Module Descriptors
CELEBRITY CULTURE
SPOR60418
Key Facts
Faculty of Health Sciences
Level 6
15 credits
Contact
Leader: Ellis Cashmore
Email: E.Cashmore@staffs.ac.uk
Hours of Study
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: 24
Independent Study Hours: 126
Total Learning Hours: 150
Assessment
- CLASS-TEST weighted at 50%
- COURSEWORK -ESSAY weighted at 50%
Module Details
Module Additional Assessment Details
Summative:
A TWO-PART CLASS TEST OF A TOTAL LENGTH OF 1.75 HOURS, WEIGHTED AT 50% (Learning Outcomes 1-4)
AN ESSAY OF 1500-1600 WORDS WEIGHTED AT 50% (Learning Outcome 5)
Formative:
Q&A SESSIONS WILL TAKE PLACE EVERY WEEK AND WILL INVOLVE STUDENTS ASKING AND ANSWERING A RANGE OF QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE TOPIC. THERE WILL BE FEEDBACK THROUGHOUT THE SESSION AND A DEBRIEFING FOR MEMBERS OF THE (ROTATING) PANEL AFTER THE SESSION
A TWO-PART CLASS TEST OF A TOTAL LENGTH OF 1.75 HOURS, WEIGHTED AT 50% (Learning Outcomes 1-4)
AN ESSAY OF 1500-1600 WORDS WEIGHTED AT 50% (Learning Outcome 5)
Formative:
Q&A SESSIONS WILL TAKE PLACE EVERY WEEK AND WILL INVOLVE STUDENTS ASKING AND ANSWERING A RANGE OF QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE TOPIC. THERE WILL BE FEEDBACK THROUGHOUT THE SESSION AND A DEBRIEFING FOR MEMBERS OF THE (ROTATING) PANEL AFTER THE SESSION
Module Indicative Content
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY ANALYSIS OF THE RISE AND IMPACT OF CELEBRITY CULTURE, ITS LINKS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONSUMER SOCIETY, THE ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORT INDUSTRIES AND THE PROLIFERATION OF MEDIA OF COMMUNICATION. THE SCOPE OF THE MODULE IS WIDE, FOCUSING ON THE MEANING OF FANDOM AND THE IMPACT OF 'CELEBRITY WORSHIP' (AS SOME SCHOLARS CALL IT), THE MAJOR SOCIAL CHANGES THAT HAVE FACILITATED THE RISE OF CELEBRITY CULTURE AND SOME OF THE EFFECTS SUGGESTED BY SCHOLARS ON SUCH DIVERSE PHENOMENA AS RACE, GENDER AND POLITICS.
Module Resources
LECTURE ROOM, OHP, VCR, POWERPOINT FACILITIES, INTERNET ACCESS
Module Texts
1. Evans, Jessica and Hesmondalgh, David (eds) (2005) Understanding the Media: Inside celebrity, Maidenhead: Open University Press. ISBN 0 335 21880 6.
2. Gamson, Joshua (1994) Claims to Fame: Celebrity in contemporary America, Berkeley CA: University of California Press. ISBN 0 520 08353 9.
3. Giles, David (2000) Illusions of Immortality: A psychology of fame and celebrity, London: Macmillan. ISBN 0 333 75450 6.
4. Rojek, Chris (2001) Celebrity, London: Reaktion. ISBN 1 86189 104 0.
5. Smart, Barry (2005) The Sport Star, London: Sage. ISBN 0 7619 4351 X.
6. Turner, Graeme (2004) Understanding Celebrity, London: Sage. ISBN 0 7619 4168 1.
2. Gamson, Joshua (1994) Claims to Fame: Celebrity in contemporary America, Berkeley CA: University of California Press. ISBN 0 520 08353 9.
3. Giles, David (2000) Illusions of Immortality: A psychology of fame and celebrity, London: Macmillan. ISBN 0 333 75450 6.
4. Rojek, Chris (2001) Celebrity, London: Reaktion. ISBN 1 86189 104 0.
5. Smart, Barry (2005) The Sport Star, London: Sage. ISBN 0 7619 4351 X.
6. Turner, Graeme (2004) Understanding Celebrity, London: Sage. ISBN 0 7619 4168 1.
Module Learning Strategies
a. 12 X 60-MINUTE LECTURES PLUS 12 X 60-MINUTE QUESTION+ANSWER SESSIONS THAT WILL RUN SEQUENTIALLY. LECTURES (12 HOURS) WILL PROVIDE THE BASIS OF THE LEARNING PROCESS: THEY WILL INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO A BODY OF KNOWLEDGE RELATING TO CELEBRITY CULTURE, THE CORPUS OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY LITERATURE AND THE CENTRAL ISSUES THAT DEMAND SCHOLARLY ATTENTION.
b. LECTURES WILL BE FOLLOWED BY QUESTION+ANSWER SESSIONS IN WHICH A SELF-SELECTING AND ROTATING PANEL OF FOUR OR FIVE STUDENTS WILL ENGAGE WITH THE REST OF THE CLASS BY ADDRESSING QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR. THE THEME OF THE Q+A SESSIONS WILL BE DETERMINED IN ADVANCE AND WILL BE ABSTRACTED FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK?S LECTURE OR WILL BE INFLUENCED BY TOPICAL EVENTS. IN PREPARATION FOR SUCH SESSIONS, ALL STUDENTS (NOT JUST PANEL MEMBERS) WILL BE REQUIRED TO PREPARE THROUGH READING (ARTICLES, BOOKS, EBOOKS, NEWSPAPERS AND INTERNET SITES). A DETAILED SUBJECT-SPECIFIC READING LIST WILL GUIDE STUDENTS? PREPARATION FOR THIS AND FOR THE ASSIGNMENT.
c. STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO SPEND AT LEAST 60 HOURS OF INDEPENDENT STUDY RESEARCHING VIA NEWSPAPERS (CURRENT AND ARCHIVE), INTERNET, EBOOKS AND JOURNAL ARTICLES.
b. LECTURES WILL BE FOLLOWED BY QUESTION+ANSWER SESSIONS IN WHICH A SELF-SELECTING AND ROTATING PANEL OF FOUR OR FIVE STUDENTS WILL ENGAGE WITH THE REST OF THE CLASS BY ADDRESSING QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR. THE THEME OF THE Q+A SESSIONS WILL BE DETERMINED IN ADVANCE AND WILL BE ABSTRACTED FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK?S LECTURE OR WILL BE INFLUENCED BY TOPICAL EVENTS. IN PREPARATION FOR SUCH SESSIONS, ALL STUDENTS (NOT JUST PANEL MEMBERS) WILL BE REQUIRED TO PREPARE THROUGH READING (ARTICLES, BOOKS, EBOOKS, NEWSPAPERS AND INTERNET SITES). A DETAILED SUBJECT-SPECIFIC READING LIST WILL GUIDE STUDENTS? PREPARATION FOR THIS AND FOR THE ASSIGNMENT.
c. STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO SPEND AT LEAST 60 HOURS OF INDEPENDENT STUDY RESEARCHING VIA NEWSPAPERS (CURRENT AND ARCHIVE), INTERNET, EBOOKS AND JOURNAL ARTICLES.