Sociology 101Sociology 101

Chapter 2

Culture

2/35

CultureCulture The sum total of human creations Two Types

– Material Culture– Non-material Culture

Language Symbols Customs Norms: Specific rules for governing behavior Roles: Collections of norms associated with

particular positions in a group or society Values: The ultimate aims and most general

standards for assessing good and bad

3/35

Core American ValuesCore American Values

Racism and GroupSuperiority

Racism and GroupSuperiority

Freedomand LibertyFreedom

and Liberty

Morality andHumanitarianism

Morality andHumanitarianism

EqualityEquality

Efficiency andPracticality

Efficiency andPracticality

Progress and Material ComfortProgress and

Material Comfort

Science andTechnology

Science andTechnology

Activity andWork

Activity andWork

Achievementand Success

Achievementand Success

IndividualismIndividualism

10Core

AmericanValues

10Core

AmericanValues

4/35

Multiculturalism And Multiculturalism And SubculturesSubcultures

A society may have several cultures (Multiculturalism)

Subcultures are cultures within cultures– These cultures often have a distinctive set of

beliefs, morals, customs, etc.

5/35

Advantages And DisadvantagesAdvantages And DisadvantagesAdvantages...

– Subcultures contribute to the overall American Mosaic

African American contributions to art as an example

Disadvantages– Tensions may occur when some subcultures

attempt to impose their values and beliefs on others

Fundamentalist religious groups or strident atheist groups as example

– Often serves as the basis for ascribed status, prejudice and discrimination

Ethnocentrism:

Judging other cultures as being inferior because you

compare them to your own.

Ethnocentrism:

Judging other cultures as being inferior because you

compare them to your own.

7/35

Strategies...Strategies...

What strategies might subcultures have in response to prejudice and discrimination?– Assimilation

Irish-Americans

– Accommodation Catholics and Protestants

– Resistance The Amish

8/35

High & Popular CultureHigh & Popular Culture

High Culture – Consists of classical music, opera, ballet, live theater, and other

activities usually patronized by elite audiences Popular Culture

– Consists of activities, products, and services that are assumed to appeal primarily to members of the middle and working classes.

Questions:– Is popular culture merely entertainment?– Can popular culture be used as a form of accommodation,

assimilation, or resistance toward a dominant culture? An Example… Christian Popular Culture

9/35

The Christian Popular Culture The Christian Popular Culture IndustryIndustry

An industry that has emerged to produce “Christian” popular culture for mostly evangelical Christian consumption

10/35

Industry FactsIndustry Facts

Somewhere between a 4-5 billion dollar per year industry

Around 900 producers/suppliersAround 7,000 Christian retailers

around the country

11/35

An evangelical ideology provides the foundation for the industry– The inerrancy of Scripture– The Deity of Christ– The importance of Christ for salvation– The importance of evangelism

Individuals in this industry feel they should evangelize and minister as well as entertain and make a profit

"For those musicians and for the people at Myrrh, music isn't just a business--it's a ministry whereby the good news of Christ can be shared over and over. Myrrh: where the music is today and the message is forever." (Myrrh records slogan in 1977)

"There's a difference between a man's vocation or skill and his ministry gift. If I was (sic) just an entertainer, I'd have no problem charging for concerts--but ministry is different." (Keith Green, musician)

Veggie TalesVeggie Tales 2002 2002

21 million copies sold since 1994

Left Behind Series of NovelsLeft Behind Series of Novels

Has sold around 32 million copies since 1995

TestamintsTestamints

BibleManBibleMan

T-ShirtT-Shirt

Amy Grant CD Cover – 1982Amy Grant CD Cover – 1982

P.O.DP.O.D

21/35

How would each of the theoretical perspectives analyze/view culture?

How would each view Christian popular culture?