Category: Sociology of Culture

Gender & Sexuality / Race & Ethnicity Studies / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

When the private becomes so very public: The case of Caster Semenya

By Rachael Liberman As the controversy surrounding 18-year-old  Caster Semenya’s gender (note the incorrect usage of “gender” as opposed to “sex”) verification test continues to raise questions about racism and sexism, issues of humiliation and trauma have surfaced as well. London’s The Guardian quoted Leonard Chuene, head of Athletics South Africa, as saying, “If gender tests have to take place, they should have been done quietly. It is a taboo subject. How can a girl live with this stigma? By...

Gender & Sexuality / Sociology of Culture

Economic Remedies for Discrimination?

hOne of the most popular (and frankly, easiest) methods of confronting issues of violence and discrimination among women and children has been financial assistance.  In the recent special article in the New York Times, “women” are categorically viewed as the great moral challenge of the 21st century (see article below).  Apart from the inherently problematic nature of presenting women as a monolithic and undifferentiated category, there is a more fundamental issue at stake.  Attention to issues of discrimination, physical and...

Political & Economic Sociology / Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

Meaning in the Eye of the Beholder

by bmckernan A recent Op-Ed in the NY Times by conservative columnist Ross Douthat on Judd Apatow’s comedy Funny People serves as a unique illustration of one of Stuart Hall’s key insights – the heterogeneity of a cultural text. In explaining the negative critical reception to the film in some circles, Douthat suggests that the movie embraces social conservative values during a time when such beliefs are no longer popular.

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication / Sociology of Organizations & Work

The Authentic Fake Meaningful Experience

by NickieWild It’s been over seven years since Naomi Klein published No Logo, which explored the backlash against large multinational corporations. Brand identities such as Nike became increasingly associated with sweatshops instead of what the company wanted everyone to feel when they saw the ever-present “swoosh” logo. Wal-Mart became associated with union busting instead of low prices. Can this phenomenon explain why Starbucks recently “re-branded” one of their Seattle coffee shops with no brand at all? This move is most...

Gender & Sexuality / Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

Regulating airbrushing and the potential for disarming the advertising industry

By Rachael Liberman In an effort to put airbrushing on the legislative agenda, MP Jo Swinson and the Lib Dems in the United Kingdom have put a proposal together that would make feminist media scholars jump for joy: ban airbrushed ads aimed at those under sixteen and clearly indicate airbrushed ads aimed at adults. Swinson was quoted as saying, “Today’s unrealistic idea of what is beautiful means that young girls are under more pressure not than they were even five...

Political & Economic Sociology / Race & Ethnicity Studies / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance

Guilty as Charged: Prisoners and "Democracy"

The ongoing debate regarding the voting rights of prisoners integrates two fundamental political and philosophical questions: what constitutes an individual as a human and what is democracy?  Though we know that there are many instances in which human status is denied (refugees, genocide, mass rape, etc.), we rarely question the tenets of our democratic political structure.  Can we call ourselves a democracy when universal franchise is only extended to certain populations?  It seems troubling that prisoners must be tried, convicted,...

Political & Economic Sociology / Race & Ethnicity Studies / Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

Imaginary Worlds

by ChristinaBlunt In an effort to reinvigorate the Fatah movement, Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas launched the party’s first congress in 20 years. In what was described as a lively two-hour speech, Abbas maintained the right of the Palestinian people to resist occupation and praised non-violent opposition. He proclaimed the need to find, “a new organization, a new party, and a new political language.” Notably, Israel permitted delegates from throughout the Arab world to attend the Congress, including Lebanon and...

Class & Stratification / Gender & Sexuality / Race & Ethnicity Studies / Science & Technology / Sociology of Culture

Veiled Beauty: Saudi Arabia and Plastic Surgery

by NickieWild As Westerners, it is difficult for us to imagine a situation where women are regarded as the mysterious “Other” more than in Saudi Arabia, where wearing the hijab is required and what we consider basic rights, such as full employment and driving privileges, are not universal. There, Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of a gendered hierarchy is unusually present. Thus, it might seem strange to learn that plastic surgery procedures in that country are on the rise for women....

