What better way is there to build a bridge between what happens in school and what happens in life than using popular culture? Especially when it comes to subject matter that we find troubling or difficult? On this episode of the Pop Life podcast, host Joe Lee explores how the use of popular culture as a teaching device has grown from frowned-upon activity to mainstream staple.
Joe is joined by Bob Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School; Charisse L’Pree, Assistant Professor of Communications at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School and producer and host of the podcast Critical and Curious; and Kendall Phillips, Professor in the Department of Communications and Rhetorical Studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts where he is currently teaching a course on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Joining the group to provide a student perspective is Syracuse University undergraduate student, Samantha Zaragoza who is currently enrolled in Phillips’ Marvel Cinematic Universe course. Together the group discusses how they help students think critically about the media and content they consume.
