American Studies 210 - COLQ: FASHION & AMER CULTURE

This course surveys historical and theoretical approaches to the study of fashion in the United States, from the late-nineteenth century to the present.  How have the conceptions and practices associated with fashion evolved during the past 150 years, and how have these changes given shape to U.S. cultural, social, and political life over that period?  How, in particular, might this historical understanding help us grasp and actively engage the role of fashion in our own day?  Topics include the following: the politics and poetics of personal identity (race, gender, sexuality, class); self-image, including body image; cultures of celebrity and entertainment; print, visual, and digital media; the politics of the aesthetic; and the globalization of the fashion and clothing industries. The course will include both lectures and discussion of assigned readings. Enrollment limited to 20.