Week 7- Cobb Chapter 7 (Sin)

While popular media is not always clear about what exactly has gone wrong with society, most mediums agree that something is in error. Cobb identifies the genre of "Jeremiad", a denouncing of the sins of the people complete with a warning and demonstration of judgment. This genre is found in social films and books as well as the post-apocalyptic (Cobb 2005: 218). Cobb also identifies the Gothic as a despairing of the sinfulness of the world.

Wednesday Week 7- Class Reflection

The praxis model was especially interesting to me. I think it is a must to have built-in to one's theories, a call for action. I am not an academic and the praxis model makes me feel good about that. It was good for Bolger to point out the ambiguities between the different models as well during class.

Week 6- Cobb, Chapter 6 (Human Nature)

Popular culture presents a varied and confused understanding of the human being. In some cases humans are shown to lead meaningless lives in the midst of a dark and ever-changing universe. Ultimate purpose is ruled out. Therefore, it seems best that humans simply enjoy the simple mundane things and simply be "happy" (Disneyland is the epitome of this longing). Perhaps, above all, the human is a consumer. There are some faint echoes of the beauty and dignity of humanness, especially in our portrayals of the man-machines who wish only to be more human-like.

Week 6- Barker Chapter 12 (Spaces and Places)

Urban studies is directly reliant on cultural studies. The concentration of global power within a few major global centers makes understanding the urban landscape imperative if one wants to understand Western and global culture. Particularly interesting is the decline of the publicly-funded park or gathering place. The ubiquitous nature of transnational companies has led to the integration of the market and the public gathering square in the shopping mall. With the onset of the information revolution, the urban center has become somewhat less important.

Week 6- Barker, Chapter 11 (Television and Audience)

Barker focuses on television as the "major form of communication in most western societies" (Barker 2003: 315). While there was a time where television distribution could be described as hegemonic, the rise of the internet, the use of cable and satellite, and the newly arrived Middle-Eastern and Asian news networks challenge the concept of an American dominated single-minded television monopoly. Furthermore, it is important to recognize that a television audience will always actively re-interpret whatever message is conveyed by the screen.

Week 6- Response to Annie McLaren's blog

Annie, your reflection for Week 6 Wednesday was especially insightful. I think the expectation that adolescents would "find their own way" in Western society is the result of a hyper-individualism characteristic of late modernity. That is, all diversity is appreciated and all "ways of life" are valid, therefore the instruction of a youth is tantamount to questioning their individuality. At this point there are no trusted sources of tradition and authority to instruct youth with and so it is expected that the adolescent will figure things out on their own. This definitely adds up to anxiety!

Week 6- Bevans Chapter 6

Bevans identifies the praxis model of contextual theology as any theological framework which emphasizes social action and transformative change. The praxis model can be summarized quite succinctly as action-reflection on action- and re-action (based on a new understanding of traditional authority and a trial-and-error approach toward social action). Bevans identifies Liberation theology as only one example of the praxis approach. While I had never thought of it before, Bevans is right to understand the praxis model as inclusive of almost any theology that states up front an agenda of social transformation.