SOC-348: Sociology of Zombies

This course will examine the current popularity of TV shows and movies about Zombies. What social concerns does this popular culture phenomenon reflect--fears about the government response to pandemics, self-defense, or just our general nervousness about death? The course will analyze the first two seasons of the TV show, The Walking Dead in terms of the effect on society and group formation in the aftermath of a major pandemic. We will discuss issues about when violence is acceptable, the ways that group dynamics in survival situations is presented, and the gender, social class and race issues acted out among the primary case members. What happens in a crisis that is so dramatically social and what is acceptable behavior in order to survive?