Instructions:

For this assignment you are both to ask a question, and answer it through interpretation of one or more popular culture texts. Choose one of the themes we have discussed in class (e.g., definitions of popular culture, theories of politics and culture, levels of analysis, historical evolution of popular culture, the role of the news media, the changing nature of communications technology, etc.) and phrase a question that asks something interesting about politics and popular culture. As a guide, examine the questions asked in the first take-home assignment and phrase a question along those lines. Make sure your question asks something interesting about a theme in politics, not a specific current issue. The best questions are usually the ones that have the word “why?” in them. After phrasing your question, answer your question in the form of an oral presentation as if you were answering one of the questions in the first take-home assignment. In choosing a theme, keep in mind some popular culture texts you would like to interpret. In your oral presentation, you should interpret the popular culture text(s) you have selected to provide an answer to the question you have posed. In addition, make sure your oral presentation has a thesis and uses relevant course readings (i.e., assigned texts) to support your points.

Remember to provide adequate citation of the popular cultural text(s) you are interpreting.

Note: You may not use the same theme and/or texts you used in your second take-home writing assignment.

Oral Presentation Hints

Remember that all good oral presentations have an introduction which states a thesis, a body which marshals evidence to support that thesis, and a conclusion. Remember also to consider alternative theses and explanations so as to better prove your point. You must refer to any and all relevant readings to support your essay.

Note on Originality

The oral presentation must be your own work. You may not copy, borrow, or appropriate other authors' work, unless you are doing so in the form of a cited quotation. All references to other authors' work must be fully documented in the form of citations.

Suggested Outline for the Oral Presentation

I. Introduction

    A. Brief statement of concept to be studied

    B. “Why?” question stated

    C. Indication of cultural text(s) to be interpreted

    D. Thesis statement

        1. Relationship of popular culture to politics should be established

            a. Popular culture affects politics, or

            b. Politics affects popular culture, or

            c. Some combination thereof

II. Evidence of empirical problem established

    A. Audience should see that what is being explained actually exists

        1. For example, if the paper claims that foreign policy is affected by popular culture, there needs to be some evidence that this really is the case

III. Possible explanations that give an answer to the “why?” question

    A. Material from the Street, Schultz, Shea books

IV. Textual Interpretation

    A. One or more (but not many) popular culture texts

VI. Analysis

    A. Which explanation(s) from Part III are validated by the textual interpretation?

VII. Conclusion