Hong Kong Shue Yan University

Department of English Language & Literature

2nd term, 2020-2021

Course Code : ENG 335

Course Title : Popular Culture (for major)
Year of Study : 3rd
Number of Credits :3
Number of QF Credits : 12
Duration in Weeks : 15
Contact Hours Per Week : Lecture (2 Hours)
: Tutorial (1 Hour)
Pre-requisite(s) : NIL
Prepared by : Dr. LAM Yee Man

Course Aims
This course aims at providing students an introduction to contemporary debates on how
subjectivities and everyday practices of popular culture take shape in mass society. It also
delineates the ways popular culture constitutes a common and thereby important part of
our lives. By drawing upon consumer’s culture, pop music, media and sports,
advertisements, films, anime and comics, theme parks etc. this course endeavors to show to
students that an informal consciousness of class, gender and race is essential to any
understanding of the sociology of popular cultural practices, both in the West and in Hong
Kong. Issues such as postmodernism, identity politics, technoscience and media will be
brought forth to bear on popular cultural texts which are already parts of students’ literacies
and practices.

Course Outcomes, Teaching Activities and Assessment

Course Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

Upon completion of this course students should be able to:
CILO1 describe popular cultural phenomena in our contemporary society
CILO2 apply the cultural concepts in analyzing popular culture
CILO3 theorize cultural phenomena in our contemporary society
CILO4 synthesize theory and practice
CILO5 criticize popular culture according to cultural concepts and issues

Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs)

TLA1 Lecture: Introduction to popular culture and cultural concepts; explanation
of the reading materials; analysis of cultural texts with reference to the
cultural concepts
TLA2 Tutorial: Oral Presentations by students
TLA3 Tutorial: Raise questions
TLA4 Online discussion
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Assessment Tasks (ATs)

Group Individual
AT1 Discussion Forum and Q&A 20%
Students are to find more relevant examples illustrating at least
one of the issues discussed in class and share it in the Moodle
forum (5%). Students are then required to make at least three
attempts to analyze their examples, including counter-argument
and refutation of the content (in 150 words). (15%). Student’s
highest-scoring attempt will be counted.
AT2 Tutorial Participation 10%
Students are to raise questions and make comment on the
content of other group’s presentation.
AT3 Tutorial Presentation 10%
Into groups of 3 or 4, students are to deliver an oral presentation
on a selected topic. The length of the presentation will be around
30 minutes.
AT4 Individual Term Paper (Research paper) 30%
Students are to write a research paper (about 2500 words)
related to popular culture. They may choose their own topic. The
due date is at the end of April.
AT5 Take Home Test 30%
In mid-May, students are to answer a 2-hour test containing 2
essay questions and submit their answers to the Moodle.
TOTAL 100%

Alignment of Course Intended Learning Outcomes, Teaching and Learning Activities

and Assessment Tasks
Course Intended Learning Teaching and Learning Assessment Tasks
Outcomes Activities
CILO1 TLA1,2,4 AT1,2,3,4
CILO2 TLA1,2,3,4 AT1,3,4,5
CILO3 TLA1,2,3,4 AT1,3,4,5
CILO4 TLA1,2,4 AT1,3,4,5
CILO5 TLA1,2,3,4 AT1,2,3,4,5

Distribution of Notional Learning Hours/ QF Credits

Activity Notional Learning Hours (NLHs)

Contact Hours (a)
Lecture 26
Tutorial 13
Consultation 1
TOTAL: 40
Self-Study Hours (b)
Discussion Forum and Q&A 20
Preparation for Presentation 15
Term Paper 20
Revision for Take Home Test 25
TOTAL: 80

Total NLHs: 120

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(a)+(b)
QF Credits: 12
(Total NLHs/10)

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Course Outline (Tentative)

Week 1 Introduction
John Fiske, “Understanding Popular Culture”, in Reading the Popular (London; New York:
Routledge, 2011).

