45
WORLD GEOGRAPHY Sept. 30, 2014
WORLD GEOGRAPHY
Sept. 30, 2014
Today
Culture - Local culture, popular culture, cultural landscapes
Culture defined
Culture is…
Sum total of knowledge, attitudes, habitual behavior patterns shared and transmitted by the members of society.
Elements of culture- Language - gender roles
- Religion - architecture
- Customs and practices norms
- Clothing/fashion
- Cuisine/food
- Music
Korea: Then vs. Now
Elements of culture- Language
English words (loan words)
- Slang - gender roles
- Religion - architecture
- Customs and practices less traditional
- Clothing/fashion designer fashion (foreign brands)
- Cuisine/food
- Music Hip hop K-pop
Cultural effects of migration
Example: Migrants develop communities in foreign countries.
Little Havana – Miami, USA
Cultural effects of migration
Example: Migrants develop communities in foreign countries.
Little India – Georgetown, Malaysia
Cultural effects of migration
Example: Migrants develop communities in foreign countries.
China Town– New York, U.S.A.
Cultural effects of migration
Example: Migrants develop communities in foreign countries.
Korea Town – Toronto, Canada
Cultural effects of migration
Example: Migrants develop communities in foreign countries.
Itaewon – Seoul, South Korea
Cultural effects of migration
- Language
- Food
- Music
- Religion
Mind association
- What place do you think of when you see each of these images?
Mind association
Mind association
- What place do you think of when you see each of these images?
Fashion
“Cute” culture
Local & Popular Cultures
Local culture: A group in a particular place that sees itself as a community, shares experiences, customs, and traits, and works to preserve those traits and customs to distinguish the group from others.
Popular culture: A large, heterogeneous population, typically urban, with rapidly changing culture.
Local cultures
Acceptance vs. rejection of popular culture traits
Impact on the landscape- Nonmaterial culture: Beliefs, practices, aesthetics, values- Material culture: Constructed items, frequently expressing
nonmaterial culture
Establishment of neighborhoods, construction of places of worship and community centers
Example – the Amish
- Originated in Europe
- Anabaptists: separated from Catholic and Protestant Christianity.
- Live in their own farm-based communities
Maintain own culture: religion, education, technology
Example – the Amish
Example – the Amish
Popular cultures
Practiced by large, heterogeneous group
Rapid spread of new traits, often by hierarchical diffusion from a hearth, through transportation, communication, and marketing networks
Interaction between local and popular cultures• Patronage by local cultures of popular culture services• Adoption by popular culture of local culture traits
CommodificationProcess of making something that was not previously bought and sold a commodity in the marketplace
- Material culture objects for sale to outsiders- Tourist value of culture as a whole
Question of authenticity of places- Mystical images- Creation of identity from cultural traits
Merchants of Cool: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVE-ZWVipjo
Irish Pub Company Pubs
Irish Pub Company and Guinness Brewing Company created 5 models of pubs and export them around the world.
Outback Steakhouse
TGI Friday’s
Hard Rock Cafe
Diffusion of Popular Culture
Distance-decay: More interaction between closer places than between more distant places.
Time-space compression: Interaction dependent on connectedness among places.
Next Tuesday’s class
Group discussions:
- Find a partner.
- Choose an element of popular culture (anything)
- Prepare a brief (3 -5 minute) mini-presentation about:
1. Your topic’s origin/background2. How it came into popular culture3. How it affects current popular culture
Next class (Tuesday)
Group discussions:
Topics are first come, first serve (no repeat topics).
The sig-up sheet is on my office door.
- It will come down Monday afternoon, so make sure to sign up before then.
Before next class
Do the short reading (cultural landscape)
