Teaching Public Administration with Pop Culture

Erin L. Borry (she/her) is an associate professor and graduate program director in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research interests include rules, red tape, social equity, and public administration in pop culture. She has published in journals such as Public Administration Review, Public Administration, International Public Management Journal, Public Integrity, Journal of Public Affairs Education, and American Review of Public Administration, among others.Peter A. Jones (he/him) is an associate professor in the department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He researches the public budgeting processes and financial management practices of local and state governments, school districts, and court systems. His research work has been published in the Policy Studies Journal, American Review of Public Administration, International Journal of Public Administration, International Journal of Public Sector Management, and Journal of Public Affairs Education, among others.

“This book is a gem! Borry and Jones provide a comprehensive text for any faculty member looking to innovate their teaching, using popular culture from film and television as an effective educational tool to enhance lessons in the classroom that are proven to be advantageous to student learning outcomes, as well as priming students with the tools and education needed to be effective future leaders.”Helen H. Yu, Professor, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, USA“Artifacts of popular culture provide incomparable pedagogical tools for the public affairs classroom. For anyone interested in popular culture’s uses in the classroom, this exceptional work by Borry and Jones is required reading. With this book, instructors are better prepared to make classes more meaningful for students of all generations.”Sean McCandless, Associate Professor, School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, USA“Erin L. Borry and Peter A. Jones’ book provides practical, evidence-based guidance on how to use pop culture in the college classroom. An invaluable resource, this book can help any professor use pop culture in a thoughtful way that supports student learning and engagement.”Seth J. Meyer, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Bridgewater State University, USA

• 1. Introduction Part I: Pedagogy 2. Pop Culture as Pedagogy 3. Choosing Pop Culture for the Classroom Part II: Traditional Pop Culture 4. Television 5. Documentaries and Docuseries 6. Movies 7. Podcasts Part III: Nontraditional Pop Culture 8. Social Media 9. Pop Culture Potpourri Part IV: Incorporating Pop Culture in Large-Scale Activities 10. Simulations and Cases 11. Conclusion