Topic: Representations of Beauty in Popular Culture

Is beauty truth?  What power does human beauty have in our culture and how is this power used
in advertisements, film, and other media?  Using these media, we will analyze the cultural myths
that shape our beliefs about beauty.  Topics to be discussed include the link between physical
beauty and morality, how and why male beauty is constructed differently than female beauty,
historical changes in the definition of beauty, as well as the current industries that depend upon
the beauty ideal (e.g. fashion, fitness, cosmetics).  Throughout the course students will develop
and refine their writing skills by practicing all aspects of the writing process from brainstorming
to drafting and revising.  We will use this analytical writing to better understand our own ideas
about beauty as they are shaped by the larger beauty culture.