Spring 2020  |  SOC 3415 Section 001: Consume This! The Sociology and Politics of Consumption (65571)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
Student Option
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
In Person Term Based
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
01/21/2020 - 05/04/2020
Mon, Wed 11:15AM - 12:30PM
UMTC, West Bank
Hubert H Humphrey Center 25
Enrollment Status:
Open (25 of 30 seats filled)
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
How symbols are created, acquired, diffused, and used for organizing personal identity and maintaining group boundaries. Fashion. Socialization. Structure of retail trade. Role of mass media, advertising, marketing/production strategies. Implications of worldwide markets. prereq: 1001 recommended; soc majors/minors must register A-F
Class Notes:
Click this link for more detailed course information: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?tgowan+SOC3415+Spring2020
Class Description:
The course traces the dynamic frontier of commodification, looking at the symbolic construction of products and product-defined "life-styles" through media, the retail experience, advertising and branding. It will benefit students interested in gaining a deeper theoretical understanding of the mechanisms of contemporary consumerism, whether they see themselves as future marketers, critical consumers, or anti-capitalist activists.
Grading:
Other Grading Information: Grade: 40% exams & quizzes. 40% Discussion posts and graphic presentations. 20% class citizenship, blog citizenship. Each absence after three will decrease your grade by .2. E.g. 3.3 > 3.1 (B+ > B)
Class Format:
30% Lecture
10% Film/Video
20% Discussion
40% Small Group Activities My teaching style emphasizes active learning - I aim for high student participation, with lots of wide-ranging (and inter-disciplinary) discussion and energetic group work. The class may not suit those who prefer highly structured classes.
Workload:
Other Workload: Work Load: 50-75 pages of reading per week, 25-30 pages of writing per semester, 2 exams, occasional quizzes. Final projects incorporating photography, music, or fiction may also be approved subject to consultation.
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/65571/1203
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
7 November 2019

ClassInfo Links - Spring 2020 Sociology Classes

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