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Popular Culture Folk Culture

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CULTURE: The sum total of a group of peoples ways of living Sociofacts Mentifacts Artifacts Social expressions Political Forms Economic Forms Value expressions Religious Forms Philosophic Forms Material expressions Food and Possessions Clothing and Shelter Culture CULTURE BASICS

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Habits A repetitive action by a group to the extent that it becomes characteristic of the group A repetitive action by an individual Customs Habits are personal and are not an aspect of culture A collection of social customs produces a groups material culture its artifacts Another term for a custom is a culture trait CULTURE FINER POINTS

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A culture complex is a group of culture traits or customs that are all interrelated and dominated by one essential, umbrella trait. For example: Eye liner Lip piercing Jet black reverse mullet Skinny jeans Stripes Fall Out Boy The Emo Complex VERY SERIOUS CULTURE FINER POINTS

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Popular CultureFolk Culture The product of large, heterogeneous societies that share certain customs despite differences in other personal characteristics. The product of small, homogeneous groups who live in isolated, often rural areas, and embrace largely uniform customs. POPULAR AND FOLK CULTURE

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A culture region is a formal or a functional region in which a common culture trait/custom prevails. A culture realm is a collection of smaller culture regions that share related cultural systems. A culture realm is also called a macro-cultural region. CULTURE REGIONS AND REALMS BOTH THE US AND CANADA ARE CULTURE REGIONS WHERE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND PROTESTANT CHRISTIANITY ARE DOMINANT PUT TOGETHER, THE US AND CANADA FORM A CULTURE REALM (OR MACRO- CULTURAL REGION)CALLED NORTH AMERICA (THERE ARE 11 MACRO-CULTURAL REGIONS ON THIS MAP) THE AREA ENCLOSED IN THE DOTTED LINE IS A CULTURAL REGION UNIFIED BY THE INFLUENCE OF THE TUAREG PEOPLES

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The CORE-DOMAIN-SPHERE MODEL works with regions created by mapping cultural traits It states that culture regions do not have clear or distinct boundaries. The model starts by creating a list of cultural traits and then mapping their regions on a map. The model then looks for overlaps in the various trait regions. CoreAll/most elements presentThe culture dominates DomainMost/some elements presentObvious but not dominant SphereA few traits presentPresent but not obvious CORE-DOMAIN- SPHERE MODEL Core: all/most traits are present Domain: most/some of the traits are present Sphere: a few traits are present CULTURE REGION: MORMON AMERICA CULTURE REGION: THE MUSLIM WORLD

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A hearth is the place of origin of a culture trait, its center of innovation. Both popular and folk culture traits have hearths: Folk HearthsPopular Hearths Hearth in MDCs, due to a combination of industrial technology and leisure time, mass produced for sale. Often anonymous or multiple hearths from unknown places at unknown time through unknown people. HEARTHS

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Diffusion is the method by which a custom spreads through time/space. RELOCATION DIFFUSION EXPANSION DIFFUSION CONTAGIOUS DIFFUSION HIERARCHICAL DIFFUSION The spread of an idea through the physical movement of people from place to place The spread of an idea from place to place in a snowballing effect. Two Types: The spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority/power to other persons/places The rapid, widespread diffusion of an idea from person to person throughout a population DIFFUSION

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Folk CulturePopular Culture Hierarchical diffusion from nodes of innovation. It spreads rapidly and extensively using modern communication and transportation. Relocation diffusion from various hearths. It spreads slowly and on a small scale through migration rather than technology. DIFFUSION

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POP CULTURE: Rapid, Wide Diffusion Popular culture varies more in time than it does in place. It diffuses rapidly and widely with no regard for local physical conditions or cultural history. Its spread is dependent on wealth (the ability to acquire the possessions of popular culture) and leisure (the free time to use the STUFF). Book examples: Housing Styles Clothing Styles (blue jeans) Food Styles (alcohol and snack foods) POPULAR CULTURE

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FOLK CULTURE: Isolated, Slow Diffusion Folk culture varies more in place than it does in time. It diffuses slowly in isolated areas and often responds to the local environment. A combination of physical and cultural factors influences the distribution of folk cultures. Because of low level of technology and agricultural economy, folk societies are particularly responsive to the environment. Folk populations are likely to be farmers using hand tools and animal power. Book examples: Pashtuo Farmers in Afghanistan Himalayan Art Varieties Food preferences, attractions and taboos Folk Housing (materials, forms and orientation) Tibetan Buddhist Art Hindu Art Muslim Art Animist Art Food Regulations US Folk Housing Forms FOLK CULTURE

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Pork Taboos Alcohol Attractions and Taboos FOOD PREFERENCES: ATTRACTIONS AND TABOOS

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THE BIG PICTURE POPULAR CULTUREFOLK CULTURE 1. DEFINITION 2. HEARTH 3. IMPETUS 4. VARIATION 5. DIFFUSION 6. DISTRIBUTION 1. The culture of large, heterogenous societies. People adopt common (popular) traits despite differences in backgrounds 1. The culture of small, homogenous societies. Living in largely rural, isolated areas, people live in uniform ways. 2. The hearth is in MDCs, and products are born of industrial technology. 2. Multiple hearts at unknown times and places by unknown people. 3. Traits are products that are mass produced for sale. 3. Traits are in response to a need 4. Varies in time (changes frequently) not in place (the same everywhere while it lasts). 4. Varies in place (local diversity), not in time (remains the same through traditions). 5. Diffuses through expansion diffusion (primarily hierarchical but also contagious). It uses modern communication and transportation technology. 5. Diffuses through relocation diffusion. 6. It diffuses slowly and narrowly. 6. It diffuses rapidly and widely, and its diffusion depends on spare time and money. 7. ENVIRONMENT 7. Alters the environment without regard to local diversity 7. Generated in response to the local environment and preserves it