Course Number: IAT 203
Course Title: Cultural Icons and Popular Arts
Credit Hours: 3 Vector: 0-3-0
Course Description
Introduction to the interdisciplinary field of cultural studies and the historical backdrop of popular arts. Students investigate early sacred imagery, royal spectacle, the rise of museums, world expositions as well as traditions in which artistic practice are incorporated into everyday life. Through discourse analysis, students explore how the emergence of photography and an international avant-garde influence narratives around cultural production. With the advent of television and film, popular arts gather momentum and prominence. Finally, students examine the growing interpenetration of marketing, entertainment, and art, as reflected in key areas of practice, including popular music and anime.
Prerequisite:
IAT 100, 101.
Recommended: None.
Corequisite: None.
Special Instructions: Students with credit for IART 210, 211 and 212 may not take this course for further credit.
Course(s) to be dropped if this course is approved:
IART 210-1 Cultural Icons: Historical Perspectives
IART 211-1 The Evolution of Low- Brow: Modern Popular Arts
IART 212-1 All Mixed Up: Culture in the Age of Electronics
This course consolidates three 1-credit module-based (5 week) courses into a single 3-credit semester-based course.
Will this be a required or elective course in the curriculum; probable enrolment when offered?
Indicate Semester and Year this course would be first offered and planned frequency of offering thereafter.
2004-3 and annually thereafter.
Which of your present CFL faculty have the expertise to offer this course? Will the course be taught by sessional or limited term faculty?
Silverman, Gibson, Moore, Philips
Are there any proposed student fees associated with this course other than tuition fees?
No.
Is this course considered a `duplicate' of any current or prior course under the University's duplicate course policy? Specify, as appropriate.
This course duplicates IART 210-1, IART 211-1, IART 212-1.
Note: Senate has approved (S.93-11) that no new course should be approved by Senate until funding has been committed for necessary library materials. Each new course proposal must be accompanied by a library report and, if appropriate, confirmation that funding arrangements have been addressed.
Provide details on how existing instructional resources will be redistributed to accommodate this new course. For instance, will another course be eliminated or will the frequency of offering of other courses be reduced; are there changes in pedagogical style or class sizes that allow for this additional course offering.
This course will use the resources already in place for the three 1-credit modules it replaces.
Does the course require specialized space or equipment not readily available in the department or university, and if so, how will these resources be provided?
No.
Does this course require computing resources (e.g. hardware, software, network wiring, use of computer laboratory space) and if so, describe how they will be provided.
No new resources are required by virtue of this course consolidation.
In this course students will learn to:
Define the concept of art as "high" culture and outline its history in relation to popular culture.
Describe the field of cultural studies—its approach, its relation to changes in culture, and how it differs from traditional academic disciplines.
Define aesthetics and describe in general terms the theory of fine art formulated by art/cultural historians, philosophers and other critical thinkers.
Describe the origins and history of the museum-explain the division between museums of art and science, and their respective approaches to representation
Define "discourse" and describe how power operates through the discourse of the museum and World Fairs
Characterize the relationship between commercial and artistic cultures and explore high brow and low brow social hierarchies, from the mid-19th century through the mid-20th century, in terms of the of avant-garde and kitsch
Explain the impact of the loss of cultural context as a result of the rise of television and other mass media on the social landscape of North America.
Explain how D.I.Y. functions as a form of "cultural resistance", with reference to punk, dub, and raves the fall of the avant-garde and subcultures.
Cultural Icons and Popular Arts is a discussion-based course where learning takes place through reading, responding to discussion questions in on-line conferences, and reflecting on learning in final projects.
Each week begins with a set of readings introducing core concepts, history, and terminology. In the group conference discussions students will develop an understanding of the readings that have been introduced and apply it to historical and contemporary real world settings. Assignments provide the opportunity for students (individually and within teams) to reflect on and synthesize the material.
Delivery Method: 100% on-line delivery
Web presentation and required readings - 1.5 hours
Conference discussions - 5 hours
Research and development for final project - 1 hour
Total - 7.5 hours
Group Conference 60%
Assignment 40%
Text: No text or software required for this course.