The Millennial Teacher:

Using
Pop Culture
in the Social Sciences
Definition of Terms
Who is a Millennial?

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What is Popular
Culture?
‐ Culture that is well-liked (demonstrated through sales)
‐ Icons or media products that are globally ubiquitous
‐ Mass culture (kulturang bakya)
‐ Belonging to the people (folk culture)
‐ Contemporary Music, Movies, Television, Video Games,
Social Media

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 Highbrow vs. Lowbrow Culture

‐ Highbrow ‐ Lowbrow
‐ Phrenological ‐ activites and
throwback when it amusements
was presumed lacking in virtue and
brow size (height of associated with
forehead) was sexuality and the
thought to be a lower half of the
marker of body
intelligence

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High Culture

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Low Culture

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 Taste

– one’s preference for particular styles of fashion, music, cinema

or other kinds of culture

Consumption

– the reception, interpretation and experience of culture

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Critical Approach to the Sociology of Pop Culture

‐ Critical approach maintains that the ascendance of certain

kinds of popular culture can be explained primarily in terms
of their ability to reflect and reinforce the enormous economic
and cultural power of the mass media industry (and broadly
capitalism itself). A top-down form of domination that we
actively seek out and enjoy in our subjugation.

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 “
Have you ever wondered why
movies or music seem
derivative and predictable?

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“

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Integrating Pop
Culture in the
Classroom
‐ Audiences draw on their own social circumstances
when attributing meaning and value to popular
culture. These meanings are patterned according to
persistent systems of social organization structured by
differences in socioeconomic status, nationality,
race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, or age.

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 Things to Consider

‐ Age-Appropriate
‐ Individually Appropriate
‐ Culturally Appropriate

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 Analyzing Pop Culture Artifacts

‐ What are the themes of the piece?

‐ What is the historical context of the piece?
‐ What is the contemporary context of the piece?

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Martial Law

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Star Wars and American Imperialism

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Black Panther and Colonialism

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Wild Flower and Philippine Politics

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Indigenous Culture and Bagani

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 Gender in Pop Culture

‐ “May Alak, May Balak”

‐ “Magasin”

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