History 301
Spring 2000
Prof. Koenker

Popular Culture and Mass Culture in the European Working-Class, 1920-1940

April 12-14, 2000


I. Key words and problems

A. Popular definitions of culture (class)
B. Kultur with a K
C. "Mass culture" paradigm
D. "Popular culture" paradigm
E. Fordism

1. productivist element
2. consumptionist element

F. Gender: the sex of things

II. Politics of culture: what do socialists want?

III. Leisure and class in Europe 1919-1939

A. The issue of work time
B. Eight-hours movement

1. Arguments in favor
2. Victory

C. The uses of leisure

1. Investment or consumption?
2. Vacations
3.Types of leisure

a. commercial
b. non-commercial
c. mass

i. cinema
ii. radio
iii. spectator sports

IV. Consumption and Class

A. George Orwell's view of Wigan
B. Weimar workers (Erich Fromm)

1. Consumption preferences of the German working class
2. Implications for mass culture/popular culture debate




Back to Main Page