History 490: American Consumer Culture

Prof. Pam Pennock

UM-Dearborn, Fall 2005

Wednesdays, 6:10-9:00 p.m.

Social Sciences Building, Room 2195

Course Website: www-personal.umd.umich.edu/~ppennock/490home.htm

Office: 1240 Social Sciences Bldg, 593-5284

Office Hours: M & W 11:30-12:30, W 4-5 pm, and by appointment

Email: ppennock@umd.umich.edu

Course Description

The course analyzes American culture from the colonial era to the present by focusing on consumption styles and practices, as well as the values and mentalities fostered by a society oriented toward consuming goods. The history of consumer culture encompasses not only the study of advertising and shopping but also, in a broader sense, how most Americans have commodified nearly all of their experiences. We will pay special attention to gender, ethnicity, youth, and social class as we consider the ways that consumer culture has operated in America, and we will also think about change over time. The history of consumer culture involves key questions about power and diversity in American life.

*Do we control consumer culture or does it control us?*

The class is rigorous: reading-intensive and writing-intensive. It will feature lectures using plentiful images on Powerpoint, student discussions of course materials, and student presentations to their classmates. Course materials range from scholarly books and articles, primary documents, images, and films.

This course should help you develop the following skills and abilities:

Explore different interpretations of the past and develop an understanding of history as an interpretative field of study

Develop your own interpretation of historical issues and movements

Gain an understanding of cultural history and cultural theory

Think critically about phenomena that you may take for granted and have never subjected to serious analysis

Communicate more effectively through writing and speaking

Course Readings

Roland Marchand, Advertising the American Dream: Making Way For Modernity, 1920-1940 (University of California Press, 1986). ISBN: 0520058852. Available at UMD bookstore.

Coursepack. The coursepack is not available at the campus bookstore.

The readings in the Coursepack can be accessed on-line via Electronic Reserve (ERes) on the UMD Library website (for free!), or can be purchased from Dollar Bill Copying. Call Dollar Bill Copying at 1-877-738-9200, or visit their website at

http://www.dollarbillcopying.com to order your coursepack.

On-line readings, linked from the course website.

Book of your choice, selected from a list I will provide (see Book Review Assignment below). You are responsible for acquiring this book yourself. It is not available at the UMD bookstore.

Course Requirements

1. Journals, On-line Discussions, & Pop Quizzes (25%)

Several times throughout the semester you will respond to readings in a written assignment that I’m calling a “journal.” For each journal assignment, I will give you a specific prompt that will guide your response. Often, you will share your journals not only with me but also with fellow classmates during small-group discussions. Journals will be graded on a basis of check, check plus, and check minus. All journals must be turned in on time.

The class also features three required on-line discussions: on the film It, on the film The Truman Show, and a final wrap-up discussion. (To log in to these discussions, you must have a university uniquename and password.) You must offer at least one substantial contribution to a required discussion in order to receive a “check.” (More substantial contributions will earn a “check plus.”) Contributions to these on-line discussions must be made by a certain due date. I will keep the on-line discussion board active throughout the semester, and we can carry on other course-related discussions on a voluntary basis.

I reserve the right to give a pop quiz if I discern that students are not reading the assignments or are too reluctant to discuss the readings.

2. Midterm (20%)

Essay exam in class on, Oct 26. Please bring a blue book to the exam. A review will be conducted in advance.

3. Artifact Presentations (15%)

Each student will give two artifact presentations to the class and write two short essays to accompany them. You will find an “artifact” of consumer culture (e.g. an advertisement, a photograph of a department store, a piece of clothing) from a particular time period and analyze it using your knowledge from the course. The first artifact should come from the period 1600-1941, and the second should come from 1941 to the present. I will give students ideas of where to look for these artifacts. Again, the analysis should be presented both in writing and in a brief oral presentation to the class.

4. Book Review Paper (20%) and Presentation (5%)

Each student will select a different book from a list I will provide and write a 4 to 6 page review of the book that emphasizes how it adds to our understanding of American consumer culture. Students will share their findings with the rest of the class in brief presentations. The paper is due on November 30.

5. Attendance and Participation (15%)

Attendance and participation are crucial both to your success in the class and the success of the class as a whole; therefore I give them substantial weight in your grade. Classes always work better and are more exciting when everyone comes and is engaged with the material. The course will feature numerous discussions, some of them led by students. In order to participate intelligently and enthusiastically, you must: first, attend class; second, have digested lectures and readings; and third, have thoughtfully completed your journal assignments. Active participation can really make a difference in your course grade. Poor attendance, tardiness, and lack of engagement during class can really hurt your grade. Be there or be square. (Besides, you’re paying for it anyway – be a good consumer!)

Course Policies

Late Work & Make-Up Policy

Students must have a legitimate excuse for turning in late work or missing scheduled presentations or exams.

A legitimate excuse:

Is an emergency. It does not encompass scheduled appointments, work, or vacations.

Can be documented.

If you cannot turn in an assignment on the due date, then you must turn it in no later than the next class period in order to receive credit – assuming you have a legitimate excuse. Email submissions of late work – accompanied by a legitimate excuse – are acceptable. If you email your work to me before the due date and skip class, you must also provide a legitimate excuse in order to receive credit.

Students may not turn in more than 2 early/late assignments during the semester.

In cases where a student does not have a legitimate excuse, I will deduct 10 points (a full letter grade) for each day that the book review paper is late, including weekend days. I will not accept a paper over 3 days late.

If an emergency causes you to have to miss class on an exam or presentation day, then you must contact me as soon as possible (definitely by the next day) and arrange to make up the exam/presentation as soon as possible (hopefully by the next class period). No dilly-dallying. Otherwise, I will not allow you to make it up.

Attendance and Promptness

Easy: always come to class and be on time. I will begin class promptly at 6:10 and expect to run all the way to 9:00 p.m., with one break. Student tardiness is a pet peeve of mine. It shows disrespect to me and to your fellow students. If you have a legitimate reason that causes you to be habitually late, please speak to me about it.

Note on responsibility:

All students are responsible for their own learning and for knowing the course policies. If you have to miss a class, you are responsible for knowing what occurred during the session, obtaining class notes and assignments from a classmate, and making up the work.

Using Laptop Computers in the Classroom

Students may use laptops in the classroom as long as they stay “on task.” In other words, students may not engage in e-mailing, extraneous internet searching, or work for other classes or work during class time.

Eating and Drinking in the Classroom – Go right ahead, I don’t mind.

Cell Phones in the Classroom – turn the phone to silent mode and try your best not to be disruptive in class.

Academic Misconduct

Plagiarism is a serious offense. If I determine that a student has plagiarized on any assignment, he/she will fail the course.

There are different kinds of plagiarism.

Plagiarism occurs when you:

use someone else’s exact words without putting quotation marks around them

put quotation marks around someone else’s exact words BUT fail to provide a reference or citation to the source and page number

paraphrase someone else’s words too closely without using quotation marks (even if you do provide a citation) Don’t get lazy when you’re paraphrasing!

use someone else’s thoughts without a reference or citation to the source (if you’re paraphrasing someone’s words, you do not need quotation marks but you still need a citation)

(For the purposes of this course, however, students do not need to cite my lectures as a source.)

If you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please come talk to me. I don’t want anyone to fail on account of misunderstanding.

I am alert (and web-savvy)! Don’t do it!

Disabilities

Students who feel they need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me as soon as possible. At the appointment we can discuss the course format, anticipate your needs, and explore potential accommodations. Students need to register with Disability Resource Services (1060 UM) every semester they are taking classes. For more information, contact Nancy Lehnert, Disability Resource Services Assistant, 593-5430.