Heroes in the 21st Century: Understanding the World through TV Shows International Business Program Spring 2023 Semester CEA & UPF Hybrid - Barcelona

Television shows are the main storytellers of the 21st century, serving as visual vehicles to communicate cultural, social, political, philosophical, and economic ideas that are currently at issue in public debates. Since television shows' heroes and protagonists represent abstract and complex philosophical concepts in the real world, an analysis of these concepts and their role in the shows can help us understand and question our reality, our culture, and the reasons behind our own actions and opinions.

This course will provide you with analytical tools to examine popular contemporary and classic television shows from the US and Spain. As a result, you will be exposed to a number of topical issues including environmental ethics, animal welfare, abortion, attitudes towards same-sex marriage, capital punishment, privacy and public domain in the digital age, and the role of technology. You will revisit your own ideas on these topics in order to understand the extent to which your personal beliefs and actions in your daily life align with cultural and political institutions. Moreover, you will reflect on how culture may shape different worldviews by analyzing US vs. Spanish TV shows and comparing your own perspectives with those of local people in your study abroad location.

Throughout the course you will be required to watch selected TV show episodes and complete readings that will guide you in the cross-cultural analysis of different concepts. Prior knowledge of specific TV shows is not required.