Blogs

Comments and Criticisms: “The Politics and Semiotics of the Smallest Icons of Popular Culture: Latin American Postage Stamps” by Jack Child

One of the symptoms of academia’s struggle with defining popular culture is the inclusion and exclusion of many ideas and peoples. What this article made my question is the loose incorporation of stamps as Jack Child argues into the “what is popular culture?” discourse. Ultimately, after reading the Child article, I’m left unconvinced that it […]

Revolutionary Tears of Pancho Villa

What struck me most about Andrea Noble’s chapter was the role played by cameras in the emotional depiction of early 20th century caudillo, Pancho Villa. An emotional Mexican revolutionary is one thing, but the “mediatization” (264) of his tearful displays throughout his life seemed to bring him to somewhat of a ‘movie star’ status, in […]

These Tears are For You

Being a very emotional person, the title of Andrea Noble’s article “The Politics of Emotion in the Mexican Revolution: The…

What came first? The person or the culture?

Popular culture, in short, is a way of life or culture that is created and enjoyed by ordinary people. For example, this includes common dances, religions, and foods within a particular region. What is clear from the readings and viewings in the course so far is that just as culture is shaped by individuals, individuals …

Week 2: What is Popular Culture? – Stamps and Tears

I had never thought of stamps as having any cultural significance before doing this weeks readings. Sure I have seen plenty of them, I have even bought stamps many times in my life but never have I really paid attention to them. I think most stamps I’ve seen here in Finland are ones that have […]

Week 1: Thoughts on Black orpheus

The first thing that jumped out to me when watching black Orpheus was the title sequence breaking into the Brazilians dancing. This abrupt and loud transition is something that I haven’t really seen that many times in a movie. It seems like the movie is trying to tell us from the very beginning what it …