The course takes popular culture as a site of consumption but also utility, disruption, and agency. It considers what Muslim popular cultural production, be it via hip-hop, comics, sitcoms, stand-up comedy, movies and more, tell us about being Muslim today. Course starts by examining historical representation of Muslims in popular culture (using the theory of Orientalism) and then shifts to exploring contemporary production of Muslim popular culture. We will use religious studies and cultural studies theories, especially as they intersect with gender, sexuality, race, and politics.
The course takes popular culture as a site of consumption but also utility, disruption, and agency. It considers what Muslim popular cultural production, be it via hip-hop, comics, sitcoms, stand-up comedy, movies and more, tell us about being Muslim today. Course starts by examining historical representation of Muslims in popular culture (using the theory of Orientalism) and then shifts to exploring contemporary production of Muslim popular culture. We will use religious studies and cultural studies theories, especially as they intersect with gender, sexuality, race, and politics.
