To assess your ability to:
discuss the existence and function of ritual and stereotype in contemporary American popular culture
recognize stereotypes in popular art forms
analyze personal stereotypes
examine the persistence of historically rooted stereotypes in today’s world

Overview

Have you ever gasped in shock at an advertisement that blatantly includes stereotypes? There was obviously a creative and economic decision to include this stereotype, so why does it pay to use them? In this assignment, you will consider how and why stereotypes evolve and analyze an example of a ritual or stereotype from your own experience.

Action Items

Explain what your favorite song, movie, toy, game, book, television show, or the Internet site mean to you? Why did it become your favorite?
Read the Key Points in this week, your textbook, and other relevant materials regarding stereotypes. Also think about the following questions:
What stereotypes are hidden in your selection, implicitly and explicitly?
What forces (social, religious, cultural, economic) may have contributed to the emergence of this stereotype?
Are those stereotypes a positive or negative entity?
Use the questions above to guide your thinking. You are highly encouraged to analyze and reflect your stereotype beyond the guiding questions. Write a 2- to 4- page paper that analyze your thoughts in depth.
Write a summary paragraph regarding the relevance of society’s affinity with stereotype such as marketing and advertising. How is this affinity leveraged to encourage us to buy products, pursue particular careers, adopt particular lifestyles, etc.? Give examples to illustrate your conclusions.
Participate in a Meet tool session to discuss your favorite item, questions listed in Action item 3 and item 5, and provide constructive comments to your classmates’ discussions. Your professor will schedule and inform you the dates and times of the Meet tool session.