FRS 002JJ — Sec. 001 — (2 units) — CRN 53290 — T 5:10 – 7:00 pm — 111 Wellman Hall
The American Teenager

Instructor: Stephanie Dyer, Department of History, College of Letters and Science

Description: This course will investigate the origins and development of the teenager as a distinctly American social and cultural phenomenon from the early twentieth century into the present. Students will get a chance to read and discuss how teens in the past resembled or differed from teens today and investigate the social world of teenagers and the important role of the teenager in consumer society. The goal of the seminar is to encourage students to think more critically about their own identity and social relations by learning about their historic role within American society.

Format: Students will be required to read two books: Thomas Hine, The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager and Rachel Simmons, Odd Girl Out. Course meetings will be structured around student presentations based on weekly reading assignments, followed by a general discussion. We will also be watching media related to the course topic, including Hype, Sixteen Candles, and Blackboard Jungle. At the end of the course, students will be required to write a 4-5 page paper relating the history of the American teenager to a particular issue on contemporary youth culture. Grading: Participation in weekly discussions (30%), in-class presentation on reading assignment (30%), and the final paper assignment (40%).

About the Instructor: Stephanie Dyer is a Lecturer in the Department of History. Her research interests are in the history of business, consumer culture, and urban development in the 20th century United States. She is currently writing a social and business history of department stores and shopping center development since 1920.