First Year Students

Reading Television: Social Issues on the Small Screen

Simpson Colloquium  SC-101 O - Reading Television: Social Issues on the Small Screen
 M T TH F   1- 2 PM
  
"The Sopranos" "Sex and the City" "Six Feet Under" "Mad Men" "The Wire"   The most groundbreaking shows on television do not just entertain us. They address social realities in ways unique to their writing and format. These shows, and others like them, explore complex issues including organized crime, sexuality, drugs, death, violence, and consumerism. At the same time, they tell us something about the intersection of masculinity, femininity, race, and socioeconomic class. What kind of world do these shows portray? Do these fictional scripts reflect reality or construct it? What is their cultural significance? This course offers students a chance to watch television in a new way—as media scholars rather than media consumers. Students will learn to “read” television with an interpretive lens, engaging in deep discussions and analysis of social issues, cultural subjectivities, and the role of the media in society.

Meet Your Professor

( this section of page still under construction)

 

Meet Your Destination LeaderTara Maurer
Tara Maurer

Hello all! Transitioning from high school to college life can be difficult at times, which is why I am delighted to be your destination leader for your first semester at Simpson College.  I will be a senior during the 2012-2013 school year. I major in Multimedia Journalism with minors in Gender and Women’s Studies and Philosophy.

While I love all aspects of Multimedia Journalism, my expertise is video production. Currently, I am the photo/video editor for The Simpsonian. I am also a digital content intern with Simpson’s Athletics Communications Department.

The travel bug bit me at a young age. Currently, I have visited 10 different countries: Mexico, Wales, England, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Liechtenstein and Germany. I hope to travel to Thailand in Spring 2013 through Simpson’s Study Abroad Program.

I am a sushi addict, avid doodler, music lover, runner, Kappa Kappa Gamma member (go Greek!) and a feminist.

Please don’t hesitate to ask me questions! As cliché as it sounds, your first year of college is something you will never forget, and my job is to help you in any way that I can.

 

Last Updated: 3/30/12