alternative culture 2300-NPK-KA
This course introduces students to the broad concepts of alternative culture in the 20th and 21st centuries. It includes an analysis of subcultures, countercultural movements, independent art, DIY media, the concept of cultural resistance, and the transformations occurring in the relationship between the mainstream and the alternative. The course emphasizes interdisciplinary perspectives: cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, and media studies.
1. Introduction to the concept of alternative culture – definitions, terminology, andrelationship to the mainstream.
2. Counterculture of the 1960s – beatniks, hippies, the 1968 revolution, anti-institutionalism.
3. Youth subcultures of the 20th century – punk, goth, metal, skinheads, rave.
4. DIY as a cultural practice – zines, independent labels, piracy, remix culture.
5. Alternative and off-the-wall art – street art, performance, guerrilla art. 6. Radical media and alternative communication – pirate radio, blogs, net art, social media.
7. Alternative ethics and ideologies – anarchism, queerness, ecology, anti-consumerism.
8. Gentrification of culture and the market's capture of the alternative.
9. Club and electronic culture – techno as a social practice.
10. Alternatives in contemporary pop culture – memes, fan culture, and off-the-wall influencers.
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge:
• Knows key concepts and theories of alternative culture;
• Recognizes the most important alternative movements and phenomena.
Skills:
• Analyzes and interprets the products of alternative culture;
• Formulates arguments and leads debate;
• Conducts independent research based on relevant literature.
Social Competencies:
• Understands the importance of cultural and social diversity;
• Demonstrates openness to non-standard forms of expression.
Assessment criteria
Attendance is required to complete the semester. A maximum of two absences is permitted. Three absences must be made up according to the instructor's instructions. More than three absences will result in failing the course unless the student has an Individualized Study Plan (up to 50% absence).
• Active participation and preparation for classes
• A semester project in the form of a presentation (in any format) of an aspect of alternative cultures selected and consulted with the instructor.
Practical placement
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Bibliography
Damian Kaczmarek, red., Ruch społeczeństwa alternatywnego 1983–1991, Bractwo Trojka, Poznań
Mirosław Duchowski, Elżbieta Sekuła (red) Streat art. – między wolnością a anarchią, NCK
David Muggelton, Wewnątrz subkultury. Ponowoczesne znaczenie stylu, Wyd. Uj, Kraków 2004
Aldona Jawłowska, Drogi kontrkultury, Warszawa 1975
Xawery Stańczyk, Kultura alternatywna w Polsce 1978-1996. Wyobraźnia, samoorganizacja, komunikacja, Warszawa 2014
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: