Folk and Popular CultureAP Human Geography

This unit covers….

•Ch. 4- Folk and Popular Culture (2 weeks)•Ch. 5- Language (1 week)•Ch. 6- Religion (2 weeks)•Ch. 7- Ethnicity (1 week)

•6 weeks total

Cultural Landscape

•Review: What is meant by cultural landscape?

•The impact of human activity/ culture on the natural landscape of a place.

Folk vs. Popular CultureFolk Culture Popular Culture

• Practiced by small groups

• Isolated/ regional• Small scale• Remains the same

over time.• Gives groups of

people unique identities.

• Practiced by large parts of society

• Large scale/ widespread

• Through globalization, spreads quickly.

• May change rapidly• May threaten folk

culture

Folk vs. Popular Culture: Clothing

Kente Cloth Popular fashion

Folk vs. Popular Culture: MusicIrish Folk Music World renowned band U2

Folk vs. Popular Culture: Housing

Typical suburban box house New England Cape Cod

Folk vs. Popular Culture: DanceFootworking (Chicago) Electric Slide

Folk vs. Popular Culture: FoodPopular in Chicago Popular Worldwide

Folk vs. Popular Culture: SportsAmerican Football (popular in the U.S.)

Football/ Futbol/ Soccer (most popular sport globally)

Material vs. Non-material culture

Material Culture Non-material Culture

• The things people construct.▫ Art▫ Housing▫ Clothing▫ Music▫ Sports▫ Food

• Beliefs, practices, and values of a group of people. ▫ Religion▫ Government▫ Laws/rules

The Diffusion of CultureFolk Culture Popular Culture

• Diffuses primarily through relocation of a group.

• Ex. The Amish ▫ Originally migrate from

Europe to the U.S. (Pennsylvania, NY, Ohio)

▫ Do not use modern technology, inc. electricity or autos

• Hierarchical diffusion• Ex. Spread of fashion

through hearths, models, celebs, etc.

Cultural Taboo

•A restriction on a certain behavior within a culture

•Use of electricity in Amish culture•Pre-marital sex in most religions.•Eating of beef in Hindu cultures.•Women showing skin in strict Arab

cultures.•Committing a taboo may result in

punishment, embarrassment, shunning, or shame.

Cultural Taboos

Terms Related to Culture• Acculturation

▫When a less dominant culture adopts traits of a more influential one.

• Assimilation▫Those exposed to a new culture completely lose

their original cultural identity. • Ethnocentrism

▫ Judging another culture by the standards of your own culture, implying that your culture is superior.

• Cultural Relativism▫ Judging a culture by it’s own standards.