2 semesters, 1 credit
Prerequisite: AP U.S. History, U.S. History or American Studies
-Civil Rights & Popular Culture
In this course, students will examine the power of popular culture in shaping a number of social movements in the United States and abroad. We will study the history of the development of various forms of popular culture as well as the sociological concepts related to popular culture’s ability to shape attitudes and behaviors. Particular attention will be paid to the myriad ways in which popular culture has influenced social attitudes related to race, ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation and religion. We will explore the ways in which social justice movements have harnessed the power of popular culture and the ways in which popular culture has also been used to divide communities and deepen stereotypes.
From Woody Guthrie to Kendrick Lamar and from the Harlem Renaissance to Black Lives Matter, we will draw connections between past and present in an environment that encourages open-minded discussion and reflection. Readings will run the gamut from personal essays from acclaimed cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib to college-level sociology texts including John Fiske’s Understanding Popular Culture and T.V. Reed’s The Art of Protest. Students will also frequently apply new sociological concepts to the media they consume on their own time in a number of written analyses. We will learn to see the popular culture that surrounds us in an entirely new light.
-Justice & Injustice
This course provides students with experiences to study individual rights provided to them by the United States Constitution and other related laws. Students will deal with the direct and indirect effects the government has on their everyday lives, what rights they possess as an American citizen, and what responsibilities each citizen has to their government on the local, state and national levels. Students will also examine the basic ideals of our global economy and what effects these ideals have not just on our government, but also on our everyday lives. Other relevant topics included in this course are elections/voter registration process, United States foreign policy and social issues that concern young adults. Topics include the principles and foundations of American government, the Constitution and its creation, the three branches of American government and their functions, the American political process and party politics, state and local politics, economic systems and basic principles of government as a global system. Students will have a textbook and reading packets taken from monographs related to the U.S. government.