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SOC 343
The Fifties: Contradictions in American Society
SOC 343 FA
Crosslistings: AMST343
Photo Caption and Credits
Next Offered in 9899 FA
In the 1950s American society was, on the surface,
affluent, integrated and happy. Underneath, McCarthyism,
the Cold War, racial injustice and middle-class conformism
belied surface appearances. The course will consider the
expressions of this contradiction: the early civil rights
movement, the experiences of women and men, the Beat
generation, Elvis and Rock, the McCarthy hearings, early
television, among others.
MAJOR READINGS
Riesman, LONELY CROWD
Ehrenreich, HEARTS OF MEN
Branch, PARTING THE WATERS
Mills, POWER ELITE
Diggins, PROUD DECADES
and selected primary sources, recordings and films.
EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Group research and
presentation; a midterm essay; a final research paper.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS
Participation,
attendance, other writing. First class attendance necessary
to assure enrollment.
Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting
or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the
first class, they will be dropped from the class list.
NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form
to the Registrar's Office.
COURSE FORMAT: Discussion Field Work Lecture Performance
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Level: UG Credit: 1.00
Prerequisites:
SOC 151
Last Updated on MAR-03-1998
About the Photo:
An advertisement from the 1950s, produced by the Frigidaire
company.
Reference:
Maltby, Richard, PASSING PARADE: A HISTORY OF
POPULAR CULTURE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY,
New York: Oxford University Press, 1989
Contact wesmaps@wesleyan.edu to
submit comments or suggestions.
Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459