Cultural Studies Fall 2017

South Africa has one of the world’s worst education systems

In an article printed by The Economist they make a very bold remark regarding the education of South Africa, calling it “Bottom of the Class.” The article is filled with many research numbers out lining the discrepancies found within education in the country. Some are the following numbers found:

• Only 37% of children starting school go on to pass the matriculation exam
  • out of those 37% only 4% earn a degree
• 27% of pupil who attended school for six years cannot read
• Out of 57 countries tested in the International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) it dame near the bottom of its various rankings
  • This is show in a chat presented below where South Africa had over 60% of students with test scores below 400 in a 500 average graph
• The discrepancies in test scores among the top 20% school and the rest is larger than in almost every single other country
  • For every 200 black students only one does an engineering degree
  • for every 200 white students 10 get an engineering degree

The reason behind this post is that segregation caused by Apartheid in South Africa caused for the segregation system of their education causing black pupils to suffer even more than the res of the country. During Apartheid, schools were divided into white and colored. The white schools held facilities, professors, and instruments far better than in the colored school. There was this idea of the colored man as a servant and production maker, but not as an equal. that is why the teaching of math and sciences was not included in their education during this period of Apartheid. Which is a mistake that still follows them in current times.

The Economist TIMSS Scores

https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21713858-why-it-bottom-class-south-africa-has-one-worlds-worst-education

Scribe: Allie

Louise, Tao, Allie

In our last meeting we discussed the concept of media hegemony. We talked about how it can relate to all different types of things.

• Gender norms
• Steorytypes
• How people want you to act
• Countries ideologies

We also talked about how one country could be considered a hegemony. We all agreed that the United States was a hegemonic power. This is because of the way that it influences other cultures. Their ideologies are seen across all different types of cultures world wide. The United States perpetuates these ideologies through structures like mass media and education. Through the use of these structures other countries consent to these ideas subliminally and they become engrained as part of the norm.

We also discussed the idea of counter hegemony. This term comes to play because people do not agree with the original hegemonic ideals that have been set. (Think gender and race)

U.S. cultural hegemony depends in part on how well media, government, and other dominant institutions popularize beliefs and organize practices that promote individualism and consumerism. Corporate dominance and market values reign only through the consent of the majority, which, for the time being – finds material, political, and cultural benefit from existing social relations. As deep social contradictions undermine brittle hegemonic relations, the subordinate majority – including blacks, women, and workers will seek a new cultural hegemony that overcomes race, gender, and class inequality. (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/cultural-hegemony-in-the-united-states/book11215)

Thesis:

Advertisements have become a tool used to bolster different hegemonic ideologies and due to the rise of globalization, values and norms that are distinct in one culture are now prevalent in other cultures across the world.

Conclusion: 

Although the Marx, Gramsci, and Hall provided their theories before the start of the second century, they are very much relevant to the way in which advertisements perpetuate cultural norms and values. Within society today, Western countries are seen as a hegemonic force. These countries place specific values on a pedestal for people to follow. Gender norms for both men and women are an example of hegemonic values that have been highlighted in advertisements in subtle ways across the world. However, even though Chinese advertisements have been infiltrated by American norms, the ads still depict traditional cultural elements. Even though hegemony plays a big role in shaping the facets of a culture, some elements cannot be redefined. Advertisements in both countries also prove that a higher class is persuading the way people think. Within modern day society we must question what we are really seeing in media and within advertisements. We must not subject ourselves to particular stereotypes about how people are to act and behave. Society should no longer consent to everything they see without questioning it first.  It is quite clear that advertisements are used as a tool for highlighting different hegemonic ideologies among cultures. It is also evident that globalization has caused the overlap of generic cultural norms across the world. Therefore, to maintain the authenticity of different cultures and to ensure equality among everyone, one must not be submissive to ideals presented within the media; one must not conform and subject themselves to ideals that a “ruling class” wants us to follow. When one begins the fight the pressures expected of society, a culture of originality begins.

Coke ads

*****

Different patterns in advertisements

Differences in advertisements

Cultural differences:

Cultural differences do not only make people think differently, but also cause people to communicate differently. From previous research, it is known that China has a collectivistic culture (Triandis, 1990) and that United States has an individualistic culture (Hofstede, 1984). With this in mind, many people assume that Chinese and Americans always act according to their cultural values, even though cultural values do not predict individual behavior all the time. In addition, with societal changes, it is possible for cultural values to shift over time. Hofstede (2001) said that “cultures, especially national cultures, are extremely stable over time…change comes from the outside, in the form of forces of nature or forces of human beings: trade, conquest, economical or political dominance, and technological breakthroughs” (p. 34). With the economical and technological changes in China after the open door policy, the younger generations in China have made a gradual shift to become more individualistic than the older generation (Zhang & Shavitt, 2003).

