HIST 1017
Mad Men and Mad Women
/Mad Men/ and Mad Women
Are you a Don, a Roger, or a Pete? A Betty, a Peggy or a Joan? Using AMC’s Mad Men as a visual and narrative foundation, this course examines masculinity and femininity in mid-20th century America. We will focus specifically on the connections between postwar mass communication and formation of gender roles, consumption and cultural expectations. Our inquiry will then extend to recent discussions regarding the politics of historical representation. In addition to the television series we will use a variety of both primary and secondary sources -- including novels, magazines, sociological studies, and scholarly monographs – to achieve a multi-dimensional perspective.
Are you a Don, a Roger, or a Pete? A Betty, a Peggy or a Joan? Using AMC’s Mad Men as a visual and narrative foundation, this course examines masculinity and femininity in mid-20th century America. We will focus specifically on the connections between postwar mass communication and formation of gender roles, consumption and cultural expectations. Our inquiry will then extend to recent discussions regarding the politics of historical representation. In addition to the television series we will use a variety of both primary and secondary sources -- including novels, magazines, sociological studies, and scholarly monographs – to achieve a multi-dimensional perspective.