3.1.3

Popular Culture

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Popular Culture

There is a weakening of the distinction between high and low/mass/popular culture.

Popular culture

Popular culture

The term popular culture is often used to refer to mass culture and includes most elements of mass culture but in a more positive way.
Popular culture includes products drawn from high cultures, such as film adaptations of classic literature or the mass reproduction of fine art or street art by artists such as Banksy.

The weakening distinction

The weakening distinction

Postmodernists (e.g. Strinati) have argued that the distinction between these different types of culture is weakening and disappearing, and suggest a number of factors as to why this might be the case.
Due to modern technology (e.g. new media and the Internet), mass markets and global travel, people are now able to consume a variety of cultural forms without having to visit specialist institutions.

Commercialising high culture

Commercialising high culture

High culture has become popularised and commercialised.
High culture institutions such as museums and art galleries have been forced to make high culture more enticing to the general public due to financial constraints.

Choice

High culture has now become part of popular culture with respect to Hollywood movies, classical movies used in video games, advertising and the popularisation of artists such as Andy Warhol and Banksy.
People now have greater access to and choose between all forms of culture and often select a pick ‘n’ mix of different forms.

1

Theory & Methods

2

Education with Methods in Context

2.1

Role & Function of the Education System

2.1.1Introduction 2.1.2Functionalist Theories 2.1.3Marxist & Feminist Theories 2.1.4The New Right

2.2

Educational Achievement

2.2.1Social Class: Internal Factors 2.2.2Social Class: External Factors 2.2.3Social Class: Attitudes to Education 2.2.4Social Class: Difference in Achievement 2.2.5Gender 2.2.6Ethnicity

2.3

Relationships & Processes Within Schools

2.3.1Processes 2.3.2Labelling 2.3.3Categorisations 2.3.4Student Experience 2.3.5End of Topic Test -Education with Methods

2.4

Educational Policies

2.4.1Equality 2.4.2Privatisation 2.4.3Marketisation 2.4.4Government Policies by Party 2.4.5Globalisation 2.4.6End of Topic Test- Educational Policies 2.4.7Practice Exam Question - Social Policies

3

Option 1: Culture & Identity

4

Option 1: Families & Households

4.1

Families & Households

4.1.1Definitions 4.1.2Functionalist & New Right Perspectives 4.1.3Marxist & Feminist Perspectives 4.1.4Postmodernist Perspective 4.1.5End of Topic Test - Families & Households 4.1.6Practice Exam Question - Function of Family

4.2

Changing Patterns

4.2.1Marriage 4.2.2Divorce 4.2.3LAT Relationships 4.2.4Child-Bearing 4.2.5Lone Parenthood 4.2.6Diversity 4.2.7The Sociology of Personal Life 4.2.8Government Policies Post-WW2 4.2.9End of Topic Test - Changing Patterns

4.3

The Symmetrical Family

4.3.1The Symmetrical Family 4.3.2Evaluation

4.4

Children & Childhood

4.4.1Childhood 4.4.2Childhood in the UK 4.4.3Childhood as a Social Construct 4.4.4The Disappearance of Childhood 4.4.5Child Abuse 4.4.6Domestic Violence 4.4.7End of Topic Test - Family & Childhood

4.5

Demographic Trends UK

4.5.1Introduction 4.5.2Birth Rates 4.5.3Death Rates 4.5.4The Ageing Population 4.5.5Studies on the Ageing Population 4.5.6Migration 4.5.7Globalisation 4.5.8End of Topic Test - Demographics UK

5

Option 1: Health

5.1

Social Constructions

5.1.1The Body 5.1.2Health, Illness & Disease 5.1.3Disability 5.1.4Models of Health & Illness 5.1.5End of Topic Test - Social Constructions

5.2

Social Distribution of Healthcare

5.2.1Social Class 5.2.2Gender 5.2.3Ethnicity 5.2.4Regional

5.3

Provision & Access to Healthcare

5.3.1The NHS 5.3.2Inequalities in Provision 5.3.3Sociological Explanations 5.3.4Inequalities in Access 5.3.5Inequalities in Access 2 5.3.6End of Topic Test - Distribution Health

5.4

Mental Health

5.4.1The Biomedical Approach 5.4.2Social Patterns 5.4.3Social Constructionist Approach

5.5

The Globalised Health Industry

5.5.1The Functionalist Approach 5.5.2The Postmodernist Approach 5.5.3The Globalised Health Industry 5.5.4End of Topic Test - Mental Health & Globalisation

6

Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

6.1

Poverty & Wealth

6.1.1Types of Poverty 6.1.2Types of Poverty 2 6.1.3Distribution of Wealth UK 6.1.4Sociological Theories 6.1.5Sociological Theories 2 6.1.6Distribution of Poverty UK 6.1.7End of Topic Test - Poverty & Wealth

