Media: Mass Media/Globalisation/Popular Culture

Question 1

What is globalisation?

Answer 1

The growing interdependence (reliance) of societies across the world, with the spread of culture, consumer goods and economic interests across the globe.

Question 2

What 3 interdependence characteristics did Gidden’s definition stress of globalisation?

Answer 2

Social, political and economic connections.

Question 3

Who suggested 5 factors that are important in encouraging globalisation?

Answer 3

Welsh (1997)

Question 4

What 5 important factors did Welsh (1997) suggest encouraged globalisation?

Answer 4

1) increasing global nature of capital and rise of global markets
2) increasing global movement of people
3) increasing importance of IT in production, consumption and leisure
4) increasing awareness of environmental issues that affect planet
5) growing awareness that politics has stretched beyond the nation state

Question 5

What are the three main ideas from postmodernist a regarding new media?

Answer 5

1) Metanarrative (big story)
2) Pick N Mix
3) Chaos/Uncertainty

Question 6

What postmodernist suggested that new media has created a ‘Pick N Mix’ society?

Answer 6

Baudrillard

Question 7

Explain Baudrillard’s ‘simulacra’ idea

Answer 7

Simulacra refers to images presented in media that appear to reflect things in the real world but have no basis in reality.

Question 8

Explain Baudrillard’s ‘hyperreality’ idea

Answer 8

Images in the media are manipulated and distorted.

Question 9

What did Baudrillard mean by a ‘media saturated society’

Answer 9

Our view of the world is created and defined by the media and manipulated images.

Question 10

What effect has simulacra had on society? (Baudrillard)

Answer 10

Meaning of reality has become distabilised- uncertainty of what is reality.

Question 11

What are the three main ideas from postmodernist a regarding new media?

Answer 11

1) Metanarrative (big story)
2) Pick N Mix
3) Chaos/Uncertainty

Question 12

What postmodernist suggested that new media has created a ‘Pick N Mix’ society?

Answer 12

Baudrillard

Question 13

Explain Baudrillard’s ‘simulacra’ idea

Answer 13

Simulacra refers to images presented in media that appear to reflect things in the real world but have no basis in reality.

Question 14

Explain Baudrillard’s ‘hyperreality’ idea

Answer 14

Images in the media are manipulated and distorted.

Question 15

What did Baudrillard mean by a ‘media saturated society’

Answer 15

Our view of the world is created and defined by the media and manipulated images.

Question 16

What effect has simulacra had on society? (Baudrillard)

Answer 16

Meaning of reality has become distabilised- uncertainty of what is reality.

Question 17

What would the ideas of simulacra and hyperreality implicate for the manipulative theory?

Answer 17

Fiction/false reality distracts society from real problems (false class consciousness).

Question 18

What is culture?

Answer 18

The diversity of experiences enjoyed by different groups in society.

Question 19

Why might someone experience culture shock visiting a different country?

Answer 19

Feelings of confusion and uncertainty.

Common problems include language barriers, information overload and homesickness.

Question 20

What is material culture?

Answer 20

Consists of the concrete, visible parts of a culture, such as good, clothing, buildings etc.

Question 21

What is non-material culture?

Answer 21

Consists of the intangible aspects, such as values and beliefs.

Question 22

Name the two types of culture that sociologists have suggested exist

Answer 22

1) High culture

2) Mass/Popular culture

Question 23

What is the difference between high and popular culture?

Answer 23

High culture refers to specialist cultural products, seen as of lasting artistic of literary value. Popular culture refers to cultural products that are produced as entertainment for sale to ordinary people.

Question 24

Who stated that globalisation has helped break down the distinctions between high and popular culture?

What sociologist group is this?

Answer 24

Strinati (1995)

Postmodernism

Question 25

Give 2 examples of technology incorporating previously high culture experiences into popular culture and readily accessible? (Strinati- postmodernism)

Answer 25

1) Travel technology enabling all culture groups and classes to travel cheaply to access high culture 2) High culture products can now be accessed via Internet

Question 26

Describe McLuhan's Global Village

Answer 26

The new electronic independence re-creates the world in the image of a global village.

Question 27

What did McLuhan's Global Village theory state about the influence of electronic mass media on social aspects?

Answer 27

It has collapsed space and time barriers in human communication- enabling people to interact and live on a global scale.

Question 28

What cultural imperialism?

Answer 28

When the cultural output of one region dominated the cultural output of other regions. Usually refers to excessive promotion of western culture.

Question 29

What sociological group believe that cultural imperialism has taken place?

Answer 29

Marxist

Question 30

What did Flew (2002) suggest about merging culture? (Marxist)

Answer 30

Argues that we now have a global popular culture. Increasingly consume the same products and globalisation has undermined cultural boundaries.

Question 31

What term did Flew (2002) create to describe the undermined cultural boundaries?

Answer 31

Cultural homogenisation (becoming uniform/same)

Question 32

How has Google homogenised our culture? 3 examples

Answer 32

1) Uniform search results the world 2) Ads are uniform across world- promotes dominant culture 3) Enables insight into all or popular cultures

Question 33

What are the four key terms supporting the idea that cultural imperialism is taking place?

Answer 33

1) Americanism 2) Consumerism 3) Cocacolanisation 3) Mcdonaldisation

Question 34

What is 'Americanisation'

Answer 34

Term used to describe the influence America has on the culture of other countries Ie material culture products such as Apple

Question 35

What is Consumerism?

Answer 35

Ideology valuing the acquisition of material goods- often reinforced through advertising Ie. Advertising goods that should 'bring happiness'

Question 36

What is Cocacolanisation?

Answer 36

The importing of Western goods or cultural values to the detriment of local goods or values Ie. Ads undermine local products to suggest that there is no comparison to the real thing

Question 37

What 4 ideas argue against the idea that cultural imperialism is taking place?

Answer 37

1) Reception theory 2) Cultural flows 3) Hybrid cultures 4) Control

Question 38

What is the Reception Theory?

Answer 38

Suggests that audiences do not passively accept the mass mediated news/entertainment. Audiences respond actively.

Question 39

Who supports the Reception theory and why?

Answer 39

Compaine Argues that global competition is expanding sources of information and entertainment rather than restricting them. People Pick N Mix and draw on both Western culture and own local culture. (Postmodern idea?)

Question 40

What is the Cultural Flows theory?

Answer 40

Globalisation promotes a complex network of communications, messages and influences flow in many different directions.

Question 41

Who supports the Cultural Flow theory and why?

Answer 41

Tomilson (1999)- Pluralist Rejects imperialism. Argues that cultural and media influences do not originate solely from Capitalist West therefore globalisation does not create a homogeneous world. Encourages an increasingly multicultural world (Hybridization)

Question 42

What are Hybrid Cultures?

Answer 42

Local and Western cultures combined.

Question 43

Give an example of Hybridization taking place

Answer 43

Globalised TV formats are adapted to suit rates of local culture ie 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' appeared in film 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Question 44

What do hybrid cultures show?

Answer 44

More, not less, cultural diversity.

Question 45

How does Control theory undermine cultural imperialism?

Answer 45

Many Asian countries have successfully pursued politely choices aimed at limiting and censoring Westernised media content.