Celebrity Status (graduate seminar)

CELEBRITY STATUS
Sociology 326.6, Spring 2005
Professor Charles Kurzman
Department of Sociology, ni!ersity of "orth Carolina at Chapel #ill
p$ate$ %e&ruary 2', 2005.
Class Sessions:
()ice a month, times to &e arrange$ ran$omly at the last minute.
Office Hours*
22+ #amilton #all, &y appointment , -'-.-62.
'2/' , 0urzman1unc.e$u2
Course Goals:
'2 (o ac3uaint stu$ents )ith social science research on cele&rity.
22 (o intro$uce stu$ents to ma4or tren$s in the stu$y of social status.
32 (o $e!elop a 4ointly )ritten paper on cele&rity as a contemporary form of social
status.
/2 "ot to o!er&ur$en the stu$ents or instructor, since this is only a '.cre$it course.
Course Description:
(his course )ill e5amine )hether cele&rities constitute a status group in the sense
$escri&e$ &y 6a5 7e&er. 8t may &e that cele&rities usurp honor, comman$
authority, engage in a $istincti!e lifestyle, an$ pass along their status ,sometimes
in $iminishe$ form2 to their chil$ren, 4ust li0e the aristocratic elites )hom 7e&er
analyze$ a century ago. 9t the same time, cele&rity may &e unli0e 7e&erian status
in other )ays. (he goal of the course is to )rite a 4ointly authore$ paper for
pu&lication on this topic.
:ea$ings )ill inclu$e ;Class, Status, Party< an$ other selections from =conomy an$
Society &y 6a5 7e&er> more recent )or0s on status hierarchies, inclu$ing
Distinction &y Pierre ?our$ieu, (he Cele&ration of #eroes &y 7illiam @. Aoo$e, an$
Social Closure &y :aymon$ 6urphy> an$ social.scientific analyses of cele&rity,
inclu$ing co!erage of the history of cele&rity, the scale of the phenomenon, its
lin0ages )ith economic, legal, an$Bor political po)er, its enactment in micro.
interactions, an$ its implications for social theory.
9ssignments )ill inclu$e atten$ance at t)ice.monthly class sessions> research
a$$ing to the follo)ing starter list of rea$ings> rea$ing notes on o!erlapping
portions of the rea$ing list ,each rea$ing )ill &e rea$ &y at least t)o stu$ents2> an$
)riting one portion of the 4ointly authore$ paper.
Course Requireents:
'. 9tten$ance an$ Participation ,'0C of final gra$e2. Class )ill meet e!ery other
)ee0 for t)o hours.
2. 9ssigne$ :ea$ing ,not gra$e$ $irectly2.
3. :ea$ing "otes, $ue 2/ hours &efore each class ,30C of final gra$e2. Please
su&mit these !ia e.mail to the course list.ser!e D copying an$ pasting the notes
into the te5t of the message, not sen$ing them as an attachment. (hese notes,
appro5imately 250 )or$s per article or chapter, shoul$ inclu$e*
,a2 the full &i&liographic citation of the )or0
,&2 the main points of the rea$ing, inclu$ing summaries of each chapter or section
,c2 $efinitions of ma4or concepts an$ e5amples of their use in the te5t
,$2 significant 3uotations an$ items that you fin$ interesting
,e2 ans)ers to the ;&ig 3uestions< i$entifie$ at the start of the course
,f2 your reactionsB3uestionsBcriti3uesBlin0ages )ith other theoristsBetc. ,these
analytical notes shoul$ &e set asi$e from the $escripti!e notes !ia &rac0ets2.
,g2 page references throughout> these notes )ill ser!e as your customize$ in$e5 to
the rea$ing. (he notes )ill &e gra$e$ 2 points each if complete an$ turne$ in on
time, ' point if incomplete or one class late, an$ 0.5 points if more than one class
late.
/. 9n un$ergra$uate sylla&us on the sociology of cele&rity or on social status ,your
choice2, annotate$ )ith e5planations for your choice of rea$ings an$ themes., $ue
9pril 30, 2005 ,'5C of final gra$e2.
5. Ene component of the 4ointly.)ritten paper on cele&rity status. ,/5C of final
gra$e2.