Week 2 Distinctions
Herbert Gans, Popular Culture and High Culture: An Analysis and Evaluation of Taste
(New York: Basic Books, 1999), pp. 27-88.

Pierre Bourdieu, “Introduction”, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste

(Routledge and K. Paul: London, 1984), pp. 1-7.

Week 3 Culture Industry

Theodor Adorno, “Culture Industry Reconsidered”, in The Adorno Reader, ed. Brian
O’Connor (Oxford, UK; Malden, Mass: Blackwell, 2000).

Week 4 Representation
Jenny Kidd, “Theories of Representation”, in Representation (London; New York:
Routledge, 2016).

Week 5 Popular Music

Michael Ryan, “Music”, in Cultural Studies: A Practical Introduction (Chichester; West
Sussex, U.K.; Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010).

Week 6 Hero Myth

Maria Nikolajeva, “Harry Potter - A Return to the Romantic Hero”, in Harry Potter's
World: Multidisciplinary Critical Perspectives, ed. Elizabeth E. Heilman (New York:
Routledge Falmer, 2003).

Week 7 Reading Week

Week 8 Soap Opera

John Fiske, “Gendered Television: Femininity” in Television Culture (London; New York:
Routledge, 2011).

Week 9 TV and Masculinity

John Fiske, “Gendered Television: Masculinity” in Television Culture (London; New York:
Routledge, 2011).

Week 10-11 Postmodernism and Consumerism

John Storey, Cultural Theory and Popular Culture (Harlow, England; New York: Pearson
Longman, 2012), pp. 146-170

Week 12 Popular culture and social issues

Henry Jenkins, Sangita Shresthova, Gabriel Peters-Lazaro, Popular Culture and the Civic
Imagination: Case Studies of Creative Social Change (New York: New York University
Press, 2020), pp. 129-136.

Week 13 Stardom
Richard Dyer, “Stars” in Stardom and Celebrity: A Reader, ed. Sean Redmond, Su Holmes
(Los Angeles, Calif.; London: SAGE Publications, 2007).

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Week 14 Fans and Subculture
Chris Jenks, “The Modern Concept Birmingham CCCS”, Subculture: the Fragmentation of
the Social (London; Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 2005), pp. 107-128

Supplementary reading: Chris Barker, “Youth Subcultures” Cultural Studies: Theory and
Practice (London: Sage, 2012), pp. 429-447.

Week 15 Reading Week

Academic Honesty
You are expected to do your own work. Dishonesty in fulfilling any assignment undermines the
learning process and the integrity of your college degree. Engaging in dishonest or unethical
behavior is forbidden and will result in disciplinary action, specifically a failing grade on the
assignment with no opportunity for resubmission. A second infraction will result in an F for the
course and a report to College officials. Examples of prohibited behavior are:
Cheating – an act of deception by which a student misleadingly demonstrates that s/he has
mastered information on an academic exercise. Examples include:
Copying or allowing another to copy a test, quiz, paper, or project
Submitting a paper or major portions of a paper that has been previously submitted for
another class without permission of the current instructor
Turning in written assignments that are not your own work (including homework)
Plagiarism – the act of representing the work of another as one’s own without giving credit.
Failing to give credit for ideas and material taken from others
Representing another’s artistic or scholarly work as one’s own
Fabrication – the intentional use of invented information or the falsification of research or
other findings with the intent to deceive
To comply with the University’s policy, the term paper has to be submitted to VeriGuide.

Teaching Approach
This is a 2-hour lecture and 1-hour tutorial course. Lectures will focus on specific topics
according to the syllabus, emphasizing discussion at the same time. Tutorials will be
devoted to group discussion, team presentations. Presentations could be topic based or on
larger projects of empirical research. Final paper will be due towards the end of the
semester.