Advertisements within china

The history of Chinese advertising in the broad sense can be traced back to the Song dynasty when stores used signs and words to advertise services (Wang, 2008). In the 1920s and 1930s, advertising in Shanghai was already a dynamic industry, with foreign advertising agencies and brands competing with the Chinese counterparts prior to World War II. (https://www.chinacenter.net/2017/china_currents/16-1/advertising-in-china/_)

In the past few decades, Chinese advertising experienced exponential development. Foreign advertising agencies urged their global clients to enter China in 1979, right after the country opened its door to the outside world. Now foreign brands and advertisements have become an inherent part of the daily lives of Chinese consumers. (https://www.chinacenter.net/2017/china_currents/16-1/advertising-in-china/)

Cultural values very different then american values

• Collectivism !
• Family oriented
• Traditional belifs
• Gender norms

Gender norms similar in american advertisements, but Chinese advertisements are due to their cultural background

* A prominent theme in Chinese advertising is the selling of nationalism and cosmopolitanism. Both foreign and Chinese brands resort to the promotion of these concepts in their ads. However, there are some subtle differences given their different origins, perceptions, and relationships with modernity. One obvious difference is that Chinese brands are more likely to resort to patriotism or nationalism as a selling strategy. Chinese brands such as Li Ning (a Chinese sportswear brand) and Hai’er (a home appliance brand) have long been selling national pride in marketing their products. Li Ning, in particular, has been inherently associated with China’s Olympic glory and “Chinese-ness.” Hai’er, on many occasions, has sold its foreign expansion as a successful story in the Chinese market not only to endorse the quality of its products, but also to claim itself as a pioneer in increasing China’s global influence. The selling of nationalism is about the reconstruction and reinforcement of traditional images, symbols, rituals, myths, and customs in the context of China’s search for national identity and modernity in an increasingly globalized world. Advertisers appropriate and reinterpret Chinese symbols, images, rituals, historical heroes, and China’s anti-imperialist history to create a narrative of patriotism, loyalty, and national glory.

Theorists

Marx/Gramsci/Hall

Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci, and Stuart Hall are all theorist’s who proposed ideas that help to explain the hegemonic nature of ideologies within advertisements. Karl Marx came up with the term Marxism. Marx argued that, in a Capitalist society, there is a “profit motive.” These profits are earned by exploiting the worker (Stewart). For example, a product costs more to buy the the cost to make the item and pay the workers (Stewart).  He argued that in a capitalist society power differentials are considerable and society becomes aimed at maintaining power for those in charge (Stewart). He also argued that different social classes, ruling and working, are made up of varying levels of both social and economic power. In turn, this could lead the ruling class to exploit the working class. He also argued that this could essentially cause resentment and increased tensions between the classes which could lead to conflict and war (Stewart). Marx believed that certain ideological structures, such as school’s and mass media, were built into society which helped to support the power difference (Stewart). Antonio Gramsci, a follower of Marx, was a witness to the failure of Marxist theory – the working classes never overthrew the ruling classes (Dhakal). He built upon the theory of Marxism and coined the term hegemony. According to Gramsci, hegemony revolves around the “cultural and ideological means” through which the dominant, or ruling class, retain their dominance on ‘subordinate classes’ by building ‘spontaneous’ mass ‘consent’ (Dhakal). This is directly related to the ideological structures Marx spoke about. Gramsci goes even further to suggest that ideology works only when it is able to relate to the ‘common sense’ of the people and influence them for change” (Dhakal). Gramsci points out the fact that media is a powerful tool that affects society and culture; not just individuals. Elaborating off Gramsci’s theories, Stuart Hall theorized many issues pertaining to hegemony and cultural studies. He specifically looked at the way hegemony and the media are related. In todays society, we cannot ignore the part that mass media plays in shaping the “cultural sphere of our society” (Dhakal). Hall writes, “’Public information, intercommunication and exchange’ of the ‘social knowledge’ in society now solely depends upon mass media (Hall, 1977:340).  He analyzes the media through a “hegemonic framework” (Dhakal).  Hall emphasizes Gramsci’s theory of consent, saying “Military force might not always be the best possible way to gain power; in fact it is achieved not with ‘legal and legitimate compulsion’ but by ‘winning active consent’ of the subordinate class” (Hall, 1982: 85) He also stated that “public trust media because ideologically they project independence and impartiality from the political or economic interests of the state. However, media existing within a state are obliged to follow the ‘formal protocols of broadcasting’ and depend on ‘the form of state and political system which licenses them’” (Dhakal ). This brings up the debate if the media is driven by the state. While looking at both American and Chinese advertisements, keep in mind the position these theorists take and how advertisements can become an agent that the ruling class uses to instill ideals and norms within our society.