Popular Culture

Analyzes The Donna Reed Show, which aired from 1958 to 1966, as a key moment of cultural transition.

Traces the history of the golem legend and its appropriations in German texts and film as well as in post-Holocaust Jewish-American fiction, comics, graphic novels, and television.

An analysis of the under-studied sitcom Gilligan’s Island that addresses key questions about American social life in the 1960s.

Analyzes the unique satirical social and political commentary offered by Hogan’s Heroes during a volatile period in American history.

Investigates a variety of texts in which the self-image of poor, urban black men in the U.S. is formed within, by, and against a culture of racial terror and state violence.

Discusses the aesthetic appeal, production history, philosophical themes, and enduring importance of the groundbreaking 1980s television series.

A photo-driven insider’s look at Bob Seger’s career from the early days to his breakthrough as a world-famous musician.

Considers the history of the American blockbuster—the large-scale, high-cost film—as it evolved from the 1890s to today.

Examines the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of The Honeymooners in the context of postwar American values.