POPC 1650

culture

The overall system of values and traditions shared by a group of people. (Not exactly synonymous with “society,” which can include numerous cultures within its boundaries. A culture encompasses the worldviews of those who belong to it.

popular culture

That segment of a culture that incorporates the activities of everyday life, including the consumption of consumer goods and the production/enjoyment of mass-produced entertainments

high culture

The products of the elite arts, including classical music, literature, drama, opera, painting, & sculpture

mass culture

A subset of pop culture that includes the popular entertainments that are commercially produced for widespread consumption.

mass media

The means of communication, often controlled by the culture industry, that includes newspapers, popular magazines, radio, TV, film, & the Internet.

cultural pluralism

The condition in which minority groups participate fully in the dominant society, yet maintain their cultural differences. (The smaller groups maintain their unique cultural identities/values/practices and are accepted by the wider culture.)

dominant culture

The group within a multicultural society whose traditions, values, & beliefs are held to be normative, as the European tradition is the dominant culture in the USA.

archetype

A recurring character type or plot pattern found in literature, mythology, & pop culture.

icon

A figure (often a celebrity) who enjoys a commanding or representative place in popular culture.

canon

Books or works that are considered essential to a literary tradition, as the plays of Shakespeare are part of the canon of English literature.

mythology

The overall framework of values & beliefs incorporated in a given cultural system or worldview.

culture industry

The commercial forces behind the production of mass culture or entertainment.

ideology

The beliefs, interests, & values that determine one’s interpretations or judgments and are often associated with one’s social class.