The central question for your essay is how can popular culture also be oppositional culture given the arguments and critiques of it made by the Frankfurt School of thought? You are required to refer to both theoretical/academic works and at least three other assigned materials as cases to substantiate your position. Your essay should consist of the following aspects (the below is also provides a general outline for all your essays):
Introduction: Begin by “hooking” your reader with an interesting fact, a question, or a puzzle. Clearly state your position on whether popular and oppositional cultures can overlap. Your intro should also note the articles/videos/theories you will be working with.
Theory: Define the Frankfurt School and its position on popular culture and define oppositional culture, and the arguments made for it is an example of popular culture.
Evidence/Cases: Refer to at least three of your course materials (you can include the discussion of rap as one of them if you prefer) as evidence of your position. In other words, select the video/reading that will best support your analysis. Show examples from course materials why your position on the relationship between popular and oppositional cultures is substantiated.
Place and Time: After making your argument, consider how region, urban or rural, and time (temporality) influence the expression of popular and oppositional culture. For example, the article on rap was written in 1997. Are the themes applicable now in the same place? How do global regions, China, Greece, Asia, or the Pacific, shape what might be considered popular or oppositional? You do not need to answer all of these or these questions precisely. The goal is to engage with geographies and temporalities in making your argument.
Conclusion: Summarize your arguments and also provide a suggestion for the next steps, or what more you think could be explored to gain a better understanding of whether pop culture and oppositional can be the same or not.
Other Resources:
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/dec/28/overload-ambush-and-isolation-the-decade-that-warped-popular-culture-simon-reynolds
