Main entry:

Gans, Herbert J., 1927-

Title & Author:

Popular culture and high culture : an analysis and evaluation of taste / Herbert J. Gans.

Edition:

Rev. ed.

Publication:

New York : BasicBooks ; [Plymouth] : [Plymbridge, distributor], ©1999.

Description:

xvii, 248 pages ; 21 cm

Notes:
Previous edition: 1974.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
New introduction. The popular culture, high culture distinction : still relevant? -- Some definitions -- The distinction updated -- Of supply and demand sides -- The demand side -- New media -- 1. The critique of mass culture -- Popular culture's defects as a commercial enterprise -- Popular culture's danger to high culture -- Popular culture's impact on its audience -- Popular culture's harmfulness to society -- The sources and biases of the mass culture critique -- Postscript -- 2. A comparative analysis of high and popular culture -- Taste cultures and publics -- The five taste publics and cultures -- "Youth," Black, and ethnic cultures -- The social structure of taste publics and cultures -- Postscript -- 3. The evaluation of taste cultures and publics -- Two value judgments about taste cultures and publics -- Cultural mobility -- Cultural pluralism and subcultural programming -- The pros and cons of subcultural programming -- Implementing subcultural programming -- The outlook for more cultural pluralism -- Postscript.

Summary:

"In this revised and updated edition, Herbert Gans extends his classic study of the roles popular culture and high culture play in American society. Gans argues in favor of all peoples' right to the culture they choose. He also looks at "dumbing down" and other examples of the new mass culture critique and lays out changes in America's taste cultures. Gans has added a new introduction and new postscripts to each chapter updating the original analysis to incorporate recent trends. The book concludes with a concerned discussion of the fate of marginal, deviant and innovative cultures in a society in which increasing inequality makes it harder to pursue the cultural aspects of the American dream."--Jacket.

ISBN:

0465026095 (pbk.)
9780465026098 (pbk.)
0465097170 (pbk.)
9780465097173 (pbk.)

Subject:

Popular culture United States.
Aesthetics.
Social classes United States.
Culture populaire États-Unis.
Classes sociales États-Unis.
Social classes
Civilization
Intellectual life
Popular culture
Populaire cultuur.
Sociale stratificatie.
United States Intellectual life 20th century.
United States Civilization 1970-
États-Unis Vie intellectuelle 20e siècle.
États-Unis Civilisation 1970-
United States

Holdings:

Location: Library main 217397
Call No.: E169.12 .G3 1999
Status: Available