Ch. 4: Folk and Popular Culture
ALL IN ONE!
Culture
• The combination of:
– Material Culture/constructed artifacts
• Art, houses, clothing, sports, dance, foods
• This chapter deals with material artifacts
– Nonmaterial Culture
• Language (Ch. 5)
• Values- religious beliefs (Ch. 6), ethnicity (Ch. 7)
• Political institutions (Ch. 8)
Material Culture
• Two basic categories: folk/local and
popular culture
– Folk/local culture
• Usually practiced by small, isolated,
homogeneous groups in rural areas where
tradition dominates life and they are resistant to
change
– Popular culture
• Characterized by large, heterogeneous groups of
people who share common habits despite
differences in other personal characteristics
Folk Cultures in US
Where Do Cultures Originate?
• Origin of folk and popular cultures
– Folk culture = hearth area/originators are usually
unknown
– Popular culture = hearth area comes from more
developed countries (MDCs)
• People in MDCs have disposable income and
leisure time that allow for use of new
innovations
– Golf, cars, gaming systems, TVs etc.
Where Do Cultures Diffuse?
• Diffusion of folk and popular culture
– Folk culture diffuses slowly, primarily through
migration, and at a small scale; clustered
• Example: Diffusion of Amish culture- what
role does the environment play?
– Popular culture diffuses rapidly, mostly via
hierarchical diffusion, and over a large scale
• Example: Sports, fashion
Hierarchical
diffusion:
$65,000 to
$3500 in 48
hours!
Diffusion of Pop Cultures
• Rapid diffusion (through globalization)
reduces the local diversity of folk
cultures (i.e. their customs).
• Pop culture vs. folk/local cultures =
Globalization vs. local diversity
Globalization vs. Local Diversity
How are local cultures sustained?
• By clustering
• By being isolated
• By practicing customs/traditions in the face
of globalization
Influence of the physical environment
–Folk culture = close connection to
the environment
• Most folk cultures are rural and
agricultural
–Clothing is often tied to
environmental conditions
»Example: Wooden clogs in the
Netherlands
Food Preferences
• Terroir- effects of local environment on
food (soil’s effect on wine)
• Folk- certain foods eaten because of
natural properties
• See case study for examples
• Food customs are affected by availability
of products worldwide
• Food preferences are adapted to the
environment
• In Asia, rice is grown in milder, wetter
environments; wheat is grown in colder, drier
environments
Food Preferences
• Food taboos may be especially strong
– People avoid certain foods because of
negative associations with that food
– Preferences developed for environmental
(protect endangered animals) and cultural
(religion) reasons
– Examples- no pork for Jews or Muslims;
popular culture doesn’t eat bugs like some
folk cultures do
– Coca Cola
Some Kosher Laws- Of the "beasts of the earth" (which basically
refers to land mammals with the exception of swarming rodents), you
may eat any animal that has cloven hooves and chews its cud. Any
land mammal that does not have both of these qualities is forbidden.
• All blood must be drained from meat and poultry or broiled out of it
before it is eaten.
• Fruits and vegetables are permitted, but must be inspected for bugs
• Grape products made by non-Jews may not be eaten
• Meat (the flesh of birds and mammals) cannot be eaten with dairy.
Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains can be eaten with either
meat or dairy. (According to some views, fish may not be eaten with
meat).
• Utensils (including pots and pans and other cooking surfaces) that
have come into contact with meat may not be used with dairy, and
vice versa.
• Utensils that have come into contact with non-kosher food may not
be used with kosher food. This applies only where the contact
occurred while the food was hot.
Swine Stock
Figure 4-8
Reterritorialization of Pop Culture
• Certain aspects of pop culture (music, food) will
take on new forms when presented in new
places
– Reterritorialization- Taking something not from
your “territory” and re-making it so it becomes
unique to only your “territory”
• Reterritorializatoin of Hip Hop- Example of
reverse hierarchical diffusion (inner cities to global)
• European Hip Hop in France and Germany mixed
with local cultures, experiences, and places
making it unique to each locale
• Sampling/mixing things from own culture into
Hip Hop music
Why Is Popular Culture Widely Distributed?
• Remember: Pop culture requires
disposable income and leisure
time
–Popular culture varies more in time
than place
Explain what we mean when
we say that popular culture
varies more in time than in
space. Differentiate this from
what you know about folk
culture.
Losing the Local?
• Pop culture itself can seem like an
assimilation policy
• US, West Europe, Japan, South Korea,
India are all hearths of pop culture that
produce different aspects of pop culture
• French radio policies- (saving the local)
Assimilation v. Acculturation
• Acculturation (still has the word culture in it!)
– Minority culture adopts traits of major culture but
KEEPS most of their own beliefs
– Occurs when local culture lives among members of
the major culture and ACCEPT certain aspects of
major culture
• Assimilation
– Minority culture learns and absorbs major culture to
the point that the original culture IS LOST
– Minor culture comes to resemble the major group;
makes acceptance easier
AcculturationAdopt traits, but
keeps own, too.
AssimilationAdopted
traits “take
over”
Assimilation v. Acculturation
• Examples:
– Second-language learning at school, but speaks
first language at home still
– Sushi becoming popular in US
– Naturalization process for immigrants
– Immigrant parents choosing “American” names for
children
– Forcing Native American’s in Boarding Schools and
forbidden to speak language
Clash of Cultures (Pop vs Folk/Local)
• Local cultures try to:
– Keep other cultures out, Keep own culture in
– Avoid cultural appropriation – when other
cultures adopt customs and knowledge and use
them for own benefit
• Commodifying local culture (Katy and Russell);
Little Sweden? TOASTER STRUDEL!