Class eetin!s:
'. %ri$ay, @anuary '/, 2005, '0 a.m.* Planning.
"o rea$ings.
2. %ri$ay, @anuary 2F, 2005, '0 a.m.* 7e&er.
:ea$ings*
'. 6a5 7e&er, ;Class, Status, Party.< ,pp. 'F0.'-52, in From Max Weber, e$ite$ &y
#ans Aerth an$ C. 7right 6ills ,"e) Gor0, "G* E5for$ ni!ersity Press, '-5F2.
2. 6a5 7e&er, =conomy an$ Society, e$ite$ &y Auenther :oth an$ Claus 7ittich.
?er0eley, C9* ni!ersity of California Press, '-+F, Hol. ', pp. 225.226
,&ureaucracyIs le!eling effect2, 26/.265 ,e$ucation an$ status group formation2,
305.30+ ,$efinition of status group2, 3-0.3-' ,ethnic groups2> Hol. 2, pp. 6-5.6-F
,legal communities2, -32.-3F ,from ;Class, Status, Party<2, -5-.-63 ,officialsI
status2, -6+.-6F ,status !s. coercion2, -+5 ,&ureaucracyIs le!eling effect2, '06F.
'06- ,patrimonialism an$ honor2, ''/- ,$iscipline of ruling status groups2, '23-.
'2/0 ,me$ie!al =urope2, '35/.'35- ,ancient an$ me$ie!al2. ,%rom in$e5, Hol. 2,
p. l5.2
3. (hurs$ay, %e&ruary +, 2005, / p.m.* Status since 7e&er.
:ea$ings*
'. Pierre ?our$ieu, Distinction, translate$ &y :ichar$ "ice ,Cam&ri$ge, 69* #ar!ar$
ni!ersity Press, '-F/2.
or 2. 7illiam @. Aoo$e, (he Cele&ration of #eroes* Prestige as a Social Control
System ,?er0eley, C9* ni!ersity of California Press, '-+F2.
or 3. :aymon$ 6urphy, Social Closure* (he (heory of 6onopolization an$ =5clusion
,E5for$, K* Claren$on Press> "e) Gor0, "G* E5for$ ni!ersity Press, '-FF2.
/. 6on$ay, %e&ruary 2', 2005, / p.m.* 6ore status since 7e&er.
:ea$ings*
'. :ecent articles an$ &oo0s to &e contri&ute$ &y stu$ents.
5. (hurs$ay, 6arch '0, 2005, 2 p.m.* Definitions, #istory, an$ (heory of Cele&rity.
:ea$ings*
'. Aertru$ Koch, ;%rom King$om (o Star$om.< Constellations 6*206.2'5, '---.
2. C. 7right 6ills, (he Po)er =lite. "e) Gor0, "G* E5for$ ni!ersity Press, J'-56K
2000.. Chapters ', /, '5.
3. Chris :o4e0, Cele&rity. Lon$on, K* :ea0tion ?oo0s, 200'.
/. (homas Spence Smith, ;9estheticism an$ Social Structure* Style an$ Social
"et)or0 in the Dan$y Life.< 9merican Sociological :e!ie) 3-*+25.+/3, '-+/.
5. Ste!en Stac0, ;Cele&rities an$ Suici$e* 9 (a5onomy an$ 9nalysis, '-/F.'-F3.<
9merican Sociological :e!ie) 52*/0'./'2, '-F+.
6.?onnie #. =ri0son an$ (. 9. "osanchu0, ;(he 9llocation of =steem an$
Disesteem* 9 (est of Aoo$eIs (heory.< 9merican Sociological :e!ie) /-*6/F.
65F,'-F/.
+. @oshua Aamson, Claims to %ame* Cele&rity in Contemporary 9merica. ?er0eley,
C9* ni!ersity of California Press, '--/.
F. @oshua Aamson, ;(he 7e& of Cele&rity.< (he 9merican Prospect '',202*/0.',
2000.
-. (o$$ Aitlin, ;(he Culture of Cele&rity.< Dissent /5*F'.3, '--F.
'0. Da!i$ P. 6arshall, Cele&rity an$ Po)er* %ame in Contemporary Culture.