6.2

Welfare

6.2.1The Welfare State 6.2.2Theoretical Approaches to Welfare

6.3

Labour Process

6.3.1Nature of Work 6.3.2Technology & Control 6.3.3Work & Life 6.3.4The Effects of Globalisation 6.3.5Globalisation & Worklessness 6.3.6End of Topic Test - Welfare & Labour

7

Option 2: Beliefs in Society

7.1

Ideology, Science & Religion

7.1.1Types of Religion 7.1.2Ideology & Belief Systems 7.1.3Social Stability & Religion 7.1.4Social Change & Religion 7.1.5End of Topic Test - Ideology, Science & Religion

7.2

Religious Movements

7.2.1Religious Organisations 7.2.2New Religious Movements 7.2.3New Age Movements 7.2.4Practice Exam Question - Growth of NRMs

7.3

Society & Religion

7.3.1Social Groups & Religion 7.3.2Gender & Religion 7.3.3End of Topic Test- Religious Movements & Society

7.4

Contemporary Religion

7.4.1Secularisation UK 7.4.2Against Secularisation 7.4.3Secularisation US 7.4.4Fundamentalism 7.4.5Economic Development & Religion 7.4.6End of Topic - Contemporary Religion

8

Option 2: Global Development

8.1

Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality

8.1.1Development 8.1.2Underdevelopment & Global Inequality

8.2

Globalisation & Global Organisations

8.2.1Globalisation 8.2.2Transnational Corporations & International Agency 8.2.3Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

8.3

Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation

8.3.1Development: Aid & Trade 8.3.2Development: Industrialisation & Urbanisation 8.3.3Development: Environment & War

9

Option 2: The Media

9.1

Contemporary Media

9.1.1New Media 9.1.2Control of the Media 9.1.3Sociological Approaches: New Media 9.1.4Globalisation 9.1.5News Selection 9.1.6Moral Panics 9.1.7End of Topic Test - Contemporary Media

9.2

Media Representations

9.2.1Age 9.2.2Social Class & Ethnicity 9.2.3Gender 9.2.4Sexuality & Disability 9.2.5Practice Exam Questions - Presentation of Women

9.3

Audiences

9.3.1Media Theories 9.3.2Media Theories 2 9.3.3Media Representations & Audiences

10

Crime & Deviance

10.1

Crime & Society

10.1.1Functionalism 10.1.2Subcultural Theory 10.1.3Marxism 10.1.4Realism 10.1.5Other Approaches 10.1.6End of Topic Test - Crime & Society 10.1.7Practice Exam Questions - Social Construction

10.2

Social Distribution of Crime

10.2.1Ethnicity 10.2.2Gender 10.2.3Globalisation & Crime 10.2.4Media & Crime 10.2.5Types of Crimes 10.2.6End of Topic Test - Social Distribution of Crime

10.3

Prevention & Punishment

10.3.1Surveillance 10.3.2Prevention 10.3.3Punishment 10.3.4Victimology 10.3.5End of Topic Test - Prevention & Punishment

Jump to other topics

1

Theory & Methods

2

Education with Methods in Context

2.1

Role & Function of the Education System

2.1.1Introduction 2.1.2Functionalist Theories 2.1.3Marxist & Feminist Theories 2.1.4The New Right

2.2

Educational Achievement

2.2.1Social Class: Internal Factors 2.2.2Social Class: External Factors 2.2.3Social Class: Attitudes to Education 2.2.4Social Class: Difference in Achievement 2.2.5Gender 2.2.6Ethnicity

2.3

Relationships & Processes Within Schools

2.3.1Processes 2.3.2Labelling 2.3.3Categorisations 2.3.4Student Experience 2.3.5End of Topic Test -Education with Methods

2.4

Educational Policies

2.4.1Equality 2.4.2Privatisation 2.4.3Marketisation 2.4.4Government Policies by Party 2.4.5Globalisation 2.4.6End of Topic Test- Educational Policies 2.4.7Practice Exam Question - Social Policies

3

Option 1: Culture & Identity

4

Option 1: Families & Households

4.1

Families & Households

4.1.1Definitions 4.1.2Functionalist & New Right Perspectives 4.1.3Marxist & Feminist Perspectives 4.1.4Postmodernist Perspective 4.1.5End of Topic Test - Families & Households 4.1.6Practice Exam Question - Function of Family

4.2

Changing Patterns

4.2.1Marriage 4.2.2Divorce 4.2.3LAT Relationships 4.2.4Child-Bearing 4.2.5Lone Parenthood 4.2.6Diversity 4.2.7The Sociology of Personal Life 4.2.8Government Policies Post-WW2 4.2.9End of Topic Test - Changing Patterns

4.3

The Symmetrical Family

4.3.1The Symmetrical Family 4.3.2Evaluation

4.4

Children & Childhood

4.4.1Childhood 4.4.2Childhood in the UK 4.4.3Childhood as a Social Construct 4.4.4The Disappearance of Childhood 4.4.5Child Abuse 4.4.6Domestic Violence 4.4.7End of Topic Test - Family & Childhood

