popular culture workshop

A Pre-Departure Orientation Programon Contemporary British Culture

British Pop Culture in the 21British Pop Culture in the 21stst CenturyCentury

Be UK Hip!Be UK Hip!

Popular Culture in the U.K.

IntroductionIntroduction

Popular Culture in the U.K.

Pop MusicMediaBritish Society & Royal FamilyRugby & FootballImmigrant CommunitiesRaffle Prizes

Manic Pop Thrill:Manic Pop Thrill:

A Popular Music MiscellanyA Popular Music Miscellanyfrom the U.K.from the U.K.

Music ContinuumMusic Continuum

International Pop

(they wish)

British Mainstream

British Alternative

Kylie, Robbie, etc.Libertines, Stereolab, etc.

Folk and Underground (punk, etc.)

Robbie WilliamsRobbie Williams

KylieKylie

Music ContinuumMusic Continuum

International Pop

(they wish)

British Mainstream

British Alternative

Kylie, Robbie, etc.Libertines, Stereolab, etc.

Folk and Underground (punk, etc.)

The LibertinesThe Libertines

StereolabStereolab

Angelic UpstartsAngelic Upstarts

New Musical ExpressNew Musical Express

Music ContinuumMusic Continuum

International Pop

(they wish)

British Mainstream

British Alternative

Kylie, Robbie, etc.Libertines, Stereolab, etc. Folk and Underground

(punk, etc.)

Roy BaileyRoy Bailey

OysterbandOysterband

ChumbawambaChumbawamba

Media: The Pulse of Pop Culture

Television

Newspapers

Magazines

Radio

BBC and PBS

BBC = British Broadcasting Corporation TV and radio Funded by annual TV tax of ~$229 USD 10 year government charter Next charter review in 2006 No advertisements Known worldwide

PBS = Public Broadcasting System Funded by US federal appropriations Politically charged and politically dependant

Television

“Telly” or “the box”ExplicitBable: SKY, NTL, ITVFollowing celebrities &

shows

Popular Programs

East Enders – evening drama, working class story

Coronation Street – longest running evening drama

Reality TV – Pop Idol, Big Brother

Game Shows – Weakest Link

West Wing, Friends, Sex in the City

Newspapers

Guardian v. Telegraph

Media & Social Class

“Class is to the UK, what race is to the US.”

US v. UK characterization

“Posh”

Media choices can tell a story

Tabloids

Radio & Magazines

The New Statesman Economist Spectator Private Eye TimeOut Hello, OK!

UK News – Know before you go!

NU Library Newsstand on Main & Chicago Borders / Barnes & Noble Your homepage

Read multiple sources Know US news too!

British Society & the Royal Family

Are we subjectsAre we subjectsor citizens?or citizens?

British Society & the Royal Family Headline on the BBC website: “Are we

subjects or citizens?” (21 January 2005) OED Dictionary: “A subject is someone ‘under

dominion of a monarch...A citizen however is someone who does have rights.”

“While we are legally subjects because there isn’t a piece of paper that says otherwise, the sweep of history generally finds that we are citizens.”

Questions

Who are the members of the Royal Family?

What sort of place do they hold in British society?

What can we learn about British society today from the Royal Family?

The House of Windsor

Who are the British Royals? Queen Elizabeth II

(born 1926; ascended 1952)

The Queen is the Head of State and the Head of the Church of England

“The Queens Speech” at Christmas

Queen’s Jubilee - 2002 Queen celebrated 50

years of rule in 2002

Lots of bridges and

monuments

throughout the

country named in

recognition of the

Jubilee

Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh

The Queen’s husband

Duke of Edinburgh

Dour

Charles, Prince of Wales Prince of Wales Future king Husband of Diana

and now Camilla Parker-Bowles

Father of William and Harry

Gardens, hunts, paints

Andrew, Duke of York

Charles’ brother; Father of Beatrice and Eugenie

Edward and Sophie, Duke & Duchess of Wessex

Charles’ brother and sister-in-law

Order of the British Empire Highest

civilian honor awarded in Britain

Sir Elton John David

Beckham, OBE

What do British people think ofthe Monarchy?

Many, but not all, British people have frustrations with the monarchy.

A BBC Poll: Is the monarchy out of date?

Yes: 41% No: 57%

Does the Royal Family cost too much money? Yes: 44% No: 54%

British Opinion Continued… Monarchy seen as a source of international

good will and a traditional symbol

Also a lasting tradition As recently as January 2005, the government

faced down a proposal to change the 18th

century Act of Settlement

Value of traditions in Britain most likely

higher than in the United States

But... Tradition or Trash?

Royal blunders in the tabloid press E.g. Prince

Harry caught wearing a Nazi costume

Blurring the Line with Celebrity Culture

“American” royalty are usually thought of as our celebrities, our richest people

But this is starting to happen in modern Britain, too.

E.g. “Posh and Becks”

The Hooligan’s GameThe Hooligan’s GamePlayed by GentlemenPlayed by Gentlemen

Rugby UnionRugby Union

Rugby Rules!Rugby Rules!

22ndnd sport of England and Scotland – “middle sport of England and Scotland – “middle class” – 1class” – 1stst in Wales and played by all. in Wales and played by all.

