CULTURE!CHAPTER 4

By: Kelsey.

What are local and popular cultures?

Culture- belief systems, norms, and values in a group of people.

Folk/Local Culture Popular Culture•Folk:-Small; homogeneous-Rural; Cohesive•Local:-Group of people who see themselves as a community who work to preserve traits.- “Keep other cultures out, keep your own culture in”-Simon HarrisonExample: Little Sweden, USA

•Larger & heterogeneous•More urban •Quick changes: A dress on a runway in Milan can be in a magazine in LA in a matter of days.

Example: NYC

What are local and popular cultures?

Rural Local Culture -Easier to maintain (not as much migration) -Economic activity is so vital to the culture that many customs are tied to it. -Think Makah Indians and their whaling. Urban Local Culture -Ethnic neighborhoods! -Ex: Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn, Italians in Boston.

Material vs. Non-Material Culture

Material culture: What the people construct

(i.e. housing, art, sports, foods) Non-Material culture: includes the

beliefs, aesthetics, and values of that culture.

So...when woman must cover their head in Islamic cultures, is it material or non-material?

How are local cultures sustained?

Assimilation: Process where one culture loses its unique traits after coming into contact with another culture.

-Think of the Native Americans Acculturation: Exchange of cultural

traits while still retaining uniqueness. - Like transculturation; think of

immigrants adopt new traits from their new

country

How are local cultures sustained?

Customs-practice that group of people routinely follow

Cultural Appropriation- when one culture uses another cultures customs to their own benefit.

- Natural pharmaceuticals being privatized is an example. tilak

How are local cultures sustained?

Authenticity of Places -Authenticity: The accuracy with which a

single image/experience is conveyed to another culture.

-Remember the “authentic” Irish pubs around the world.So, to sustain a local culture:1. Avoid assimilation/acculturation2. Avoid cultural appropriation3. Keep authenticity

How is popular culture diffused?

Distance Decay-effects of distance on interaction

-generally, more distance=less interaction -But, more technology and communication has changed this. -resembles a bulls-eye with the center being the hearth

Hearth

How is popular culture diffused? Time-space compression -David Harvey refers to it as the effects of the accelerated movement of goods and ideas. -Relates to time-space convergence -Explains how innovations are interlinked and quickly diffused through transportation and communication technologies

How is popular culture diffused? Time-space compression -think of the Internet, cell phones,

social net- working sites bringing cultures

together. -Things diffuse the quickest through

time- space compression

How is popular culture diffused? Popular culture -diffuses hierarchically -Corporations play a big role in popular culture, remember the “cool

hunters”? - Popular culture hasn’t “blanketed” the world because of reterritorialization.

How is popular culture diffused? Popular culture -Reterritorialization- when people re-

produce popular culture in the context of their

local culture and making it their own - Example: Hip-Hop that diffused from

NYC all over, so now Europe or Africa would have it’s own kind of rap music.

How is popular culture diffused? Popular Culture -Some people feel threatened by

cultural homogenization, especially by

America, Western Europe, and Japan. -Local cultures try to curb this

influence through their own policies. -i.e. France required 40% of radio play

be in French.

How can local and popular culture be seen in the cultural landscape?

Cultural landscape-the visible imprint of human activity on the landscape.

-Anything from buildings, to signs, to statues.

-Reflects the values, norms, and aesthetics

of the culture.

How can local and popular culture be seen in the cultural landscape?

Placelessness- Edward Relph calls it the loss of the uniqueness of the culture landscape.

-Has three dimensions: 1. Architectural forms and planning have diffused around the world 2. Individual businesses/products are so widespread that they imprint faraway cultures. 3. Borrowing of idealized landscaped images “blurs” distinctiveness.

How can local and popular culture be seen in the cultural landscape?

Glocalization-process where people alter regional, national, and global processes.

-Therefore, interaction across scales is important and influential to all

cultures.

How can local and popular culture be seen in the cultural landscape?

Housing Regions -Remember that homes are a part of

the cultural landscape and reflect the environment, resources available,

aesthetic values, and uniqueness.

How can local and popular culture be seen in the cultural landscape?

New England House - “salt-box” house - fireplace in the center because whole house was cold

How can local and popular culture be seen in the cultural landscape?

Mid-Atlantic House - Originally a log cabin - Stone fireplace with fireplace on one

end because it wasn’t as cold - Later added porch and second floor

How can local and popular culture be seen in the cultural landscape?

Southern Tidewater House - Smaller than others - One story with characteristic porch - Usually built on a raised platform