Category: Cultural studies

Please respond to the following questions based on these course objectives:
Create a logical written argument about values and popular culture which includes scholarly research.
Analyze an artifact of popular culture from multiple perspectives.
Please answer the following questions with supporting examples and full explanations.
For each of the learning objectives, provide an analysis of how the course supported each objective.
Explain how the material learned in this course, based upon the objectives, will be applicable to professional application.
Reflect back on your journey through this course and answer the following:
What surprised you about the course?
Reviewing the course objectives and description, what do you wish you could have learned more about?
What is your perspective on how popular culture is affecting society and you personally?
In your opinion, what will be the next pop culture hit?
Please be sure to validate your opinions and ideas with citations and references in APA format.
Class- Humanities and Contemporary Popular Culture

Intercultural
Media Analysis Blog Post
Imagine you are a media critic that has been asked to lend
your expertise in intercultural communication dynamics in the media. You will
choose a media artifact (e.g. film, tv show, documentary, etc.) to watch and
analyze how media portray intercultural communication. Your options are endless
as long as the artifact portrays communication across cultures.
Directions:
Choose
a media artifact.
Watch
what you chose and take notes to reference later.
Write
a blog post about your experience, addressing these components:
a. Briefly describe the artifact and summarize what you watched for
someone who has not seen it.
b. Explain how it portrays intercultural communication.
c. Analyze the media artifact through applying at least 3 course concepts
(try to choose different concepts than the Intercultural
Experience news article). Be sure to define these concepts for readers of
your blog that may not be familiar with these terms. 
d. Offer a brief criticism of how the media artifact could be better in
its treatment of intercultural communication.
e. Reflect on what questions this media artifact provoked for you. What
are you left wondering about?
The
blog post should be 1,200 words and free of spelling and grammatical
errors. Be sure to include a stand-alone introduction paragraph and a
conclusion paragraph. 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oGDbIJxj0jSBqhtsTy0m04WzegbEohGcc2A6ePp7HGI/edit
–         
The link above is a possible outline template
you might use to structure your blog post to ensure you include all the
required components listed in 3a.-e. above.
As with previous assignments, feel free to get as creative
with the assignment formatting as you wish. If you like, you can choose an
actual blog and pretend you are a writer for them. You are welcome to include
photos, although this is not required- totally optional! There is no
requirement to actually create an online blog website, although you are
certainly welcome to. 

About 7 slides, up to 350 words in total (in the slides). The topic is the “Brewing Transmedia: The Central Perk Café Experience in New York”. The 3 notions that have to be explained and applied to central perk cafe experience are: Storyworld, Experience Economy, Participatory Culture. All 3 terms have to be explained and their original authors (scholars) have to be mentioned. When eexplainig the notions, provide scholary sources.  NO PRESENTATION SCRIPT NEEDED, only the slides are required.
The presentation should look something like this: 
Title slide:
Title: Brewing Transmedia: The Central Perk Café Experience in New York
Subtitle: Storyworld, Experience Economy, Participatory Culture
Slide 1: Central Perk Café – An Overview (50 words)
Introduce the Central Perk Café in Boston, modeled after the iconic coffee shop from the TV show “Friends.” Highlight its role as a physical extension of the “Friends” universe, offering fans a unique way to engage with the storyworld they love beyond the screen.
Slide 2: Transmedia Storytelling in Action (70 words)
Explain transmedia storytelling, where stories unfold across multiple platforms. Central Perk serves as a tangible extension of the “Friends” narrative. Fans can experience the ambiance, enjoy themed products, and participate in events, seamlessly blending their love for the show into real life. This café not only tells the story but invites fans to live it.
Slide 3: Storyworld and Its Elements (60 words)
Define “storyworld” as the cohesive universe where narratives unfold. Discuss how Central Perk replicates the setting, props, and atmosphere of the “Friends” show. This meticulous attention to detail creates an immersive environment, allowing visitors to step into a familiar world, enhancing their connection to the narrative and deepening their engagement.
Slide 4&5: Experience Economy and Transformative Experiences (70 words)
Explore the experience economy, where businesses create memorable events. Central Perk provides more than coffee; it offers a transformative experience. Fans relive their favorite show moments, making personal connections and creating new memories. This aligns with experience design principles, which focus on crafting emotionally impactful and unforgettable interactions.
Slide 5&6: Participatory Culture (70 words)
Discuss participatory culture, where fans actively engage and contribute to the narrative. At Central Perk, visitors don’t just observe; they participate by dressing up, recreating scenes, and sharing their experiences online. This involvement blurs the line between creators and consumers, enriching the transmedia narrative and fostering a vibrant fan community.
Closing: Thank you
Sources

