Popular culture-the common set of entertainment, arts, and customs shared by large segments of the population-both reflects and influences society's values and beliefs. Popular music, fashions, movies, and other entertainment often encapsulate the attitudes of the mass culture. At the same time, they provide a powerful forum for the transmission of new ideas and passionate beliefs about social issues. Studying the evolution of pop culture thus allows students to better understand the social forces that have shaped-and continue to shape-America's social and political landscape. Book jacket.