Political & Economic Sociology / Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

The new "old" music industry

by bmckernan A recent article in the NY Times highlights a potential major shift currently ensuing within the music industry. As the article reports, while in the past most musicians depended on the support of a major record label if they ever hoped of gaining access to a large audience and becoming financially successful, today many artists have the potential to achieve the same goals independently courtesy of digitalization and online distribution. If this trend continues, it may be possible...

Gender & Sexuality / Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

Mainstream media outlets prove once again that they're not interested in cultural analysis

By Rachael Liberman When high-end retailer Barneys New York decided to remove their controversial window display on July 22nd, media outlets were literally handed a story that involved high fashion, violence against women, corporate marketing, and artistic integrity. Instead, many outlets, including the LA Times and the Chicago Tribune, abandoned a cultural critique and ran what the AP wire distributed. As a consequence, what could have been a discussion and inquiry into the social condition of gender and violence was...

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture

The Strength of Racialized Institutions: Words from a "Black" President

One of the most interesting aspects of the reaction to President Obama’s comments regarding the arrest of Professor Gates is the focus on his race.  While clearly prompted by personal experiences, is it not also possible that Obama was simply voicing an opinion, not an opinion from a black President?  The New York Times article (see below) opens with the statement, “Americans got a rare glimpse Wednesday night of what is means to have a black president in the Oval...

Race & Ethnicity Studies / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

Racist Language in the U.S.: Alive, But Not Well

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giS0382sFjw] by NickieWild Is racist language still acceptable in the United States? As with most things in social science, the answer depends on the situation and people involved. Recently, the television program on the CBS network “Big Brother” self-censored an episode where two contestants used a derogatory term to describe fellow contestants who were of Mexican descent, as well as making anti-gay remarks. Compare this incident with former Georgia Senator and Governor Zell Miller’s statement that President Obama should be...

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture

The Economy as a Cultural Scandal

nmccoy1 The economic “crisis” receives attention on a twenty-four hour cycle of intense scrutiny, speculation, and news coverage.  And though there is no doubt that the economy is in a recession, the spectacle of scandal has shadowed every step of the decline.  Rather than reading the scapegoating and blame game as a political process, Mark Jacobs asks us to recontextualize scandal itself as a cultural and social construction. Scandals are more than media explosions and the uncovering of secrets, they...

Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

Pop Icons as a Text

by bmckernan While most of us have most likely had our fill of news stories related to the tragic death of pop icon Michael Jackson courtesy of the media’s seemingly daily obsession with the story, a recent blog post by games journalist Jeremy Parish at 1up.com provides some rather unique cultural insight into Michael Jackson reminiscent of Raymond William’s notion of a society or social group’s “structure of feeling.”

Social Movements / Social Change / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance

High Court Decriminalizes Homosexual Acts

by smteixeirapoit In India, Section 377 of the colonial penal code described homosexual acts as “carnal intercourse against the order of nature”. Additionally, the penal code decreed that homosexual acts were punishable by a ten year prison sentence. Recently, the Delhi High Court overturned this 148-year-old law, thereby decriminalizing homosexuality. When learning about inequality in sociology courses, many undergraduate students challenge whether inequality exists. Some argue that once a country’s legal system promotes equality, inequality becomes eradicated. The decriminalization of...

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture

Cultural Politics and The Politics of Culture

The British and Greek negotiations over the ownership of art pieces from the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles) illustrates the interconnection of culture and politics.  Claims of authenticity, rightful ownership, display and the handling of artistic pieces are always essentially political.  Ministers of Culture are appointed by heads of state, certain kinds of art are recognized as “national treasures” while others are banned or ignored for subversive contents.  The recent dispute (see article below) over the Elgin Marbles...