21H.206 American Consumer Culture

Fall 2001

Automobiles in window of the Washington-Cadillac Co., Washington, D.C.
Automobiles in window of the Washington-Cadillac Co., Washington, D.C. (Image courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [reproduction number LC-USZ62-111329 DLC].)

Course Highlights

All assignments and exams are available for this course, and some of the readings may be downloaded.

Course Description

This course examines how and why twentieth-century Americans came to define the "good life" through consumption, leisure, and material abundance. Explores how such things as department stores, advertising, mass-produced cars, and suburbs transformed the American economy, society and politics.

*Some translations represent previous versions of courses.

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Staff

Instructor:
Prof. Meg Jacobs

Course Meeting Times

Lectures:
Two sessions / week
1.5 hours / session

Level

Undergraduate