Fall Lecture / 3 credits
Trends and Cultural Adoption
An introductory lecture on how a trend moves through a population — from early signal, through tipping point, to mainstream and back-burner. Students learn the basic vocabulary of diffusion, taste, and timing.
Syllabus
- What counts as a trend
- Diffusion of innovation, plain English version
- Early adopters, signal hunters, and scenes
- Tipping points and the visible middle
- Saturation, parody, and revival
- Final trend brief on a current movement
Assessment
30% weekly briefings, 25% discussion, 20% mid-term essay, 25% final trend brief.