Folk and Popular Culture

Definition of Culture A group of belief systems, norms and

values practiced by a people Recognized in 1 of 2 ways

1. People call themselves a culture

2. Others can label a certain group of people as a culture

Folk Culture Small Incorporates homogeneous population Typically rural Cohesive in cultural traits Work to preserve those traits in order to

claim uniqueness

Folk Culture cont. Material culture: what a group of people

make Nonmaterial culture: beliefs, practices,

aesthetics and values of a group of people

Popular Culture Large Incorporates heterogeneous populations Typically urban Experiences quickly changing cultural traits Practiced by people across identities and

across the world Also encompasses material and

nonmaterial culture

How is popular culture diffused? Hierarchical diffusion

Uses an urban hierarchy (distance decay) David Harvey: time-space compression

Refers to social and psychological effects of living in a time-space convergence (Donald Janelle)

Since technology links some places more closely than others, culture diffuses more quickly rather than at a constant rate

Hearths of Popular Culture How do things become a part of popular

culture? Often begins with contagious diffusion Ex. Dave Matthews Band

Manufacturing a Hearth Clayton Rosati

Studied infrastructure of MTV & its role in the production of popular culture and geographies of popular culture

MTV produces popular culture by opening globalized spaces to local culture thereby globalizing local culture

Popular culture does not take over the existing popular culture, rather a process called reterritorialization of popular culture occurs When people w/in a place start to produce an

aspect of popular culture themselves in the context of their own culture ands making it their own

How are local cultures sustained? Assimilation of certain groups destroyed local

culture Local culture sustained through customs Simon Harrison

2 goals of local cultures: keep other cultures out; keep their culture in

Local cultures work to avoid cultural appropriation Recognized that through cultural appropriation, places

become increasingly important neolocalism

Influence of the Physical Environment Customs are influenced by climate, soil and

vegetation Particularly responsive to environment b/c low

level of technology and agricultural economy 2 necessities of life: food and shelter

Shows the influence of cultural values and the environment on the development of unique folk culture

Distinctive Food Preferences Derived from the environment Adapt food preferences to environmental

conditions Role of terrior (effects of the environment on a

particular food item)

Food attractions and Taboos Everything in nature has a signature or distinct

characteristic Therefore people eat and don’t eat certain things

based on a response as to whether it is socially acceptable or not

The nutritional value is one of the determining factors in whether someone eats something or not

Some things are eaten b/c they enhance some characteristic the culture deems important

Food attractions and Taboo Taboo to eat things that are thought to embody

negativity May establish food taboos to protect the

environment Religion and social values also play a role in food

taboos

Folk Housing House among the essential facts of human

geographyA. Distinctive Building Materials

-influenced by location, resources available and social factors

B. Distinctive House Form and Orientation-forms result from customary beliefs or environmental factors

Folk Housing cont.

C. Housing and Environment

-homes are constructed based on the environment

U.S. Folk House Forms Fred Kniffen-3 major hearths of folk house forms

in the US:1. NE-saltbox, two-chimney, cape cod, front gable and

wing2. Mid-Atlantic: “I” house3. Lower Cheasapeake-one story w/steep roof and two

chimneys Style of housing not as distinctive anymore due to

rapid communication and transportation systems Majority of people don’t build the houses they live

in

Diffusion of folk housing forms

Local & Popular Culture Seen in the Cultural Landscape Reflects norms, values and aesthetics of a culture Placelessness (Edward Relph) Cultural landscapes are so similar because:

1. Architecture forms + planning ideas have diffused around the world.

2. Individual businesses + products are so widespread they impact all places

3. The borrowing of idealized landsca[e images promotes a blurring of place distinctiveness

Why is popular culture widely distributed? Popular Housing Styles

A. Modern house styles (1945-1960): minimal traditional, ranch, split level, contemporary + shed style houses

B. Neo-eclectic (1960-): mansard, neo-Tudor, Neo-French, neo-colonial

*have great rooms rather than separate living + family rooms

Diffusion of Popular Culture cont. Rapid Diffusion of Clothes

Characterized by income and job characteristics Improved communication Exposure to folk dress due to increased travel +

television

A. Jeans-know why + how jeans became a part of popular culture

Diffusion of Popular Culture cont.B. Snack foods and beverages

*preference based on what is made, grown or imported locally

*also affected by background

*dependent on income and advertising

Role of TV in diffusing Popular Culture

Significant custom because:1. Most popular leisure activity

2. Most important means by which culture is diffused

Why Does Globalization of Popular Culture Cause Problems?

Threat to Folk Culture: Rising income increases demand for items

valued in popular culture Can lead to domination of folk culture

Loss of traditional values (clothing) Change in traditional role of women-How? Can also cause problems in less developed

nations-increase in prostitution

Globalization of Popular Culture cont.

Threat of Foreign Media Imperialism Threatens LDC’s independence Seen as a new type of economic + cultural

imperialism Allow governments of LDC to censor shows

and/or only program shows appropriate to traditional values

Environmental Impact of Popular Culture

Modifies nature Uniform landscapes-seen to generate

product recognition + greater consumption

Negative Environmental Impacts Increased demand for natural resources

Depletion of resources and/or extinction of species

Inefficient use of resources

Pollution Popular culture produces a lot of waste Folk culture can also negatively impact the

environment by ignoring natural processes