• Commodification- to treat something that
cannot be owned or that everyone has a right
to like a product that can be bought and sold
Drawbacks of Cultural Appropriation
• Shouldn’t it be a compliment?
• Usually done for economic benefit
• Commodification affects local cultures in
many ways
– Material and nonmaterical culture can be
commodified by nonmembers
– The culture itself can be commodified“observing” the Amish culture
– Stereotypes / replicas mistaken for authentic
• Some Amish DO use technology
• Local cultures strive to make each place their
own by infusing their customs, beliefs and
traits into the landscape
• Theme parks and other entertainment venues
look to copy the “mysticism” of local cultures
• Unsuspecting tourists may mistake the “mysticism”
as authentic
• Corporations try to commodify the mystique of
local cultures to intrigue customers/make
profit, Ex: Irish Pub Company/Guinness
• Globalize the mystique of the traditional Irish pub
• *Spain, US, Italy and France have more than Ireland
Authenticity of Places
• With commodification, usually one image or
experience is typecast as the “authentic”
image/experience of that culture.
• It is that image/experience that the tourist or
buyer desires.
• People need to experience the complexity of
a place/culture directly, rather than a
stereotype of it.
• An “authentic” culture is complex, not
categorized or stereotyped
Authenticity of Places
• Commodifying local cultures freezes customs
in place and time
– Local cultures, both urban and rural, are touched
by outside influences over the years and
therefore are dynamic (always changing)
• The search for an “authentic” local culture
perpetuates (keeps going) the
myths/sterotypes about local cultures
Did these buildings ever exist this way?
Did people really dress like that?
Are these stereotypes of the
“mystique”/uniqueness of a culture?
Or are they authentic representations?
Is this how the culture “characterized”
here still is?
Busch
Gardens
would love to
sell you some
authentic
“Africa”!
Am I really experiencing Mexico right now?
Mulan does exist!
Arendelle = Norway?
No(r)way!
Amish for Sale!
• November 4, 2007, we purchased Flaby's Amish
Tour business. We thought it would be fun to
carry on Flaby's professional Amish tours. Vern,
Eric, Rory, and Joan are our excellent,
knowledgeable, and friendly hosts that guide the
tours http://www.bluffscape.com/amish_tours.htm
• “certified guides”--Unique, intimate visit to 3
Amish properties --- a farm at milking time to
observe how the Amish milk cows and cool milk
without electricity (oooh, aahhh)
http://www.padutchcountry.com/members/amish_country_tours.a
sp
Commodifying
a name
Is this the
inside of an
“authentic”
Irish pub or an
exported
copy?
Am I being too critical?
• Possibly. Some cultures may embrace people
coming to “look at/study” them because it could
educate and raise awareness. They may want/need
that economic benefit.
• Problems arise when:
– cultural artifacts/customs/traditions are exploited
(abused or misused), especially by nonmembers
– We “think” we know about a culture from what has been
portrayed to use by popular culture—movies, magazines,
etc.
• Both of these problems will lead to stereotypes and
perpetuate the myths in search for the “authentic”
culture
Western Control of Media
• West (US, GB, Jap) controls majority of media
• TV programming diffuses western
ideas/culture
– Glorifies consumerism, violence, sexuality, and
militarism
• News coverage
– MDCs are unlikely to focus or provide third world
perspective on issues important in the LDCs.
– LDCs rely on BBC, AP, and Reuters
Marlboro Man in Egypt
Satellites
• Satellites provide a way to get banned shows
from all over the world
• Banned in Singapore; “un-Islamic” in Saudi
Arabia
Environmental Impact of Pop Culture
• Modifying nature
– Pop culture ignores local environment
– Spatially expansive—takes up a lot of room
• Golf courses
Palm Springs, CA
Beijing, China
Beijing, China
Palm Springs, CA
Environmental Impact of Pop Culture
• Negative Impacts
– Increased demand/depletion of natural
resources
• Animal consumption (chicken, beef)
leads to grain depletion (feed) =
inefficient use of food!!!
– Pollution
• Pop culture produces waste (Garbage can
Ghana)
Environmental Impact of Pop Culture
• Uniform Landscapes
– Creates homogeneity
• “placelessness”- loss of uniqueness of
places
– Product/name/brand recognition
• Brings familiarity to a “strange” place
– Buildings designed for recognition of
function
• Hotels, gas stations, grocery stores
3 ways to get “placelessness”
1. Certain planning and architectural forms have
diffused around the world
• Skyscrapers in downtowns
2. Businesses and products are so widespread that
they leave distinctive “stamps” on the landscape of
far flung places
• Signs: Pizza Hut, McDonalds, etc.
3. Borrowing of idealized landscape images blurs
places together
• Transplanting landscape features even it doesn’t fit
• Las Vegas strip
#1: Skyscrapers-Petronas Towers, Malaysia
#2: Business “stamps” on landscape: Munich, Germany
#2: Business “stamps” on landscape: Las Vegas Strip
#3: “Idealized” landscapes blur lines between places- Rialto
Bridge in Venice, Italy
#3: “Idealized” landscapes blur lines between places- Venetian
Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
#3: “Idealized” landscapes blur lines between places- Venetian
Hotel and Casino in Macau, China
Surfing at Disney’s Orlando Typhoon Lagoon
Are places still tied to local landscapes?
Disconnect with landscape: indoor skiing/swimming pools?
desert surfing?
Distance Decay vs Time-space
Compression
• Distance decay- diffusion less likely the further from
the hearth you are = slower, old method of diffusion
from hearth
• TSC- depends on the connectedness among places
due to communication and transportation networks
(world becoming smaller) = faster, modern method
of cultural diffusion; no more distance decay
problems?
• Today, the world is as connected as ever and those
without connections are even more removed