Pop Culture Flashcards
Pop Culture
Refers to a wide range of activities that a large number of people in society engage in.
Pop Culture in Australia
During post-war there was an emergence of a distinctive Australian pop culture. Australia has remained strong in four key areas; sport, music, television and film
Television
Was introduced in 1956 as well as rock and roll which had a large impact on Australia at the time. Television allowed Australians to see culture from around the world, simultaneously impacting culture within Australia.
Music
Rock and roll inspired Australia to find its own identity after years of being influenced by British and American society. By the 1980s, Australia had gained worldwide attention with front running bands such as ACDC and Midnight Oil
Sport
Sport has become increasingly popular as it gives Australia a sense of national identity. As more funding has been put into Australian sport, more opportunities have been given to Australian athletes to compete on the world stage. These events include the 2000 Olympics in Sydney as well as the Womens FIFA World Cup in Sydney in 2023.
Film
The Australian film industry has also emerged over time, while British and American films still win the top spots at the box office, Australian actors have become household names such as Margot Robbie and Chris Hemsworth. While Australian films have become more renowned such as Crocodile Dundee and Babe.
Fashion
Fashion in Australia is very important in pop culture. Australia overtime has embraced American and European trends when finding its fashion. Although Australian designers have grown over this time providing more clothes for the Australian market and starting worldwide trends such as the recent online sensation White Fox Boutique which started in Australia.
British Impact - Fashion
By the 1960s, London and England had recovered from the war and became more prominent in film and cinema which began to heavily inspire Australian pop culture. London became one of the major fashion cities in the world, home to numerous famous designers. One of these designers named Mary Quant invented the mini skirt named after her favourite car. The ‘mini’ skirt became a worldwide sensation and though initially caused quite a stir in Australia due to its high hemlines, it is still a staple at many Australian brands today such as Supre and Sportsgirl
American Impact
Prior to World War II, Australia had been influenced primarily by conservative British Culture but after the war due to 100 000 Americans now living in Australia and the strong alliance between the nations , Australia began exploring the US’s more rebellious culture. This culture from the US emerged from its strong economic position post war.
American and British Names in Cinema
Over time key pop culture figures in Australia as well as the world have been from both the UK and America such as Audrey Hepburn from England as a symbol for film and fashion in the 1960s to Jennifer Lawrence of the 2010s symbolisng strong female characters and empowerment in cinema.
