This course may be used to satisfy one of four required electives within the Communication major. The expansion of social media platforms and algorithmic digital content has seen the emergence of the influencer, an individual who builds a following and markets various products and services through branding their own lifestyle. This course will examine the historical predecessors to contemporary influencers, such as celebrity culture, reality TV, tabloids, TV talk shows, lifestyle magazines, and blogging. Students will also analyze contemporary cases in relation to theories around influence, celebrity, authenticity, authority, and therapeutic culture. The influencer industry will be used as the lens to explore various themes in contemporary digital culture, such as the political economy of social media, marketing, algorithms, gender, racial identity, class, spirituality, wellness, mental health, misinformation, political activism, aesthetic styles, and exploitation of labor.
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