SECTION A KEY STUDIES (culture, socialisation and identity)

Question 1

Pop Culture perspective 1

Answer 1

Strinati (1995) a post modernist, argues that the media are responsible for generating this, argues that pop culture values consumer culture and materialism.

Question 2

Pop Culture perspective 2

Answer 2

Adorno - neo marxist, argues that pop culture serves needs of capitalism, distracting us from inequalities from society.
Buying stuff also helps capitalism

Question 3

Multiculturalism

Answer 3

Barker - 2003 multicultural societies should celebrate differences - the debate is how far British society celebrates or tolerates differences (British values taught in schools are hypocritical)

Question 4

Global culture

Answer 4

McLuhan (1989) cultural homogeneity is a key feature of society and the world has become like a ‘global village’ in other words the world is smaller than it used to be (internet etc)

Question 5

Consumer culture

Answer 5

Lury (1996) features of consumer culture include:

• Availability of a wider range of consumer goods
• Shopping is seen as a leisure activity
• There are different ways to shop e.g at a shopping centre, online local shops etc
• Packading and promotion of goods is seen as an industry in its own right

Question 6

Global culture

Answer 6

Global culture emerged due to increases travel and technological advances which means that cultural media can be shared around the world.

McLuhan (1989) cultural homogeneity is a key feature of society and the world has become like a ‘global village’ – in other words, the world is smaller than it used to be.

Question 7

Consumer culture

Answer 7

Lury (1996)

Features of consumer culture include;
Availability of a wider range of consumer goods
Shopping is seen as a leisure activity
There are different ways to shop e.g. at a shopping centre, online, local shops etc.
Being in debt is accepted as the norm
Packaging and promotion of goods is seen as an industry in its own right.

Question 8

Cultural hybridity

Answer 8

Hybridity – refers to the idea of two or more cultures merging together – for example in individuals with dual heritage, or people who live in an area of cultural diversity.

Question 9

Cultural homogenisation

Answer 9

McDonaldisation – Ritzer

Where culture in society has become standardised due the globalisation

Question 10

Socialisation

Answer 10

Parsons & Murdock – one of the main functions of the family is primary socialisation

Jackson – lads & ladettes (peers & education)

McRobbie(1970s) – Media and gender role socialisation – girls magazine Jackie showed the important of girls valuing romance and getting and keeping a man.

Currie (1999) – analysed the content of teen magazines and found a dramatic increase in content emphasising the importance of beautification.

Question 11

Primary socialisation

Answer 11

Murdock - Family as an agent of socialisation – family socialised us into the norms and values of society – leads to society developing a collective consciousness which is essential for the smooth running of society.

Oakley – gender role socialisation – manipulation, canalisation etc.

Benston – Marxist feminist – refers to the family socialising its members according to capitalist values – passing on false class consciousness.

Delphy & Leonard – radical feminist – the family socialises us according to patriarchal values, leaving women to accept their assigned gender roles as subordinate to men in the household. Women accept the have to cook, clean and submit to the sexual needs of men as they observe this as children int eh family.

Question 12

Secondary socialisation

Answer 12

Peers – Jackson – Lads & Ladettes

Skelton & Francis – studies children in primary schools and found that play was very gendered – boys played with boys and girls played with girls

Education - Jackson – Lads & Ladettes

Bowles & Gintis – Marxist sociologists who thought there was a ‘hidden curriculum’ in schools – schools teach us the values of capitalism and brainwash children so they don’t realise they’re being exploited and accept their place in society.

Religion
Religion may be more important for some groups in society – Modood & Berthoud (1997) found that 67% of Pakistanis and Bangladehsis saw religion as ‘very important’ compared to 5% of white British youth. This is likely to be because religion is tied up with identity of minority groups.

Ghuman (1999) found that religion plays a more important role in 2nd generation Asians – linking them with a ‘home’ identity beyond the UK.

Media – McRobbie (1970s) – gender role socialisation in Jackie magazine

Currie (1999) – analysed the content of teen magazines and found a dramatic increase in content emphasising the importance of beautification.

The media represents social groups in a particular way – Mulvey (1975) refers to the ‘male gaze’, referring to the idea that the media is shot from a man’s perspective, reinforcing patriarchal views and objectifying women.

Religion – Woodhead (2007) argues that religion and religious dress is an important part of individuals identity – she points to young Muslim women and argues that ‘headscarf chic’ is an important for young women’s identities.

Workplace – Hatter – ‘Dads on Dads. Hatter found that the workplace plays ‘lip service’ to allowing Dads to take a role in childcare, but in reality men were not encouraged to take paternity leave or change their working hours, suggesting traditional gender roles where men are the breadwinners are still the norm.