HIST

This course chronicles the cultural history of television in the Americas from its experimental phase in the early 20th century to present-day streaming wars. Over the course of the semester, we will analyze the relationship between television, culture, and politics to better understand the role of the medium in society. By taking a hemispheric approach, this course also emphasizes the transnational currents that shaped national identities on the screen and transmitted them across the Americas. It asks, does television shape the nation or reflect it? How has politics informed the development of television programming? How has television shaped the US understanding of Latin America/Latinx peoples? And vice versa?