1. Threats to Folk Culture
Human Geography
Threats to Folk Culture

2. How Culture Changes? Innovation
Introduction of new ideas, practices, or objects; usually, an alteration of custom or culture that originates within the social group itself
Human Geography 11e

3. Diffusion
The process by which an idea or innovation is transmitted from one individual or group to another across space

4. 2 Issues:
1. diffusion of popular culture threatens survival of Traditional Folk Culture.
2. Pop culture does not adapt to the land, but often has an adverse impact.
Human Geography 10e

5. Folk Culture – rapidly changing and/or disappearing throughout much of the world.
Guatemalan Market
Portuguese Fishing Boat
Turkish Camel Market

6. Problems with the Globalization of Culture
Often Destroys Folk Culture – or preserves traditions as museum pieces or tourism gimmicks.
Satellite Television, Baja California

7. Folk Culture often preserved by museums and or shows.
People like to Gawk!!
Folk Culture often preserved by museums and or shows.
Human Geography 10e

8. People turn away from Folk tradition.
Exposure to popular culture may stimulate a desire to adapt similar practices.
Human Geography 10e

9. Traveled to MDC where clothing is a status symbol of wealth and power- many want to leave own traditions behind and adopt new ones.
Human Geography 10e

10. Impacts India clothing
Popular culture
Impacts India clothing
Human Geography 10e

11. Fundamentalists – Folk Culture
is the demand for a strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist
Today many Islamic fundamentalists advocate the stoning of women
In the Indian province of Kashmir, Muslim fundamentalists have demanded that all women (even those who are not Muslim) start wearing veils. When the call was ignored Muslim thugs threw acid in the faces of uncovered women.
Female genital mutilation is an African custom that pre-dates Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is widely practiced in African countries, the Middle East, Malaysia, Indonesia and also amongst certain ethnic groups living in Europe, North America and Australia. In Africa FGM is practiced not only by Muslims but also by some Christian and Animist groups as well.

12. Honor Killings- Women are not seen as equal.
Human Geography 10e

13. Prostitution in LDC’s for traveling MDC businessmen. Loss of culture.
LOS ANGELES - An undercover FBI agent has been accused in court documents of spending U.S. taxpayer dollars on prostitutes in the Philippines for himself and others during an international weapons trafficking probe last year.
Human Geography 10e

14. Problems with the Globalization of Popular Culture
Western Media Imperialism?
U.S., Britain, and Japan dominate worldwide media.
Glorified consumerism, violence, sexuality, and militarism?
These networks are unlikely to focus or provide third world perspective on issues important in the LDCs.
Satellite dishes often used
To get world news
-Banned in China and
Saudi Arabia

15. Environmental Problems with Cultural Globalization
Accelerated Resource Use through Accelerated Consumption
New larger housing desires means more energy and water use.
Golf courses use valuable water and destroy habitat worldwide.
Bigger homes Leisure and Money Golf Courses

16. Pollution: wasted and discarded products, plastics, marketing and packaging materials
Human Geography 10e

18. Uniform Landscapes Product recognition
Spatial expression in popular customs
in one place will be similar to another place.
Product recognition
Human Geography 10e

19. What evidence can you cite that humans have throughout their history exerted destructive pressures on the natural environments they have occupied? Have those pressures necessarily become more destructive as technological systems have become more advanced? Explain.
Human Geography 10e