Offer your opinion on the political intervention or political commentary on current affairs that is made in the song, given the context of the film in which the song appears for song “He’s the Greatest Dancer” by Sister Sledge
The essay must include these elements:
A strong, defensible thesis that could be right or wrong.
A structured approach, including an introduction, body, and conclusion.
The final draft must adhere to MLA style. Use 12-point, Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and should be at least 800 to 1000 words.
Make sure to cite all the sources you reference for the paper, including the work you are reviewing, on the Works Cited page and, in the paper, using MLA in-text citation methods.
Make sure you cite a minimum of two external sources, outside the work you are reviewing (including those availed on Canvas). 
The essay should include at least three of the following elements.
Biographical information about the artist/musical group. (Please make sure to incorporate this into your essay. You should NOT have a paragraph that is all biographical information unconnected to your thesis. Use this as evidence to support your thesis; do not use it as ‘background information.’)
A comparison to another work in the same genre.
A comparison to an earlier work by the artist.
A discussion of what other artists you think influenced this artist and why you think so. 
A discussion about any intentions that the artist may have had for the work: best if you can find sources to support this. 
Since the song you are reviewing appears in a film, the context in which the song appears within the film is important. 
In explaining the context, pay attention to the film’s title “Lovers Rock” which also doubles as a name for a reggae sub-genre of music. 
ANOTHER APPROACH to the assignment …
Watch Lover’s Rock (dir. Sir Steve McQueen) and write bullet-point notes about the 3 Cs, namely: Context, Composition and Content, as you show how the film intervenes or does not, in contemporary or historical political affairs. 
The film review is a popular way for critics to assess a film’s overall quality and determine whether or not they think the film is worth recommending. Film reviews differ from scholarly film articles in that they encompass personal and idiosyncratic reactions to and evaluations of a film, as well as objective analyses of the film’s formal techniques and thematic content. 
While film reviews tend to be fairly short (approximately 800 to 1000 words), they require a lot of preparation before you begin writing. Prior to viewing the film, you may want to get a sense of the bodies of work by the director, writer, or individual actor. For instance, you may watch other films by the same director or writer in order to get a sense of each individual style. This will enable you to contextualize the film and determine whether it works as a continuation and/or disruption within the broad trends of the director’s or writer’s work.
Writing a film review often requires multiple viewings of the film. Plan to watch the film two or even three times. During the first viewing, surrender yourself to the cinematic experience; in other words, get lost in the narrative and enjoy the film without worrying about the argument you will eventually cultivate. During your second viewing, try distancing yourself from the plot and instead focus on interesting elements of the film that you can highlight in the review. You may separate these elements into two broad categories:
1) formal techniques such as cinematography, editing, mise-en-scene, lighting, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, genre, or narratology, and
2) thematic content that resonates with issues such as history, race, gender, sexuality, class, or the environment.
After watching the film a second time, take careful notes on the formal and thematic elements of the film. Then attempt to create a central idea for your review that brings together the film’s formal and thematic elements. If your second viewing does not yield a strong central claim for the review or if you need to take more notes, you may have to watch the film or parts of the film a third time. 
Writing the Film Review
Although there is not a set formula to follow when writing a film review, the genre does have certain common elements that most film reviews include.
1) Introduction
– In the opening of your review, provide some basic information about the film. You may include film’s name, year, director, screenwriter, and major actors.
– Your introduction, which may be longer than one paragraph, should also begin to evaluate the film, and it should allude to the central concept of the review. A film review does not have to contain a thesis or main claim, but it should focus on a central analysis and assessment.
2) Plot Summary
– Remember that many readers of film reviews have not yet seen the film. While you want to provide some plot summary, keep this brief and avoid specific details that would spoil the viewing for others.
3) Description
– While the plot summary will give the reader a general sense of what the film is about, also include a more detailed description of your particular cinematic experience watching the film. This may include your personal impression of what the film looks, feels, and sounds like. In other words, what stands out in your mind when you think about this particular film?
4) Analysis
– In order to explain your impression of the film, consider how well the film utilizes formal techniques and thematic content. How do the film’s formal techniques (such as cinematography, editing, mise-en-scène, lighting, diegetic and non-diegetic sound, genre, or narrative) affect the way the film looks, feels, and sounds to you? How does the thematic content (such as history, race, gender, sexuality, class, or the environment) affect your experience and interpretation? Also, do the formal techniques work to forward the thematic content?
5) Conclusion/Evaluation
– The closing of your film review should remind the reader of your general thoughts and impressions of the film. You may also implicitly or explicitly state whether or not you recommend the film. Make sure to remind the reader of why the film is or is not worth seeing. 
Assignment Prompt 
Write a film review of a “Lover’s Rock”, focussing on how the song “He’s the Greatest Dancer” by Sister Sledge, fits within the film’s narrative arch and contribution to political and historical commentary. Ensure that your review centers around your own interpretation of the film’s and song’s engagement or non-engagement with political themes as well as current or historical affairs. Support your main argument with aspects of the film, namely, the context, content and composition. The review should be between 800 and 1000 words long. Use Times New Roman font-type, double space, font-size 12 and standard MLA style.