4.5

Demographic Trends UK

4.5.1Introduction 4.5.2Birth Rates 4.5.3Death Rates 4.5.4The Ageing Population 4.5.5Studies on the Ageing Population 4.5.6Migration 4.5.7Globalisation 4.5.8End of Topic Test - Demographics UK

5

Option 1: Health

5.1

Social Constructions

5.1.1The Body 5.1.2Health, Illness & Disease 5.1.3Disability 5.1.4Models of Health & Illness 5.1.5End of Topic Test - Social Constructions

5.2

Social Distribution of Healthcare

5.2.1Social Class 5.2.2Gender 5.2.3Ethnicity 5.2.4Regional

5.3

Provision & Access to Healthcare

5.3.1The NHS 5.3.2Inequalities in Provision 5.3.3Sociological Explanations 5.3.4Inequalities in Access 5.3.5Inequalities in Access 2 5.3.6End of Topic Test - Distribution Health

5.4

Mental Health

5.4.1The Biomedical Approach 5.4.2Social Patterns 5.4.3Social Constructionist Approach

5.5

The Globalised Health Industry

5.5.1The Functionalist Approach 5.5.2The Postmodernist Approach 5.5.3The Globalised Health Industry 5.5.4End of Topic Test - Mental Health & Globalisation

6

Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare

6.1

Poverty & Wealth

6.1.1Types of Poverty 6.1.2Types of Poverty 2 6.1.3Distribution of Wealth UK 6.1.4Sociological Theories 6.1.5Sociological Theories 2 6.1.6Distribution of Poverty UK 6.1.7End of Topic Test - Poverty & Wealth

6.2

Welfare

6.2.1The Welfare State 6.2.2Theoretical Approaches to Welfare

6.3

Labour Process

6.3.1Nature of Work 6.3.2Technology & Control 6.3.3Work & Life 6.3.4The Effects of Globalisation 6.3.5Globalisation & Worklessness 6.3.6End of Topic Test - Welfare & Labour

7

Option 2: Beliefs in Society

7.1

Ideology, Science & Religion

7.1.1Types of Religion 7.1.2Ideology & Belief Systems 7.1.3Social Stability & Religion 7.1.4Social Change & Religion 7.1.5End of Topic Test - Ideology, Science & Religion

7.2

Religious Movements

7.2.1Religious Organisations 7.2.2New Religious Movements 7.2.3New Age Movements 7.2.4Practice Exam Question - Growth of NRMs

7.3

Society & Religion

7.3.1Social Groups & Religion 7.3.2Gender & Religion 7.3.3End of Topic Test- Religious Movements & Society

7.4

Contemporary Religion

7.4.1Secularisation UK 7.4.2Against Secularisation 7.4.3Secularisation US 7.4.4Fundamentalism 7.4.5Economic Development & Religion 7.4.6End of Topic - Contemporary Religion

8

Option 2: Global Development

8.1

Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality

8.1.1Development 8.1.2Underdevelopment & Global Inequality

8.2

Globalisation & Global Organisations

8.2.1Globalisation 8.2.2Transnational Corporations & International Agency 8.2.3Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

8.3

Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation

8.3.1Development: Aid & Trade 8.3.2Development: Industrialisation & Urbanisation 8.3.3Development: Environment & War

9

Option 2: The Media

9.1

Contemporary Media

9.1.1New Media 9.1.2Control of the Media 9.1.3Sociological Approaches: New Media 9.1.4Globalisation 9.1.5News Selection 9.1.6Moral Panics 9.1.7End of Topic Test - Contemporary Media

9.2

Media Representations

9.2.1Age 9.2.2Social Class & Ethnicity 9.2.3Gender 9.2.4Sexuality & Disability 9.2.5Practice Exam Questions - Presentation of Women

9.3

Audiences

9.3.1Media Theories 9.3.2Media Theories 2 9.3.3Media Representations & Audiences

10

Crime & Deviance

10.1

Crime & Society

10.1.1Functionalism 10.1.2Subcultural Theory 10.1.3Marxism 10.1.4Realism 10.1.5Other Approaches 10.1.6End of Topic Test - Crime & Society 10.1.7Practice Exam Questions - Social Construction

10.2

Social Distribution of Crime

10.2.1Ethnicity 10.2.2Gender 10.2.3Globalisation & Crime 10.2.4Media & Crime 10.2.5Types of Crimes 10.2.6End of Topic Test - Social Distribution of Crime

10.3

Prevention & Punishment

10.3.1Surveillance 10.3.2Prevention 10.3.3Punishment 10.3.4Victimology 10.3.5End of Topic Test - Prevention & Punishment

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Mass Culture

Global Culture