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ID: 098206

Pop culture in the classroom: American idol, Karl Marx, and Alexis de Tocqueville / Centellas, Miguel

Centellas, Miguel	Journal Article
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Publication

2010.

Summary/Abstract

This article discusses the use of pop culture in the classroom as a means to teach foundational political science authors and concepts. I focus on my experience using American Idol as a point of reference to discuss Marx and Engel's The Communist Manifesto and Tocqueville's Democracy in America in undergraduate comparative politics courses. Students are asked to construct a written argument projecting Marx or Tocqueville's perceptions of American Idol, based on their readings. My experiences demonstrate that asking students to reflect on their own contemporary experience through the prism of these two works helps them in three ways: (1) to better understand the ideas of Marx and Tocqueville, as well as their differences; (2) to develop an appreciation for the continued relevance of works in the discipline's canon; and (3) to sharpen and develop critical thinking and analytical skills.

Key Words

Political Science ; America ; American Idol ; Classroom ; Pop Culture

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ID: 091468

Revolution in a box / Kenny, Charles

Kenny, Charles	Journal Article
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Publication	2009.
Summary/Abstract	It's not Twitter or facebook that's reinventing the planet. Eighty years after the first commercial broadcast crackled to life, television still rules our world. And let's hear it for the growing legions of couch potatoes: All those soap operas might be the ticket to a better future after all.

Key Words

Revolution ; Television ; American Idol ; Ghulam Nabi Azad

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