What are Local and Popular Cultures? Chapter 4 Section 1 Text pages 101-102 What are Local and Popular Cultures?

Culture A group of: that are practiced by a people Belief Systems Norms Values that are practiced by a people

Components of Culture Culture trait Culture complex A single attribute of a culture Example – money Culture complex combo of culture traits

Components of Culture Culture system: Geographic regions: Culture complexes grouped together because they have culture traits in common Geographic regions: Term preferred by many geographers instead of culture region Culture realm: Most highly generalized regionalization of culture and geography

Local Culture A group of people in a particular place who see themselves as a collective or a community who share experiences, customs, and traits who work to preserve those traits and customs (in order to claim uniqueness and to distinguish themselves from others.)

Popular Culture A wide-ranging group of heterogeneous people who stretch across identities and across the world who embrace cultural traits such as music, dance, clothing, and food preference that change frequently and are ubiquitous on the cultural landscape.

What are some Local and Popular Cultures? “Fringe” religious groups (Hutterites, Amish, or Scientologists) Culture of Jax. Beaches Alternative Sports (Skateboarding, Surfing, etc.) Music Subcultures (Genres of hip-hop, punk, and country) Gaming (Video gaming) Sports (soccer, football, baseball etc.) Clubs/Bars Gambling Popular Music Popular religions

How do cultural traits from local cultures become part of popular culture? Madonna wearing a red string Kabbalah bracelet.

Material and Nonmaterial Culture The things a group of people construct, such as art, houses, clothing, sports, dance, and food. Nonmaterial Culture The beliefs, practices, aesthetics, and values of a group of people. What are some examples of material culture? What are some examples of nonmaterial culture?

Is this statue of the Buddha part of material or nonmaterial culture? Chiang Mai, Thailand Is this statue of the Buddha part of material or nonmaterial culture?

Relationships Material culture can have nonmaterial meanings attached and visa versa

“Knowers” People who have experienced or have an understanding of a culture How do you become a knower of a culture? Sometimes by travelling or searching out cultures but typically through diffusion

How do cultural traits diffuse? Hearth The point of origin of a cultural trait Contagious diffusion Hierarchical diffusion

Employing the concept of hierarchical diffusion, describe how you first became a “knower” of your favorite kind of music – where is its hearth, and how did it reach you?