TYPE OF COURSE UNIT	Compulsory Course
LEVEL OF COURSE UNIT	Bachelor's Degree
YEAR OF STUDY	3
SEMESTER	Fifth Term (Fall)
NUMBER OF ECTS CREDITS ALLOCATED	5
NAME OF LECTURER(S)	Assistant Professor Defne Tutan
LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE COURSE UNIT	At the end of this course, the students; 1) analyze selected topics in relation to contemporary American society, 2) critically evaluate the cultural issues under scrutiny.
MODE OF DELIVERY	Face to face
PRE-REQUISITES OF THE COURSE	No
RECOMMENDED OPTIONAL PROGRAMME COMPONENT
COURSE DEFINITION	This course explores selected topics in cultural theory such as identity, ethnicity, race, gender, class, and the media with specific reference to contemporary American society. These topics are discussed through analytical and critical reading of selected theoretical and cultural texts.
COURSE CONTENTS	WEEK TOPICS 1st Week Introduction 2nd Week An Introduction to Cultural Criticism 3rd Week Literary Theory & Cultural Criticism 4th Week Marxism & Cultural Criticism 5th Week Semiotics & Cultural Criticism 6th Week Psychoanalytic Theory & Cultural Criticism 7th Week Sociological Theory & Cultural Criticism 8th Week Midterm 9th Week Case Study 10th Week Case Study 11th Week Case Study 12th Week Work Towards Term Projects 13th Week Work Towards Term Projects 14th Week Presentation of Term Projects
RECOMENDED OR REQUIRED READING	Required Reading: Arthur Asa Berger?s Cultural Criticism: A Primer of Key Concepts. London: Sage, 1995. Recommended Reading: Anderson, Talmadge, ed. Black Studies: Theory, Method, and Cultural Perspectives. Pullman: Washington State UP, 1990. Barr, Marlene S. Genre Fission: A New Discourse Practice for Cultural Studies. Iowa City: U of Iowa P, 2000. Ferguson, Margorie, and Peter Golding, eds. Cultural Studies in Question. London: Sage, 1997. Hartley, John, and Roberta E. Pearson, eds. American Cultural Studies: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000. Kincheloe, Joe L. The Sign of the Burger: McDonald?s and the Culture of Power. Temple, Maryland: Temple UP, 2002. Maasik, Sonia, and Jack Solomon. Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin?s, 2000. Ritzer, George. The McDonaldization Thesis: Explorations and Extensions. London: Sage, 1998. Saldivar, Jose David. Border Matters: Remapping American Cultural Studies. Berkeley: U of California P, 1997. Spivak, Gayatri C. In Other Worlds: Essays in Cultural Politics. New York: Methuen, 1987.
PLANNED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS	Lecture,Discussion,Questions/Answers,Other
ASSESSMENT METHODS AND CRITERIA	Quantity Percentage(%) Mid-term 1 30 Project 1 25 Attendance 1 5 Total(%) 60 Contribution of In-term Studies to Overall Grade(%) 60 Contribution of Final Examination to Overall Grade(%) 40 Total(%) 100
ECTS WORKLOAD	Activities Number Hours Workload Midterm exam 1 2 2 Preparation for Quiz Individual or group work 14 6 84 Preparation for Final exam 1 6 6 Course hours 14 3 42 Preparation for Midterm exam 1 6 6 Laboratory (including preparation) Final exam 1 2 2 Homework Project 1 10 10 Total Workload 152 Total Workload / 30 5,06 ECTS Credits of the Course 5
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION	English
WORK PLACEMENT(S)	No