This program provides a new framework and approach for breaking the cycle of blame surrounding violent imagery in the culture and promotes an informed and rational public conversation about the topic. The goals of the program are to: (1) reduce exposure to media violence; (2) change the impact of violent images that are seen; (3) locate and…

The Cultural and Critical Studies Division section of the proceedings contains the following 11 papers: "'Grimm' News Indeed--'Madstones,' Clever Toads, and Killer Tarantulas: Fairy-Tale Briefs in Wild West Newspapers" (Paulette Kilmer); "The First Amendment and the Doctrine of Corporate Personhood: Collapsing the Press-Corporation…

This book presents biographical profiles of 10 authors of interest to readers ages 9 and above and was created to appeal to young readers in a format they can enjoy reading and readily understand. Biographies were prepared after extensive research, and each volume contains a cumulative index, a general index, a place of birth index, and a birthday…

Cultural studies courses offered to undergraduate students of foreign languages tend to rely on canonical works that avoid sociopolitical perspectives and present the culture of the "Other" within the dominant world view. There is an urgent need to move from these traditional curricula to more engaging programs that capture the…

This paper examines how semiotic analysis may be useful in teaching media literacy to nonnative speakers of English (NNSs), including both immigrants and international students who plan to return to their countries. It focuses on two television shows. The first show, "Friends," covers issues and problems of contemporary urban life for…

Television shows have been a traditional outlet for language practices in second language classrooms around the world. However, the only criteria that teachers seem to have to choose said shows are that they are in English and native speakers are involved. This may lead to choosing materials for the sake of watching or selecting materials that do…

A professional conference exercise for teachers of French as a second language is described, in which participants analyzed the cultural content and linguistic form of headlines in adolescent mass literature. Two examples of this kind of analysis are given. (MSE)

Media education can be taught by analyzing the ways popular media represent the sexes. Discusses stereotyped gender images in popular culture and outlines classroom activities investigating modeling poses, images of ideal and successful males and females, gender sensitive language, sex role portrayal, and violence for a media literacy unit using…

Describes objects from everyday life and analyzes artworks by four contemporary artists whose works make use of familiar objects (Louise Nevelson, Claes Oldenburg, Mitchell Syrop, and Betye Sarr). Divides lesson into four steps: (1) discussing everyday objects; (2) viewing artworks; (3) studying artists; and (4) class activities related to the…

Asserts that culture was and is a major focus of much sociological research and writing and that music is often a subject of such research. Proposes using music as a teaching tool in a course about issues of race, class, and gender. Describes the use of musical lyrics in the course, and reports on student attitudes toward the course. (CFR)

The contrast between private contentment with family life and public pessimism about the state of the U.S. family mirrors the frightening view of human relations presented by popular culture, particularly popular music. Many African-American leaders deplore any association between African-American culture and current, often obscene, pop music…

Offers suggestions for using rap lyrics to teach language skills. A brief overview of the sociocultural dimension of rap music and its literature, a theoretical orientation for the instructional methodology, and a curriculum model are presented. The prevalence of these musical forms can make them a valuable aid. (SLD)

Popular movie depictions of racial minorities as dysfunctional help maintain the present race-linked social stratification by instilling a sense of social disharmony and justifying continuing racial oppression. The enthnocentric bias of the majority of films reinforces stereotypical perceptions of minorities and legitimizes the status quo of white…

Three librarians--Barbara A. Genco from Brooklyn, New York; Eleanor K. MacDonald from Beverly Hills, California; and Betsy Hearne from Chicago, Illinois--share their perspectives on where popular literature should fit into library material selection and children's reading diets. Popular literature is defined as primarily that which has first…

Illustrates the use of baseball cards as cultural artifacts and how to make sociological inferences and historical generalizations from them. Focuses on Black players and the issue of racial integration in major league baseball. Includes chronologies of racial integration on teams and inductions of Black players into the Baseball Hall of Fame. (NL)