Transcript A Functionalist Approach to Popular Culture

Soc. 118
Media, Culture & Society
Chapter 2
Friday Night Lights:
A Functionalist Approach
to Popular Culture
Chapter 2: Overview
 Foundations of Functionalism
 Rituals of Solidarity and Social Cohesion
 Popular Culture as a Resource for Public
Reflection
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Video: “Friday Night Lights”
 Rituals of Rebellion in Popular Culture
 The Darker Functions of Popular Culture
The Functionalist Approach
 What is social use or function of media and popular culture?
 The glue that helps hold modern society together
 Foundations
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Early sociology
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Focus on rapid social change during Industrial Revolution
Emile Durkheim -- "The Elementary Forms of Religious Life"
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The role of religion in function of society
 Focus on symbols, rituals and beliefs
The Functionalist Approach
 Basic Elements:
1.
Shared symbols and images
Represent s collective conscience of group
2.
Imagined boundaries between the sacred and profane
Rituals reinforce distinctions between us and them
3.
Rituals generate collective effervescence
Shared sense of identity, people swept up in unity
The Functionalist Approach
 Ancient societies held together by religion
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Concerns about solidarity in modern society
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Pluralist
Secular
What social glue binds diverse people together?
 Rituals of Solidarity and Social Cohesion
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Symbols foster collective attachments
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Serves as a civic religion
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National identity, pride
Special times and places
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Team regalia
Collective behavior
Generate collective effervescence among participants
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Social solidarity with strangers
Popular Culture as a Resource
for Public Reflection
 Universal themes and stories
 Fables, fairy tales, morality plays
 Culture of celebrity
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Mythical archetypes, extreme attributes
Gossip, water-cooler talk, scoops
 Sports as a reflection on human condition
 Perennial narratives or evergreens
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Tales of triumph, loss, grace, virtue
Discussions on inequality
The human body and its limits
Video Presentation:
“Friday Night Lights”
The Functionalist Approach
 Rituals of Rebellion
in Popular Culture
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Means of protest
Letting off steam or
moral holidays
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Examples: Mardi
Gras, Halloween,
celebrity roasts,
political satire
Actual purpose to
solidify social order
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No real change
 The Darker Functions
of Popular Culture
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Reinforces status quo
Trivial distraction
Profit driven
Glorifies wrong values
Leads to mob mentality