HUM 260 : The Criminal in Contemporary Popular Culture
This interdisciplinary seminar traces the archetype of the criminal across the arts, including literature, film, music, theatre, literary non-fiction, graphic novels, cartoons, architecture, and the fine arts. The way in which socioeconomics, racism, homophobia, and gender discrimination influence the criminal archetype will be considered as will the historical context of the texts assigned. The course will examine the impact that this archetype has made upon popular culture through a variety of critical lenses. Writers and artists are chosen broadly, such as Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ian Fleming, Mario Puzo, Erik Larson, Dr. Dre, and Viet Than Hguyen. Prerequisite(s): ENG 102 or permission of instructor. Three lecture hours per week.
Gen. Ed. Competencies Met: Ethical Dimensions and Human Expression.
Course Outcomes
1. Explain how works of art reflect cultural values that are shaped by personal biases
2. Interrogate their core beliefs about what constitutes criminal behavior.
3. Analyze the ethical implications of how various forms of discrimination lead to the criminalization of certain populations in the arts.
4. Appraise the aesthetic and literary value of artifacts
5. Analyze how these artifacts reflect and influence the complex ethical issues surrounding the human condition.
6. Analyze various artifacts using a diversity of critical perspectives.
7. Create interpretations of these artifacts using written and multi-modal responses.