Universität Wien

124260 KO Critical Media Analysis (2012W)

Canned Laughter: Whiteness in American Sitcoms

6.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 30 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Wednesday 10.10. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 17.10. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 24.10. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 31.10. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 07.11. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 14.11. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 21.11. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 28.11. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 05.12. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 12.12. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 09.01. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 16.01. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 23.01. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Wednesday 30.01. 12:00 - 14:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

In this course, we will have a look at the construction of whiteness in selected American Sitcoms. An immensely popular and successful genre, the sitcom was among the first formats adapted for the new medium of television in the 1940s and continues to be a staple in the television landscape. Understanding television as a medium that both reflects and constructs cultural developments and lived reality, this course wants to critically investigate the representation of whiteness and the (in)visibility of racial and ethnic diversity in iconic US-American sitcoms. While it is generally not treated as a racial category and thus “invisible,” whiteness is, at the same time, omnipresent and hypervisible as the norm. Sitcoms have often been criticized for being predominantly white; in this course, we will problematize the normalization and naturalization of whiteness and explore the paradoxical status of whiteness in American culture.

The sitcoms we will analyze may include Seinfeld, Friends, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and others. We will finalize our corpus in the first session, based on students' suggestions.

Assessment and permitted materials

Class participation, including readings and class discussions; group presentation; one short reflection paper and one longer analytical essay.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

This course aims to increase and deepen students’ knowledge of significant concepts in cultural theories and to encourage students to reflect critically on popular culture. It seeks to provide students with analytical tools which they can apply not only to television but to all visual media. Furthermore, this class will enable students to apply concepts in critically reflected ways, to interpret primary sources, and to engage effectively in contemporary cultural discourses and debates in both oral and written form

Examination topics

introductory lectures and multi-media presentations, group presentations, class discussions.

Reading list

Association in the course directory

Studium: Diplom 343, UF 344, BA 612
Code/Modul: Diplom 426/428, 436/438, 526/528, 536/538, 721-723, UF 4.2.5-426, BA07.3
Lehrinhalt: 12-4260

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:33