Course Meeting Times
Lectures: 1 session / week, 2 hours / session
Syllabus Archive
The following syllabi come from a variety of different terms. They illustrate the evolution of this course over time, and are intended to provide alternate views into the instruction of this course.
Fall 2007, Meg Jacobs (PDF)
Spring 2007, Meg Jacobs (PDF)
Fall 2005, Meg Jacobs (PDF)
Fall 2004, Meg Jacobs (PDF)
Fall 2001, Meg Jacobs (PDF)
Overview
This class examines how and why twentieth-century Americans came to define the "good life" through consumption, leisure, and material abundance. We will explore how such things as department stores, nationally advertised brand-name goods, mass-produced cars, and suburbs transformed the American economy, society, and politics. The course is organized both thematically and chronologically. Each period deals with a new development in the history of consumer culture. Throughout we explore both celebrations and critiques of mass consumption and abundance.
Format and Assignments
The requirements for this class are a primary sources journal (25%), class discussion (25%) and a final research paper (50%). Throughout the semester, students will be expected to have completed the readings before class, gather primary sources, and come prepared to engage in discussion.
Texts
Readings will include novels and non-fiction books. All materials are available for purchase at the MIT Server:
- Dreiser, Theodore. Sister Carrie. (1900)
- Lewis, Sinclair. Babbitt. (1922)
- Packard, Vance. Status Seekers. (1959)
- Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation. (2001)
Writing Help
The Writing and Communication Center offers you free professional advice from published writers about oral presentations and about all types of academic, creative, and professional writing. Go to the MIT Online Writing and Communication Center and click on the yellow sunburst. If you cannot find an open appointment slot, do not despair. There are always cancellations on the day of the appointment (sometimes as many as 15 cancellations in one day). Click on the Wait List (the blue strip that says "Is the time that you want already reserved?"). Whenever a cancellation occurs on that day, you will be automatically notified by email. Because several people might receive that same message, go online as soon as possible to schedule that open spot; 96% of clients who want an appointment end up with one if they use the wait list. If you still can't find an appointment, try the Online Tutor.