deals with the role of media as a storytelling technology and as a means of shaping the political values of a particular culture. Recognize that when we discuss the functions of media we are not simply focusing on what the media does to us but also what we do with the media. Recall the claims made about television and other forms of popular culture early in the course, such as the argument that consuming popular culture is a skill-based activity, that different audiences respond differently to the same program, and that popular cultural texts circulate because they are meaningful responses to particular anxieties, fears, and desires which society experiences at a particular point in time. You might start thinking about your topics in relation to this larger set of themes and think about some pretty basic considerations:

• Why do we tell stories? Why do we enjoy listening to stories? What factors determine the kinds of stories which circulate in a particular culture? While it is true that there are some core plots or motifs which circulate throughout much of human history, these stories shift in response to local conditions and historical contexts. The study of the Detective was one case study of a story tradition which can be traced back to the Ancient Greeks but which surfaced with much greater immediacy in the 19th century and has been reworked again and again in the subsequent years. What remains constant in the Detective Story through those years? What changes? What factors account for the changes which occur in this genre tradition? Can you think of other genre traditions which have undergone similar changes and transformations?

• Here are some other issues to consider in terms of the detective genre and the storytelling tradition:

• How does the detective vary across media? What characteristics of the detective can be emphasized in each media? You might want to choose as examples a detective story or novel, a detective film, and/or a detective television program. How does the property of each medium shape the ways the story is told?

• Discuss Steven Marcus' piece about the ethical and philosophical difference between Sam Spade, the Continental Op and other detectives. Is what Marcus says relevant to Chinatown? How might this compare with even more recent embodiments of the detective such as in LA CONFIDENTIAL?

• How does Sherlock Holmes contrast with Jake Giddes in Roman Polanski's Chinatown? How would you account for the difference? What function do each of these variations on the detective play in terms of the film, the story that is told, and the culture in which the character is situated?

• What is the significance of "Chinatown" in the film Chinatown? How might we understand this representation of the police culture of Los Angeles given more recent events, such as the Rodney King beating, The LA Riots, and the O.J. Simpson trial?

• The "Classical Detective" is associated with certain characteristics, and is celebrated for having a rational and scientific mind, an acute sense of observation, and is capable of uncovering the corruption in society. The "hard boiled," or "tough guy" detective has a very different function, one in which they have a personal code of honor that may be out of sync with society, which leads them to pursue their inquiries in a very different way than the classical detective. The "multicultural detective" varies even further, adopting characteristics from both classical and 'tough guy' ideals and also incorporates science fiction, gender issues or issues of race. Using a detective character of your choice (samples might include James Bond (any or all), Fox Mulder and/or Dana Sculley, or any of the detectives from the television series Homicide) make an argument about the role of the detective in the story and in society, and what function the detective and the detective story plays in society.

• The detective formula was foundational for the emergence of the superhero comics genre and its roots are still visible in such comics as SIN CITY or BATMAN. How has the addition of super powers or of masked identities altered the core formula of the genre? In what ways are comic books characters like or unlike the other embodiments of the detective?

• David Thorburn suggested that the game, CLUE, could be read as a map of the formulaic features of the detective genre. Take out your CLUE board and dissect its characters, settings, and weapons as well as its rules and procedures. In what ways can they be read in relation to the other detective works we have seen? In what ways does the board game necessitate some breaks with the conventional versions of this genre?

• What role does the media play in shaping public opinion? Is propaganda necessarily a bad thing or can it serve necessary social functions? Does propaganda operate the same way in a realm of competing messages or alternative agendas (that is, in a democracy) as in a realm of centralized control and one party rule (that is, under fascism)?

• Compare and contrast Advertising and propaganda. In what ways are they alike? What challenges might someone pose to the idea that advertising can simply be described as propaganda?

• Look at a series of contemporary commercials or advertisements. What are they really selling? To what degree do they depend upon appeals to values and attitudes quite removed from the merits of particular products?

• Bernd Widdig argued that propaganda does not allow much space for humor or irony, while contemporary advertising depends heavily upon self-reflexive humor. What functions do humor play in contemporary advertising? Does the presence of humor make it more or less likely we will buy into an advertisement's message? Why might shifts in the social experience and cultural context lead advertisers to adopt a more comic approach to selling their products?

• There is enormous debate at the present moment about how advertising will work in digital media. What aspects of digital media require us to rethink the whole concept of advertising? What models of advertising and marketing seem to be working best on the web? Can you imagine reasons why consumers might seek out advertising in the web, even though they try to avoid it on television?

• The recent senate and house campaigns have sparked renewed consideration of the role of negative advertising in the election process. Based on what you know about this election, why might negative advertising have been used more extensively than in most previous congressional elections? What case could you make for or against the use of such advertisements during a campaign?

• Christina Klein will discuss the ways that middlebrow entertainment was used in the cold war in conjunction with national political policy. What does she see as the central themes which shaped our feelings towards foreign cultures during this period? Are those same themes working today? Compare the kinds of works she presents in class with more contemporary works which represent America's relationship with other countries around the world. What countries seem to surface most often in contemporary popular entertainment? In what ways are they portrayed? Are those portrayals exclusively negative -- that is, defining the U.S. in opposition to other countries -- or are there examples you can point to where the U.S. media tries to enhance friendship with other countries? What factors might determine how an international culture gets portrayed in American media?

• On Tuesday night, you will see a series of episodes of sitcoms taken from throughout the history of American television. What distinguishes the sitcom as a genre? What themes surface most consistently within this genre? How do the themes and values associated with the family and domestic life change across time? Compare and contrast how issues of gender or sexuality are portrayed in two or more of the sitcom episodes we watched.

In addition to the above suggestions, you are also feel free to choose a topic that reflects your own interests while also providing a point of entry into the course material.

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