1. Folk Culture vs Popular Culture
Chapter 4 Culture!
Folk Culture vs Popular Culture

2. Habit: repetitive act that a particular individual performs.
Custom: repetitive act of a group, performed to the extent that it becomes characteristic of the group
2 elements of culture we are going to look at
Daily necessities: food, clothing and shelter
Leisure activities: arts and recreation

4. Folk Culture

5. Folk Culture
Traditionally practiced primarily by small, homogenous groups living in isolated rural areas.
More likely to vary from place to place at a given time.

6. Location and Origins Origins/hearths are often unknown
Physical Environment
Environmental determinism…what is it?
Limited technology

7. Diffusion
Transmitted from one location to another relatively slowly and on a small scale
Relocation diffusion

8. …more on food
Taboo
Restriction on behavior (such as eating certain things) imposed by social customs
Food is a particularly common taboo
Pigs
Not raised in the Mediterranean are or the Arabian Peninsula for various reasons (the meat would spoil, they would compete with humans, etc.)
Cows
Hindus do not consume cows, partly because they were traditionally necessary to pull carts

9. …more on food
Terroir: the contribution of a location’s distinctive physical features to the way food tastes
People adapt food preferences to conditions in the environment
Certain foods are eaten because their natural properties are perceived to enhance qualities considered desirable by the society.

11. Housing and the environment
Think of Native American Indians
Use the materials at a given area.
How do we see climate influencing housing?
May derive from religious and customary beliefs

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

15. FOLK LIFE Material Culture - Artifacts Physical, Visible Things
Musical Instruments, Furniture, Tools, Buildings
The Built Environment – the landscape created
The Contents of Houses & Shops
Usually represents every day life.
Can it be both?
Soccer

17. Folk Life
Clothing
In response to distinctive agricultural practices or climatic conditions

22. Popular Culture

23. Popular Culture
Found in large, heterogeneous societies that share certain habits despite differences in other personal characteristics.
Access is limited based on income.
Distribution is not uniform.

24. Location and Origin
Typically are traceable to a specific person or corporation.
Most often in developed countries.

25. Diffusion Spreads through a process of hierarchical diffusion
Diffuses rapidly and extensively from hearths or nodes with the help of modern communication

26. Fads, Trends, Icons Popular culture varies more in time than in place
What does a place need to have rapid diffusion of pop culture?
MDCs or LDCs?
What are some examples of popular culture?

29. Clothing
Popular culture habits reflect:
Occupation and Income

30. Food
Popular food preferences are influenced by cultural values rather than environmental

33. Examples Popular Culture Folk Culture Television Internet
Jeans/Other clothing styles
McDonalds
iThings
Sports
Celebrity Icons
What else?
Hutterites
Amish
Folklore
Traditional Foods
Traditional Music
Handmade Quilts
The Hula
Pick any given country and you will find aspects of folk culture