6inneapolis, 6"* ni!ersity of 6innesota Press, '--+.
''. P% Parna&y an$ H% Sacco, ;%ame an$ Strain* (he Contri&utions of 6ertonian
De!iance (heory to an n$erstan$ing of the :elationship ?et)een Cele&rity an$
De!iant ?eha!ior.< De!iant ?eha!ior 25*'.26, 200/.
'2. :ichar$ Dyer, #ea!enly ?o$ies, 2n$ e$. ,Lon$on, K* :outle$ge, 20032.
'3. Leo ?rau$y, (he %renzy of :eno)n* %ame M its #istory ,"e) Gor0 * E5for$
ni!ersity Press, '-F62.
'/. :ichar$ Schic0el, 8ntimate Strangers* (he Culture of Cele&rity in 9merica
,Aar$en City, "G* Dou&le$ay, '-F52
6ore to &e contri&ute$ &y stu$ents.
6. 6on$ay, 6arch 2', 2005, / p.m.* Cele&rityIs 8nterpersonal Pri!ileges>
Cele&rityIs "ormati!e Pri!ileges
:ea$ings*
'. Kerry E. %erris, ;Seeing an$ ?eing Seen* (he 6oral Er$er of Cele&rity Sightings.<
@ournal of Contemporary =thnography 33*236.26/, 200/.
2. @L Knight, (9 Aiuliano, 6A Sanchez.:oss, ;%amous or 8nfamousN (he 8nfluence
of Cele&rity Status an$ :ace on Perceptions of :esponsi&ility for :ape.< ?asic an$
9pplie$ Social Psychology 23,32*'F3.'-0, 200'.
3. Da!i$ S. 6eyer an$ @oshua Aamson, ;(he Challenge of Cultural =lites* Cele&rities
an$ Social 6o!ements.< Sociological 8n3uiry 65 ,22* 'F'.206, '--5.
/. 9. :a!i!, D. ?ar.(al, 9. :a!i!, M 9. ?en.#orin, ;9$olescent 8$olization of Pop
Singers* Causes, =5pressions, an$ :eliance.< @ournal of Gouth an$ 9$olescence
25*63'.650, '--6.
6ore to &e contri&ute$ &y stu$ents.
+. 6on$ay, 9pril /, 2005, / p.m.* Cele&rityIs =conomic Pri!ileges> Cele&rityIs Legal
Pri!ileges
:ea$ngs*
'. Da!i$ L. 9n$re)s, 6ichael @or$an, 8nc* Corporate Sport, 6e$ia Culture, an$ Late
6o$ern 9merica. 9l&any, "G* State ni!ersity of "e) Gor0 Press, 200'.
2. SC Clay, ;Starstruc0* (he E!ere5tension of Cele&rity Pu&licity :ights in State an$
%e$eral Courts.< 6innesota La) :e!ie) +-* /F5.5'+, '--/.
3. :osemary @. Coom&e, ;Pu&licity :ights an$ Political 9spiration* 6ass Culture,
Aen$er 8$entity, an$ Democracy.< "e) =nglan$ La) :e!ie) 26*'22'.'2F0, '--2.
/. :osemary @. Coom&e, (he Cultural Life of 8ntellectual Properties* 9uthorship,
9ppropriation, an$ the La). Durham* Du0e ni!ersity Press, '--F.
5. 6ichael 6a$o), ;Pri!ate E)nership of Pu&lic 8mage* Popular Culture an$
Pu&licity :ights.< California La) :e!ie) F'*'25.2/0, '--3.
6. ?rian D. (ill an$ (erence 9. Shimp, ;=n$orsers in 9$!ertising* (he Case of
"egati!e Cele&rity 8nformation.< @ournal of 9$!ertising 2+*6+.F2, '--F.
+. Darrell 7est an$ @ohn Erman, Cele&rity Politics. pper Sa$$le :i!er, ".@.*
Prentice #all, 2003.
6ore to &e contri&ute$ &y stu$ents.
F. Secon$ half of 9pril* Stitching (ogether Eur Contri&utions.
:ea$ings*
'. Stu$ent contri&utions to our 4oint article.