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Unit of study_

AMST4112: Cultural Capital: Kant to Kardashian

2025 unit information

A cornerstone myth of American Exceptionalism is that the US is a classless society, but the consumption of popular culture is a classed phenomenon. This unit interrogates the principles of American studies by analyzing US pop culture. Part intellectual history of taste, part pop bonanza, it combines the trashiest cultural exploits (B movies, pulp novels, gossip sites) with the most brilliant meditations on cultural value, exploring why people like what they like, and what it says about them.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

DVC (Research)

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit United States Studies Centre
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. demonstrate a critical understanding of the construction of the American cultural canon
  • LO2. produce aesthetic judgements and critical responses to popular culture
  • LO3. demonstrate an advanced capacity for oral, visual, and written communication.

Unit availability

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There are no availabilities for this year.
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2020
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Remote
Outline unavailable
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Remote
Outline unavailable

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

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