Culture and Spectacles

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

What does Christ’s crucifixion have in common with George Floyd’s video-recorded murder, Donald Trump’s reality TV-like Presidency, popular festivals like Mardi Gras, the advertising and news media images that flood our daily existence, and the January 6th assault on the Capitol in Washington? The answer is that all of the above are spectacles with a significant impact at the individual, local, national, and/or global levels. Because spectacle rejects any ethical alignment, it can possess a positive or negative character. On the darker end of the spectrum, spectacle —live and virtual— can show its power by posing a clear and present threat to democracy. On the brighter side, spectacle can strengthen the very foundations of community and democracy. At this point in history, when unprecedented polarization, misinformation, and a human-induced climate crisis pose serious threats to our collective future, intelligence about the power of spectacle is critical in mediating its unconscious influence. In this class, we will explore the various notions of “spectacle,” from concerts to popular festivals, from political rallies to spectacles of death, and from virtual spectacle to the negative concepts of spectacle associated with the post-truth era in which we live. The course will include theoretical readings and textual analysis of both visual and written texts. In addition to class presentations and a final paper, students will be required to produce their own reality show to present to the class for discussion.