Popular Culture Folk Culture

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

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

VERY SERIOUS CULTURE FINER POINTS 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 VERY SERIOUS Stripes The Emo Complex Fall Out Boy

POPULAR AND FOLK CULTURE Popular Culture Folk 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.

CULTURE REGIONS AND REALMS 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. THE AREA ENCLOSED IN THE DOTTED LINE IS A CULTURAL REGION UNIFIED BY THE INFLUENCE OF THE TUAREG PEOPLES 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)

CULTURE REGION: THE MUSLIM WORLD CULTURE REGION: MORMON AMERICA CORE-DOMAIN- SPHERE MODEL 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. CULTURE REGION: THE MUSLIM WORLD Core: all/most traits are present Domain: most/some of the traits are present Sphere: a few traits are present CULTURE REGION: MORMON AMERICA Core All/most elements present The culture dominates Domain Most/some elements present Obvious but not dominant Sphere A few traits present Present but not obvious

HEARTHS Popular Hearths Folk Hearths A hearth is the place of origin of a culture trait, its center of innovation. Both popular and folk culture traits have hearths: Popular Hearths Folk 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.

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

DIFFUSION Popular Culture Folk 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.

POPULAR CULTURE 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) POP CULTURE: Rapid, Wide Diffusion Food Styles (alcohol and snack foods)

FOLK CULTURE Tibetan Buddhist Art Hindu Art Muslim Art 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 Tibetan Buddhist Art Hindu Art Muslim Art US Folk Housing Forms Food Regulations Animist Art Food preferences, attractions and taboos FOLK CULTURE: Isolated, Slow Diffusion Folk Housing (materials, forms and orientation)

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

THE BIG PICTURE POPULAR CULTURE FOLK CULTURE 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. 1. DEFINITION 2. The hearth is in MDC’s, and products are born of industrial technology. 2. Multiple hearts at unknown times and places by unknown people. 2. HEARTH 3. IMPETUS 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). 4. VARIATION 5. Diffuses through expansion diffusion (primarily hierarchical but also contagious). It uses modern communication and transportation technology. 5. Diffuses through relocation diffusion. 5. DIFFUSION 6. It diffuses rapidly and widely, and its diffusion depends on spare time and money. 6. It diffuses slowly and narrowly. 6. DISTRIBUTION 7. Alters the environment without regard to local diversity 7. Generated in response to the local environment and preserves it 7. ENVIRONMENT