Pop culture and identity

• Popular culture is rubbish - in terms of taste it's awful, as an object of study it's irrelevant.

  • Distinction between high and low/popular culture is a fake binary that stems from judgement. High culture has more to do with its audience (class/Status) than content. It's the culture a society values associated with its higher classes and long-held traditions
  • Some culture can be of great value in education. Some designed specifically; there can be media controversy
• Teachers need to be up to date with student cultures.

  • Distinction between teacher and student cultures are mutually exclusive as both groups as consumers of popular culture featuring areas of overlap.
  • They have to know enough to use it but maintain a professional relationship. Useful for teachers To be aware without having to be consumers
• Popular culture has no place in the classroom.

  • Can have a worthy place within classrooms if used deftly. It can engage students, develop learning and reasoning skills and show how aspects of identity are often formed within a vocabulary of choices in popular culture
• Conservative approach:

  • Classical music, canonical literature, historical figures. Pop culture is seen as irrelevant and tacky/worthless. Kept out of education where possible or used uncritically as entertainment.
  • When used in education its mainstream dominant perspectives, constructed from a white, male, ruling class, heterosexist perspective
• Liberal approach:

  • Pop culture is less then high culture but is used as a stepping stone. Engaging students through a little pop culture.
  • Traditional stories made more relatable and new ways to watch content. Teachers may use students prior knowledge of pop culture to teach knowledge/ skills
• Critical approach:

  • Critiques mainstream identity reproduction in pop culture. Privileges alternate identity-based and social justice themed culture sources/types representing alternative group perspectives in schools
  • Pop culture with an alternate identity or perspective to what's found in mainstream is used.
  • Teachers allow students to use and critique popular culture and its ability to influence identity in assessments
• Postmodern approach:

  • Critiques mainstream identity production in popular culture from many groups perspectives. Privileges multiple culture sources/types.
  • Meme culture is in itself post-modern