Globalization and American Popular Culture

by Crothers, Lane

• ISBN13: 9780742566828
• ISBN10: 074256682X
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-08-30
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Pub Inc

Summary

Now in a fully revised and updated edition, this concise and insightful book explores the ways American popular products such as movies, music, television programs, fast food, sports, and even clothing styles have molded and continue to influence modern globalization. Lane Crothers offers a thoughtful examination of both the appeal of American products worldwide and the fear and rejection they induce in many people and nations around the world. The author defines what we mean by 'popular culture,' how popular culture is distinguished from the generic concept of 'culture,' and what constitutes 'American' popular culture. Tracing how U.S. movies, music, and TV became dominant in world popular culture, Crothers also considers the ways in which non-visual products like fast-food franchises, sports, and fashion have become ubiquitous. He also presents a fascinating set of case studies that highlight the varied roles American products play in a range of different nations and communities. Concluding with a projection of the future impact of American popular culture, this book makes a powerful argument for its central role in shaping global politics and economic development.

Author Biography

Lane Crothers is professor in the Department of politics and Government at Illinois State University.

Table of Contents

List of Tables	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
American Popular Culture and Globalization	p. 1
Popular Culture and Global Politics	p. 2
Understanding Culture, Popular Culture, and American Culture	p. 9
Anthropological Culture	p. 10
Popular Culture	p. 11
“American” Popular Culture	p. 14
Grasping Globalization	p. 17
Economic Globalization and American Popular Culture	p. 19
Political Globalization and American Popular Culture	p. 22
Cultural Globalization and American Popular Culture	p. 25
Conclusion	p. 30
“American” Popular Culture	p. 31
American Civic Culture and American Popular Culture I	p. 33
American Civic Culture and American Popular Culture II	p. 37
American Movies	p. 38
American Television	p. 46
American Music	p. 51
Formulas in American Popular Culture	p. 58
Conclusion	p. 73
The Global Scope of American Movies, Music, and Television	p. 75
Movies, Music, and Television: From the USA to the World	p. 75
The Development of the Modern American Movie, Music, and Television Industries	p. 82
The American Exception	p. 82
A Brief History of the Movie Industry	p. 85
A Brief History of the Recording Industry	p. 93
A Brief History of the Television Industry	p. 100
The Movie, Music, and Television Machine in the global Era	p. 107
Conclusion	p. 113
The American Global Cultural Franchise	p. 115
America, the Global Franchise	p. 116
A Brief History of the Franchise	p. 119
American Brands, Global Presence	p. 122
A Brief Global Cultural History of Coca-Cola	p. 123
A Brief Global Cultural History of McDonald's	p. 129
A Brief Global Cultural History of the Blue Jean	p. 136
The Emerging Global Cultural History of the NFL	p. 142
Everything, Everywhere, All the Time	p. 147
Conclusion	p. 149
Global Trade and the Fear of American Popular Culture	p. 151
Trading American Popular Culture	p. 152
The American Argument	p. 153
The Counter-American Argument	p. 156
Popular Culture in International Agreements	p. 159
GATT/WTO 1947-2009	p. 159
Popular Culture and the United Nations	p. 162
NAFTA	p. 166
American Popular Culture and Fragmegration in Four Countries	p. 168
France	p. 170
Iran	p. 172
Venezuela	p. 176
Hong Kong	p. 179
Conclusion	p. 182
American Popular Culture and the Future of Globalization	p. 183
Cultural Change, Hybridity, and American Popular Culture	p. 185
Types of Cultural Change	p. 186
Cultural Change as Cultural Hybridity	p. 192
Global Cultural Hybridity and American Popular Culture	p. 195
The Future of American Popular Culture and Globalization	p. 198
Conclusion	p. 206
Notes	p. 207
Recommended Readings	p. 221
Index	p. 231
About the Author	p. 243
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