Resources:

Principal Texts
Angela McRobbie, In the Culture Society: Art, Fashion and Popular Music. London:
Routledge, 1999).
John Storey, Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction. Harlow: Pearson
Longman, 2018).
Marcel Danesi, Popular Culture: Introductory Perspectives (Lanham, Md.: Rowman &
Littlefield Publishers 2018)

Supplementary Texts
Adrienne Trier- Beiniek, Gender and Pop Culture (Leiden; Boston: Brill, 2019)
David Croteau, Virginia Commonwealth University, William Hoynes & Vassar College
(Ed), Media/society: Industries, Images, and Audiences (Thousand Oaks, California :
SAGE, 2014)
Dennis D. Waskul & Phillip Vannini (Ed), Popular Culture as Everyday Life (New York :
Routledge, 2016)

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Dustin Kidd, Pop Culture Freaks: Identity, Mass Media, and Society (Boulder, Colorado :
Westview Press, 2014)
Michael Pickering, Research Methods for Cultural Studies (Edinburg: Edinburg University
Press, 2008).
Mikita Brottman, High Theory/ Low Culture (New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2005).
Nicholas Carah & Eric Louw, Media & Society : Production, Content & Participation (Los
Angeles : Sage, 2015)
Raiford Guins & Omayra Zaragoza Cruz, Popular Culture: A Reader (London: Sage,
2005).
Rebecca Munford, Feminism and Popular Culture : Investigating the Postfeminist
Mystique (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2014)
Ross Haenfler, Subculture: The Basics (Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge, 2014).

Rubric for Online Forum Discussion

Criteria Exemplary Satisfactory Developing Unsatisfactory
Critical Discussion Discussion Discussion Discussion postings
Analysis postings display postings display postings repeat show little or no
an excellent an understanding and summarize evidence that
understanding of of the required basic, correct readings were
the required readings and information, but completed or
readings and underlying do not link understood.
underlying concepts readings to outside Postings are largely
concepts including correct references, personal opinions
including correct use of relevant research or feelings, or "I
use of terminology and or specific real- agree" or "Great
terminology. proper citation. life application idea", without
Postings 3 points and do not supporting
integrate an consider statement with
outside resource, alternative concepts from the
or relevant perspectives or readings, outside
research, or connections resources, relevant
specific real-life between ideas. research, or specific
application Sources are not real-life
(work cited. application.
experience, prior 2 points
coursework, etc.) 0 point
to support
important points.
4 points

Counter Counter claims Counter claims Writer attempts to Counter claims are
argument and acknowledge acknowledge address one or missing or vague. 0
refutation opposing opposing more opposing point.
viewpoints viewpoint(s) arguments, but the
clearly and with some logic writer may not
skillfully. and clarity refute the
4 points. 3 points opposition clearly
or adequately.
2 points

Rubric for Class Participation and Discussion

Criteria Exemplary Satisfactory Developing Unsatisfactory
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Preparation Arrives fully Arrives mostly, Preparation is Rarely or never
prepared at every if not fully, Inconsistent Prepared
class session prepared 2 points 0 points
4 points (ongoing)
3 points
Initiative Questions asked Occasionally ask Raise questions Demonstrates a
focus, clarify and good questions only when asked noticeable lack of
summarize 3 points by lecturer interest
discussion 2 points 0 point
4 points
Response Quality of Quality of Quality of Quality of response
response reflects response reflects response shows a lack of
knowledge, knowledge, and occasionally knowledge of
comprehension some reflects readings
and application comprehension knowledge of 0 point
of readings of readings readings
4 points 3 points 2 points
Discussion Quality of Quality of Quality of Unable to
response extends response extends response is poor participate in
the discussion the discussion 2 points discussion
with peers and with peers 0 point
reflects analysis, 3 points
synthesis and
evaluation
5 points

