Popular culture and History Lec 1: Laetitia Kaiser

Review (18-09-2012) In last week's lesson, Richard introduced 'Popular Culture and History', briefly outlining the different topics that will be covered in the course of the next few weeks. Three of this module's key words are “Americanisation”, “globalisation” and “commodification”. Also, the module will serve as a time capsule, enabling the class to travel back in time to the birth of British youth culture. For Great Britain, 1956 plays a quintessential role. In the autumn of '56, Britain faces the Suez Crisis. It marks the decline of its imperial world power. Fearing the rise of Egyptian nationals, Britain, with the support of France and Israel, decide to invade Egypt and prevent their attempt to nationalise the Suez canal, which is an important trade route for Britain. The British government hopes for the Americans' support. However, the United States of America oppose the Brits' actions and urge them to retreat. Being economically unstable at the time, Great Britain gives in after only two weeks. Many see this incident as an embarrassing event for the once 'Great' Britain. Britain's glorious days appear to be clearly over. The views differ, however. Some claim that Britain is on the edge of something new and exciting. Rock'n'Roll takes over. Brits start listening to American musicians like Elvis Presley. It's the birth of a consumer society consisting of TV dinners, quiz shows and washing machines. Although Britain and other countries lose their colonies from 1957 to 1964, it ends Britain's monoculture and gives way to a flourishing multiculturalism evolving and growing to this day. Finally, the debate of 'high culture' versus 'low culture' crops up for the first time. Intellectual critics see the impending consumerism as a threat to society and encourage the maintenance of 'high culture' such as literature, for example.