UW-Milwaukee: L&S Freshman Scholars Seminars

Fall 2008 Seminars

Africology

Race In Popular Culture

Erin Winkler, Assistant Professor

What does popular culture tell us about race in the United States? In this course, we will actively investigate the social meaning of race in the United States through the lens of popular culture. Together we will critically examine the subtle messages about race that are sent through advertising, music, fashion, politics, movies, art, museums, videogames, shopping malls, television, online social networking sites, and more. What are these messages? For example, what do billboards in Milwaukee “say” about African American children? What do television sitcoms “say” about Asian American families? What does cable news coverage of the 2008 presidential race “say” about African American men or white American men? What do music videos “say” about interracial relationships? And what effect do these representations have on their consumers? Come to class ready to actively explore these issues and much more! Class activities and assignments are designed so that students consistently engage in active learning, hypothesizing, and theorizing. Learning activities use students’ existing knowledge of popular culture as the launching point for learning about critical race theory. This is a seminar-style course for freshmen only.

Erin Winkler was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and spent seven years on Oakland, California and one year in Evanston, Illinois, before moving to Milwaukee. She received her Ph.D. in African American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and conducts research with middle school-aged children and their families in order to find out more about how children come to understand race and racism. She teaches courses on the psychological effects of racism, racial socialization, African American families, and African American history and society. When she’s not working, she enjoys cooking and baking, watching basketball, reading novels, and tinkering with her old, rusty car (209,000 miles and counting!).

Number: AFRICOL 193, SEM 001
Credits: 3SS
Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm
Place: CRT 221
Class Number: 59268

© College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Freshman Scholars Program, PO Box 413, Holton Hall G18, Milwaukee, WI 53201
Send your questions and comments to L&S Web Team
Last Updated: May 8, 2008


Humanities Africology Celtic Studies Communication Comparative Literature English Ethnic Studies German History Italian Philosophy Women's Studies Natural Science Atmospheric Sciences Biological Sciences Geociences Physics Social Science Africology Anthropology Economics Political Science Psychology Sociology Cultural Diversity English		Fall 2008 Seminars Africology Race In Popular Culture Erin Winkler, Assistant Professor What does popular culture tell us about race in the United States? In this course, we will actively investigate the social meaning of race in the United States through the lens of popular culture. Together we will critically examine the subtle messages about race that are sent through advertising, music, fashion, politics, movies, art, museums, videogames, shopping malls, television, online social networking sites, and more. What are these messages? For example, what do billboards in Milwaukee “say” about African American children? What do television sitcoms “say” about Asian American families? What does cable news coverage of the 2008 presidential race “say” about African American men or white American men? What do music videos “say” about interracial relationships? And what effect do these representations have on their consumers? Come to class ready to actively explore these issues and much more! Class activities and assignments are designed so that students consistently engage in active learning, hypothesizing, and theorizing. Learning activities use students’ existing knowledge of popular culture as the launching point for learning about critical race theory. This is a seminar-style course for freshmen only. Erin Winkler was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and spent seven years on Oakland, California and one year in Evanston, Illinois, before moving to Milwaukee. She received her Ph.D. in African American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and conducts research with middle school-aged children and their families in order to find out more about how children come to understand race and racism. She teaches courses on the psychological effects of racism, racial socialization, African American families, and African American history and society. When she’s not working, she enjoys cooking and baking, watching basketball, reading novels, and tinkering with her old, rusty car (209,000 miles and counting!). Number: AFRICOL 193, SEM 001 Credits: 3SS Time: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm Place: CRT 221 Class Number: 59268 Check current enrollment information.
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© College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Freshman Scholars Program, PO Box 413, Holton Hall G18, Milwaukee, WI 53201 Send your questions and comments to L&S Web Team Last Updated: May 8, 2008