Globalization and American Popular Culture

In a deeply textured and solidly researched book, Lane Crothers identifies the connections among American popular culture, the global reach of the U.S. movie industry, and the ability of films and television to transmit images, often conflicting, of the values of American society. Moreover, there is circularity in the process because the context of American popular culture can shape the content of American popular culture in films and television programs. This is an important book that contributes much to our understanding of the reach of American popular culture and the processes that create it. A must-read! -- Paula D. McClain, Duke University
To keep a survey of American popular culture amid globalization both up-to-date and coherent requires an insatiable curiosity about constantly proliferating cultural products and the critical judgment to separate ephemeral from significant. Fortunately, Lane Crothers has both. Though popular culture continues to change at the speed of light, Crothers manages to keep both his analysis and his well-chosen case studies fresh and relevant. More than previously, this edition grapples with the increasingly dark side of both globalization and the internet. Readers will find digital media centered here, along with fine new sections on gaming, COVID-19, and the porn industry. Crothers seems to know virtually everything about American popular culture—and still (mostly) enjoy it. -- David W. Stowe, Michigan State University
Globalization is such a defining force in students’ lives today that it’s often difficult for them to step back and consider it critically. Crothers’s Globalization and American Popular Culture challenges them to consider the cultural values embedded in the music, television, films, and video games they consume on a daily basis and reflect on how those values might ‘play’ on the global stage. As an accessible text that students actually enjoy reading, it’s been a fixture in my international relations theory course for years. Moreover, this new edition builds on an already strong foundation with up-to-date pop culture examples and an even sharper analytic focus. -- Jess Morrissette, Marshall University