Sociology From E Street: Bruce Springsteen's America

Bruce Springsteen embodies the contradictions and complexities of U.S. politics. He is a progressive who sings about a demographic that is now a core element of President Donald Trump's base. He chronicles life in the U.S. focusing on a range of topics from loneliness, community, and freedom, to teen pregnancy, street car racing, and immigration. Class sessions will highlight one or more songs and academic literature to learn what sociology can teach about the issues raised by Springsteen's music. The seminar will be an opportunity to interrogate a vision of America - a country driven by politics but that is more then the sum of its politics.