The most impactful Hip Hop creators pose thought provoking and (sometimes) troubling questions to
listening audiences. They challenge us to see, hear, and think differently. For this assignment, you will work to do
the same through an in-depth analysis of ONE textual source from our course readings. Remember you have the
option to write about a visual, audio, or textual source. If you prefer to analyze a visual or audio source, please
take a look at the other guide. This one is ONLY for students who plan to write about a textual (or traditional)
source. You can find the other guide in the discussion board and writing assignment module on our Canvas page.
Your primary goal in writing about a textual source is to assess its historical value. To do this, you will
need to address three things in your short essay—(a) the historical context of the source, (b) the key ideas in
the source and their significance for the time in which the text was produced, and (c) the significance of the
source for the development of hip hop culture. This is a short essay (just two pages) so work to keep it focused
and strong. Spend time analyzing and really thinking about the larger significance of the source you choose.
Don’t just offer a shallow explanation of a subject you find in the readings. Make meaning out of the
text—bring interpretation to the reading you select. Remember that your work must go beyond mere summary.
Add to what you read. Offer an assessment based on what you understand about the period in which the text
was produced and explain it fully.
Your paper must be typed in 12-point Times New Roman font, double spaced, and must be two or three
pages in length (approximately 500-700 words). To help you along in this writing exercise follow the steps below
but remember that your writing does not need to be written formally. Write creatively and honestly.
Suggested Format
A. Intro and summary
➢ Use your opening paragraph to briefly discuss the content in the source you have selected. You
don’t have a lot of space in your essay to move through this, so be very selective about what you
will include to summarize it. Professional tip: Only include details you will discuss later in the
paper.
➢ Remember that this portion is simply for you to tell your reader what you’re discussing, but you
can make this a more focused essay by also explaining why this document is so important for
understanding its historical period and the development of hip hop culture.
Contextualize and Analyze
➢ This portion of your essay should be a bit longer (2-3 paragraphs). Here you want to tell me how
this document fits into its historical period.
➢ Think about questions like—What was happening in the nation/world when the source was
produced?/How does the document reflect the ideas of its time?/What historical issue(s) is the
writer or speaker addressing in the source?
➢ You do not have to answer every one of the questions above. Simply choose two that you feel
most confident responding to and shape your essay through the answers you provide.
C. Interpretation
➢ Here you want to offer an argument about the larger significance of your source. Tell me what its
larger significance is to the development of hip hop culture.
➢ Try to use the final 1-2 paragraphs to discuss the larger significance of your chosen source.
Specifically, I want you to end your essay by thinking about the current culture of hip hop and
how it may be informed by the historical ideas or developments reflected in your source.
➢ Take your time here and really think through your argument. Avoid simply restating what you say
in the early part of the essay. This way you are not merely repeating the same points, but rather
building on them.

This is an expository essay so references should be abundant. 
Provide an overview of the importance of ICH and its significance in the cultural fabric of the Philippines specifically T’nalak a weaving traditional to Philippines.
– it should thoroughly explain the significance of ICH in the Philippines, demonstrating a deep understanding and providing compelling examples
Discusses the current challenges faced in safeguarding and promoting ICH (T’nalak)
– analyzies and discusses the current challenges comprehensively, considering various perspective and providing insightful solutions
Highlight notable initiatives or projects aimed at preserving and promoting ICH in the Philippines
– provide a thorough and well supported discussion of notable initiatives or projects, showcasing a comprehensive understanding of their impact and effectiveness. 

