Popular Culture Theories

Theories around Pop Culture

1. Popular Culture
&
Literature
Session 4

2. How ARTISTS Think
I don’t give a
d*** about how
others feel about
my work! It’s my
creativity…
Who’s the
artist, man? Am
just out to
make some $$$

3. Culture is Dynamic

4. POP CULTURE THEORIES
•Gender Theories
•Marxism & Hegemony
•Cultural Liberalism
•Liberal Pluralism
•Mass Society
•Cultural Industry
•Globalization of Culture
•Interactionism

5. Popular
Culture
&
Gender
Gender
Stereotyping
Exploitation of
the Female Body
Sexual
Debauchery
Homophobia
Body Image
Perpetuating
Patriarchy

6. Gender Stereotypes in Pop Culture
AdvertsFilms InternetMusicLiteratureTV Toys
&
Animation
Celebrities

7. Gender Stereotypes in Films
If you’re single
you’re doomed!
Marriage is the
ultimate happiness
The Alpha male The weaker sex!

8. Deconstructing Gender
Stereotypes through Films

9. Gender Stereotypes in Advertising
Homecare products
and the housewife
stereotype
Female body
exploitation
(male products)
Stereotyping
beauty
(beauty products)
Stereotyping
masculinity
(substance abuse)

10. Ads against Gender Stereotypes

11. Plus size models

13. Gender Stereotypes
in Toys & Animation

14. Gender Stereotypes in Music
Song Lyrics Music Videos

15. Pop Culture, Cultural Marxism
& Cultural Hegemony
•Cultural Marxismtexts must be analysed in relation to their historical
conditions of production, consumption and reception.
•The DOMINANT CULTURE theory (bourgeoisie v/s proletariat).
-Cultural Hegemony: Antonio Gramsci (1891 -1937);domination of a culturally diverse
society by the economic ruling class.
-Althusserianism:Louis Pierre Althusser (1918 -1990); ideology as a material practice.
Marxism+ Empiricismknowledge is a product of sensory experience.
-Leavisism: Frank Raymond Leavis (1895 -1978);socio-political power of cultural products.

16. Cultural Hegemony
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19. Hegemony -Pop: American Culture?

20. Hegemony -Pop: Culture of a Dominant Class?
http://24hoursofhappy.com/

21. Globalization of Culture
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22. Althusserianism

23. Leavisism

25. Leavisism

26. -Comes from the word liberty freedom: -of speech
-of expression
-conscience
-religious practice
-association
-press
-Tolerant -Understanding
-(Mutual) Respect -Non-judgemental
Cultural Liberalism & Liberal Pluralism

27. Cultural Liberalism & Liberal Pluralism
Culture: -race/ ancestry
-ethnicity/ tribe
-nationality
-religion
-caste
-sub-cultures
-Sexual orientation
-Political opinion
-Lifestyle/ Way of life
-Physical appearance
-Attire
-Ethical debates/ issues

28. Cultural Liberalism
•A liberal view of society.
•Advocating individual freedom.
•Against imposed socio-cultural norms
& uniformity.
•Backed by democratic laws &
international human rights.
•Respect for individual & cultural
differences.
Liberal Pluralism
•Advocating limited political control.
•Backed by capitalism & democracy.
•Belief in self-imposed discipline & inner
goodness.
•Respect for diversity of all kinds.
•Positive attitude towards media as
representative of diversity (media
responds to audience demand).

29. Cultural Liberalism & Liberal Pluralism
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article16
(1)Menandwomenoffullage,withoutanylimitationduetorace,nationalityorreligion,havetheright
tomarryandtofoundafamily.Theyareentitledtoequalrightsastomarriage,duringmarriageandat
itsdissolution.
(2)Marriageshallbeenteredintoonlywiththefreeandfullconsentoftheintendingspouses.
(3)Thefamilyisthenaturalandfundamentalgroupunitofsocietyandisentitledtoprotectionby
societyandtheState.
Article18
Everyonehastherighttofreedomofthought,conscienceandreligion;thisrightincludesfreedomto
changehisreligionorbelief,andfreedom,eitheraloneorincommunitywithothersandinpublicor
private,tomanifesthisreligionorbeliefinteaching,practice,worshipandobservance.
Article19
Everyonehastherighttofreedomofopinionandexpression;thisrightincludesfreedomtohold
opinionswithoutinterferenceandtoseek,receiveandimpartinformationandideasthroughanymedia
andregardlessoffrontiers.

30. Cultural Liberalism & Liberal Pluralism
Postmodernism
•There is no absolute truth; opinions are relative.
•All basic structures governing society are but social constructs:
-Power relations
-Gender binaries
-Socio-economic classes
-Cultural norms and values

31. Slavoj Žižek (1949 -)
•Marxist and Cultural Critic: Theology & Cultural Studies, Marxist & Political
Theories (Stalinism, Maoism), Lacanian Psychoanalysis, Film Studies.
•Marxism Ideology = False Consciousness
•Lacan Imaginary, Symbolic and Real
•Žižek Imaginary Real Symbolic Real
Real Real

33. Theory of Mass Society

34. Theory of Mass Society

35. Theory of Cultural Industry
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36. Theory of Cultural Industry

37. Theory of Cultural Industry
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Post-capitalism

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Interactionism & Globalization

40. Symbolic Interactionism
(George Herbert Mead)
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