In recent years, it has become something of a cliche to describe ”celebrity culture” as pervasive and all-consuming—an inescapable feature of life in the twenty-first century. Today, one can become famous via Tik Tok, YouTube, and Spotify, as well as through the “older” media of newspapers, radio, television, and film. We’ve now experienced “celebrity Presidents” (from both the Left and the Right), but also celebrity dogs, cats, criminals, chefs, video gamers, and porn stars. More and more, we are all participants in this voracious cycle—from the countless selfies on our smartphones to our serial posting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

But how did we get here? When did this culture of celebrity first take shape? How has it expanded over time? And what broader effects (both positive and destructive) has it unleashed on our increasingly fragile democracy? As a starting point, we will investigate the shifting contours of fame itself: from the pre-modern “cults of saints” to the subsequent rise of major figures in the larger cycle: P.T. Barnum, Frederick Douglass, and Sarah Bernhardt, FDR, Elvis Presley, Beyonce, and Donald Trump. We will also push beyond the shiny surfaces: from the first theatrical syndicates and Hollywood studios to social media, cookies, micro-targeting, and chatbots.

Course Requirements:

Short response papers on a few of the weekly readings; choice of a longer essay exam or individually defined research paper for the final project

Intended Audience:

This class is intended for History majors and minors, as well as those with some History background from contexts. There are no specific prerequisites for this class, but some background in modern U.S. and/or European history would be very helpful.

Class Format:

Seminar