England current world champions (Wilkinson England current world champions (Wilkinson and Woodward in press).and Woodward in press).

6 Nations championship involves Scotland, 6 Nations championship involves Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy. England, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy. Perfect DayPerfect Day

No forward passes!No forward passes! Rugby Union’s rules at Rugby Union’s rules at

http://www.334notout.com/rugby/rules.htmhttp://www.334notout.com/rugby/rules.htm

Britain’s PastimeBritain’s Pastime

Cultural QuizCultural Quiz

You and your mates decide to have a You and your mates decide to have a game of football in the park. What do you game of football in the park. What do you need to take?need to take?

(a) A ball(a) A ball(b) A ball and 2 coats(b) A ball and 2 coats(c) A leather egg, 50 crash helmets, 4 tons of (c) A leather egg, 50 crash helmets, 4 tons of

body armour, 20 cheerleaders, a marching body armour, 20 cheerleaders, a marching band with a grand piano on a trolley, and a band with a grand piano on a trolley, and a team of orthopaedic surgeons.team of orthopaedic surgeons.

Enormous PopularityEnormous Popularity

The “pick-up game” (adults and children).The “pick-up game” (adults and children). Popularity of amateur game (excuse to Popularity of amateur game (excuse to

booze?).booze?). The The pub subject.pub subject. Importance of local teams and Importance of local teams and derbiesderbies

(Tottenham Vs Arsenal, Rangers Vs (Tottenham Vs Arsenal, Rangers Vs Celtic, Cardiff Vs Swansea).Celtic, Cardiff Vs Swansea).

The League,The League, The Cup and Europe The Cup and Europe

Premiership and three other “divisions”. 3 Premiership and three other “divisions”. 3 up, 3 down tradition, points system.up, 3 down tradition, points system.

All-encompassing English FA Cup.All-encompassing English FA Cup. European Champions’ League (4 from European Champions’ League (4 from

England).England). Differing “national leagues”.Differing “national leagues”.

Other ConsiderationsOther Considerations

Importance of local teams and the “gear” Importance of local teams and the “gear” (compare to high-school games in USA).(compare to high-school games in USA).

Ubiquitous cultural icons (Beckham, Ubiquitous cultural icons (Beckham, Ferguson, Wenger, Keegan, Thierry Ferguson, Wenger, Keegan, Thierry Henry!)Henry!)

Importance of England’s national side.Importance of England’s national side. Minor possibility of hooligans and racism.Minor possibility of hooligans and racism.

Familiar Faces of FootballFamiliar Faces of Football

SOME OTHER LONDONERS

Immigrants & Multiculturalism

Art work developed by UK multicultural group of young adults for a project dealing with issues of culture and identity, commonality and

difference in an inner city area fraught with racial tension.

The First Black Londoner?John Blanke, African Trumpeter,

at Westminster Tournament (1511)

Ignatius Sancho (1729-1780)

Writer and musicianfrom portrait by

Thomas Gainsborough

Mary Seacole (1805-1881)Nurse during Crimean war, wrote memoir

Hindu Tract Seller

Joe CloughLondon Bus Driver (1908)

Indian Suffragettes

African Pygmies in Westminster (1905)

West Indian arrivants in

Clapham Air Raid Shelter

Louise Bennett

“To Let” Sign (Notting Hill)

S.S. Empire Windrush,with passengers

West Indians arriving at Waterloo Station

Lord Kitchener (2nd from left) and Bandin London Session;

singing “London is the Place for Me” (1951)

Jamaican immigrants perusingthe tube map

Linton Kwesi Johnsonperforming “Inglan Is a Bitch” (1980)

Sikhs sheltered in crypt of Christ Church, Spitalfields during the Blitz

Christ Church, Spitalfields

East End

Stencil Graffito (Spitalfields)

Brick Lane

Spitalfields Market

Pub, Brick Lane (Spitalfields)

Still from Hanif Kureishi’s London Kills Me

Popular Culture in the U.K.

Are you UK HIP?Are you UK HIP?

Quiz & RaffleQuiz & Raffle

The Guardian and The Times share the same political viewpoint. True or False.

Are you UK HIP?

FALSEThe Times is conservative and

the Guardian is left wing and less traditionalist.

What type of tax do British citizens pay to fund the BBC?

Are you UK HIP?

TV TaxTV owner pay an annual tax of

$150US which supports the BBC.

Who are Posh and Becks?

Are you UK HIP?

Victoria and David Beckham(Formerly) Posh Spice and England’s football star, a.k.a. celebrity royalty

According to the 2001 census, approximately what percentage of the population in London is made up of ethnic minorities (non-white)? How about in the UK overall?

Are you UK HIP?

28.9% and 7.9%

The Welsh love a good game of __________?

Are you UK HIP?

Rugby (rules)!

Please join us for the next ‘Mind the Gap’ Please join us for the next ‘Mind the Gap’ session:session:

Hogwarts & Oxbridge? Hogwarts & Oxbridge? British Education from A to ZBritish Education from A to Z

Wednesday, May 4Wednesday, May 4

What’s Next?

Same time & placeSame time & place