Folk and Popular Culture
AP Human Geography
This unit covers….
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Ch. 4- Folk and Popular Culture (2 weeks)
Ch. 5- Language (1 week)
Ch. 6- Religion (2 weeks)
Ch. 7- Ethnicity (1 week)
• 6 weeks total
Cultural Landscape
• Review: What is
meant by cultural
landscape?
• The impact of human
activity/ culture on
the natural landscape
of a place.
Folk vs. Popular Culture
Folk Culture
Popular Culture
Practiced by small groups
Isolated/ regional
Small scale
Remains the same over
time.
• Gives groups of people
unique identities.
• Practiced by large parts
of society
• Large scale/ widespread
• Through globalization,
spreads quickly.
• May change rapidly
• May threaten folk culture
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Folk vs. Popular Culture: Clothing
Kente Cloth
Popular fashion
Folk vs. Popular Culture: Music
Irish Folk Music
World renowned band U2
Folk vs. Popular Culture: Housing
Typical suburban box house
New England Cape Cod
Folk vs. Popular Culture: Dance
Footworking (Chicago)
Electric Slide
Folk vs. Popular Culture: Food
Popular in Chicago
Popular Worldwide
Folk vs. Popular Culture: Sports
American Football (popular in
the U.S.)
Football/ Futbol/ Soccer
(most popular sport globally)
Material vs. Non-material culture
Material Culture
Non-material Culture
• The things people construct.
▫ Art
▫ Housing
▫ Clothing
▫ Music
▫ Sports
▫ Food
• Beliefs, practices, and values of
a group of people.
▫ Religion
▫ Government
▫ Laws/rules
The Diffusion of Culture
Folk Culture
Popular Culture
• Diffuses primarily through
relocation of a group.
• Ex. The Amish
▫ Originally migrate from
Europe to the U.S.
(Pennsylvania, NY, Ohio)
▫ Do not use modern
technology, inc. electricity
or autos
• Hierarchical diffusion
• Ex. Spread of fashion through
hearths, models, celebs, etc.
Cultural Taboo
• A restriction on a certain behavior within a
culture
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Use of electricity in Amish culture
Pre-marital sex in most religions.
Eating of beef in Hindu cultures.
Women showing skin in strict Arab cultures.
Committing a taboo may result in punishment,
embarrassment, shunning, or shame.
Cultural Taboos
Terms Related to Culture
• Acculturation
▫ When a less dominant culture adopts traits of a more
influential one.
• Assimilation
▫ Those exposed to a new culture completely lose their
original cultural identity.
• Ethnocentrism
▫ Judging another culture by the standards of your own
culture, implying that your culture is superior.
• Cultural Relativism
▫ Judging a culture by it’s own standards.