I have begun a paper but am struggling to ensure that my APA 7th edition citations are correct. I am also struggling to complete the paper in a proper manner with proper information. I have collected some resources and I am half way through the paper but need assistance to finish it and ensure all my referencing is correct as this is a huge factor in my grade.  I have attached the paper below. 

Due: After you have completed Unit 7, approximately Week 7 of the Suggested Study Schedule
Value: 20% of final grade
Length: 1000–1200 words (approximately four pages single-spaced)
Format: Short essay. All sources must be cited in-text and included in a reference list following an academic format such as APA. Please consult the guide to writing essays in the Course Information.
Topic
The readings in Units 3 to 6 discuss the major developments in the four main sectoral areas of Canadian cultural policy: the arts, the cultural industries, heritage, and diversity issues. Please write a short essay on this topic, beginning with an account of challenges and successes in the past 60–70 years.
To begin, provide an introduction explaining which sector(s), in your opinion, faced the greatest challenges and which maintained the most stability during this period. Please explain the reasons for your assessment.
For the main section of your essay, focus on one of the four sectors. Explore the extent to which programs, funding, and regulatory and administrative measures have kept pace with developments in cultural policy. For instance, have programs and initiatives in the sector of arts policy adequately responded to the sector’s needs and to the public interest? Has regulation and funding been effective in meeting policy goals? Please feel free to include your own observations or experiences from any professional experience you may have.
Please support your arguments with examples. You may use graphic elements such as tables, images, lists, or timelines to convey data.
In your essay, draw upon at least six of the required and recommended readings. You must use one or two of the required readings from each unit and use the required readings to reach or exceed the total of six.
Bonus points: One bonus point will be given for an illustrative quotation directly from one of the government policy documents listed for each unit. Up to 5 bonus points.
Indicate your sources with (Author, p. x), and indicate policy sources with the name of the policy.

For your first short assignment in our class you will need to create a discussion board that engages a current news development in hip hop culture. This practice will help us all do more than speculate on the culture by joining some of its larger conversations and debates. The only requirements for these assignments (you will complete two this summer) are: (a) your submission must be 500 words. You can use this post to pose a question to the class or to raise awareness about something happening locally or nationally. Make sure the writing is clear, but it does not need to be formal. Be creative. You’re starting a conversation–invite your audience in to engage in the topic with you. (b) It must be related to a current event or development in the culture Work to write about things that have happened within the last year.
Remember that human attention spans are decreasing so 500 words is actually a stretch for most folks (especially if they spend a lot of time on social media networks and other digital platforms). Whatever you include in your post should be direct and meaningful and must consider what is happening now in hip hop.

Complete: Travel Abroad Guidance Document
*Please see attached references and grading rubric*
Imagine you have been hired as a communications consultant
tasked with creating an educational travel document for a group of people
preparing to traveling internationally. You will need to produce a document
that provides them with the necessary information to know to follow
intercultural communication competence guidelines while traveling abroad. 
To complete this assignment, you will choose one of
the following audiences:
University
students preparing to study abroad
Tourists
preparing to visit a foreign country
Employees
at a company preparing for an overseas work trip
Once you have chosen one of the audiences
above, you will produce a leaflet, pamphlet, or guidance document that prepares
your audience with the advice and information they need to know to follow
intercultural communication competence guidelines while traveling abroad.
Directions:
Choose
an audience for your document (students studying abroad; tourists
traveling internationally; employees at a company working overseas).
Review
the information included from Module 4 with your audience in mind. What do
they need to know in order to practice intercultural communication
competence on their trip? What course concepts do you want to be sure to
teach them? What other information will be important to include? 
In the
style of an informational travel guidance document, create a
pamphlet/brochure/flyer/handout/etc. that communicates this information to
your audience. 
Feel
free to get as creative with this assignment as you wish. You are welcome
to include photos and graphics. You can also choose an imaginary
destination for your audience. For example, you can make specific such as
imagining the students are preparing to study abroad in Italy, and you can
customize your information and advice for them to that specific culture.
You can also make up as much backstory on your audience as you like. For
example, these could be UW-Whitewater Business Students preparing to study
abroad in Rome, Italy. 
Requirements:
Be
sure to explicitly reference 2 to 3 course concepts. You will need to
define course concepts for your audience, as we can’t assume they are
familiar with the concepts we have been learning in this class. 
The
final document should be professional and polished, and written in a style
of writing appropriate for your audience.