Rubric for Presentation

Criteria Exemplary Satisfactory Developing Unsatisfactory
Introduction Provided unique Provided basic Present but not No introduction or
insight, relevance, introduction and clear or background
and exceptional background informative 1 point
clarity introducing information 2 points
project and its related to the
place and project
significance 3 points
within a field of
study
4 points
Research Hypothesis/RQ Hypothesis/RQ Hypothesis/RQ No hypothesis/RQ
Question/ was clear, was clearly was not clear or given or was
Objectives/ wellconstructed, presented and well constructed exceptionally
Hypothesis and the student well constructed 2 points weak
effectively argued 3 points 1 point
that it addressed a
pressing question
in the field
4 points
Explanation of Appropriate, Adequate and Explained, but Not or poorly
Methodology clear, well- clearly explained seemed explained
connected to the 3 points inadequate for the 1 point
hypothesis/RQ study
/objectives, and goals/purpose
showed 2 points
exceptionally
creative and/or
meticulous
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investigation
4 points
Presentation and Results clearly Results clearly Results/ Results/
Interpretation of presented, presented, conclusions conclusions not
Results discussion hits conclusions presented, but presented
major points and clearly flow from unclear or not 1 point
nuanced results and relate fully developed
interpretations, back to 2 points
con-clusions hypothesis/RQ/ob
clearly flow from jectives
results and relate 3 points
back to
hypothesis/
RQ/objectives,
exceptionally
clear take-home
message
4 points
Overall Design Professional Well organized. Adequate Disorganized and
and Use of appearance and Images added to organization, but hard to follow.
Images/Text organization. the understanding. somewhat hard to Images and/or text
Images and text Text easily follow. Images did unreadable or
arrangement readable. not add or detract detracts. Gross
exceptionally well Appropriate from spelling/grammati
done and greatly image size and effectiveness. cal errors.
enhanced amount of text. Some 1 point
understanding. 3 points spelling/grammati
4 points cal errors.
2 points
Verbal Delivery Movement and Verbal delivery Delivery & Did not engage
and Engagement expression added to expression did not audience;
with the conveyed poise presentation. add or take away movements,
Audience and enthusiasm Engaged from the expression
while explaining audience. Made presentation. detracted from the
the project. good eye contact. Didn't engage presentation
Audience well 3 points audience. 1 point
engaged. 2 points
4 points
Demonstration of Illustrated Illustrated clear Communicated Student
the Value exceptional understanding; minimal understanding was
understanding, argued the topic understanding of not evident, did
persuaded the was important project not explain the
listener of critical 3 points significance significance of the
significance of the 2 points topic
project 1 point
4 points
Answers to Answers showed Answers added to Able to address Able to partially
Questions exceptional and ex-tended the most of the address some of
insight into the topics discussed questions the questions
field 3 points 2 points 1 point
4 points

Term Paper Rubric

6-7 = excellent
5  = good
4 = satisfactory

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3- 2 = marginal
1 = poor

Content is 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
inspiring 12points 11points 10points 7points 5points 2points 1points
and
intriguing

Original 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
insights are 12points 11points 10points 7points 5points 2points 1points
offered

Topic is 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
focused and 12points 11points 10points 7points 5points 2points 1points
narrow
enough

Highly 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
appropriate 12points 11points 10points 7points 5points 2points 1points
sources are
identified;
materials
are rich and
thick.

Concepts 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
learned in 12points 11points 10points 7points 5points 2points 1points
the course
successfully
applied and
integrated
into your
own insights

Good 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
cohesiveness 7points 6points 5points 4points 3points 2points 1points
.
Information
ties together
effectively.

Well- 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
structured 7points 6points 5points 4points 3points 2points 1points

Spelling, almost no, or few some spelling and/ or numerous spelling and unaccepted number of

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grammar spelling and/ or grammar mistakes grammar mistakes spelling and grammar
and sentence grammar mistakes 3points 2points mistakes
construction 4points 1points

Citations Sources acknowledged with Sources acknowledged with Plagiarism

full reference details few or bare reference details 0points
7points 4points

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