Diffusion of Popular Diffusion of Popular CultureCulture

““Why is it so widely Why is it so widely distributed?”distributed?”

Diffusion of popular housing, Diffusion of popular housing, clothing, and foodclothing, and food

Rapid diffusion depends on a group of Rapid diffusion depends on a group of people having a sufficiently people having a sufficiently high level high level of economic developmentof economic development to acquire to acquire material possessionsmaterial possessions

Popular Housing StylesPopular Housing Styles

Housing demonstrates Housing demonstrates popular customs from the popular customs from the

time period, time period, e.g. post-war housing e.g. post-war housing versus early 1800s.versus early 1800s.

Modern House Styles Modern House Styles 1945 – 19601945 – 1960

1920s - 1930s –> Tudor-style 1920s - 1930s –> Tudor-style popular popular

1940s – 1950s -> Minimal tradition1940s – 1950s -> Minimal tradition 1950s – 1960s -> Ranch 1950s – 1960s -> Ranch 1950s – 1970s -> Split-level (newly 1950s – 1970s -> Split-level (newly

invented ‘family room’)invented ‘family room’)

1920s - 1930s 1920s - 1930s Tudor-styleTudor-style

1940s – 1950s 1940s – 1950s Minimal traditionMinimal tradition

1950s – 1960s 1950s – 1960s RanchRanch

1950s – 1970s 1950s – 1970s Split-level Split-level

Neo-Eclectic House Styles Neo-Eclectic House Styles (since 1960)(since 1960)

1960s-1970s -> 1960s-1970s -> MansardMansard (shingle covered (shingle covered roof and second-story walls)roof and second-story walls)

1970s -> 1970s -> Neo-TudorNeo-Tudor -> steep-pitched front -> steep-pitched front –facing gables and half timerbered –facing gables and half timerbered detailingdetailing

1970s – 1980s -> 1970s – 1980s -> Neo-FrenchNeo-French -> dormer -> dormer windows, usually with rounded tops and windows, usually with rounded tops and high-hipped roofs.high-hipped roofs.

See page 128See page 128

1960s-1970s 1960s-1970s Mansard Mansard

1970s 1970s Neo-Tudor Neo-Tudor

Neo-FrenchNeo-French

ClothingClothing

In MDCs, clothing represents In MDCs, clothing represents CULTURECULTURE & & OCCUPATIONSOCCUPATIONS, which , which also leads to also leads to INCOMEINCOME

Lawyer, business executive – dark business suitLawyer, business executive – dark business suit Doctors, factory workers, teachers, service Doctors, factory workers, teachers, service

industry, … all have their own ‘style’ or industry, … all have their own ‘style’ or ‘uniform’‘uniform’

Clothing con’tClothing con’t

Women’s clothing Women’s clothing changes changes every season, designer every season, designer knock-offs, knock-offs,

Globalization of clothing Globalization of clothing Styles have emerged as Styles have emerged as

people are seeing people are seeing clothes from around the clothes from around the world and designers world and designers begin integrating those begin integrating those ideas into their creationsideas into their creations

FoodFoodAlcohol and snack food:Alcohol and snack food:

The type of popular food will depend The type of popular food will depend on:on: Region (north US drink Canadian Whiskey, Region (north US drink Canadian Whiskey,

south drink bourbon, potato ships where south drink bourbon, potato ships where they grow potatoes, …) see map page 131they grow potatoes, …) see map page 131

Cultural background (Mormons, Baptists – Cultural background (Mormons, Baptists – don’t drink much)don’t drink much)

Malaysia – campfire snack is fried squid Malaysia – campfire snack is fried squid High income – caviar High income – caviar AdvertisingAdvertising

Role of televisionRole of television Watching is a significant popular Watching is a significant popular

custom because:custom because:1.1. the most important mechanism to the most important mechanism to

diffuse knowledge of popular culturediffuse knowledge of popular culture

2.2. the most popular leisure activity in the most popular leisure activity in MDCs throughout the worldMDCs throughout the world

TelevisionTelevision

Prior to WWII, TV was not very widespreadPrior to WWII, TV was not very widespread 1945 –10 000 in US households1945 –10 000 in US households 1949 – 1 million1949 – 1 million 1951 - 10 million1951 - 10 million 1959 - 50 million1959 - 50 million In 1954, the US had 83% of the world’s TV In 1954, the US had 83% of the world’s TV

sets. By end of 20th century, international sets. By end of 20th century, international differences had diminished.differences had diminished.

See page 133See page 133 – Televisions per 1 – Televisions per 1 000 inhabitants000 inhabitants

What implications does this map What implications does this map represent?represent?

InternetInternet

Follows a similar pattern as the Follows a similar pattern as the diffusion of television, but at a more diffusion of television, but at a more rapid pace. (US had a dominant hold, rapid pace. (US had a dominant hold, but this has now diminished)but this has now diminished)

The diffusion of television form US to The diffusion of television form US to the rest of the world took 50 years, the rest of the world took 50 years, whereas the diffusion of the Internet whereas the diffusion of the Internet has taken only 10 years.has taken only 10 years.

INTERNET con’tINTERNET con’t

See page 134See page 134 – Internet hosts per 1 – Internet hosts per 1 000 population000 population

What implications does this map What implications does this map represent?represent?

Government ControlGovernment Control

More government controls More government controls in LDCs and communist in LDCs and communist countries, less in MDCscountries, less in MDCs

Introduction of satellite Introduction of satellite television prevents a television prevents a government from taking government from taking total control. Satellite total control. Satellite dishes enable people to dishes enable people to choose from a wide choose from a wide variety of programs.variety of programs.

THE ENDTHE END