Archive for mars, 2009
My top 5 Bollywoodfilms
Posted by Johanna in Popular culture on mars 31st, 2009
For the new or old Bollywood enthusiast, these are my all time favorite Bollywoodfilms, (not in a particular order)
Feel free to share your top 5 with me!
- Veer Zaara
- Kal Ho Na ho
- Kabhi Khusi Kabhie Gham
- Mai Hoon Na
- Om Shanti Om
The Collective fantasy
Posted by Johanna in India, Popular culture on mars 28th, 2009
“Every day about 15 million people throng the 13.000 movie halls in the country” (Varma 2004:154). The Bollywood film is called a collective fantasy (Kakar 1996:25).
The Bollywoodfilm provide 3 hours of escape from reality. Bollywood films are most often categorised as ‘masala movies’ , masala means mixture, and the films are containing a mixture of genres to satisfiey a diverse audience. Romance, Drama, action, songs, dance and thrills. It is all there
“No Indian film is complete without songs, and the songs- even more than the film itself – are an instant binding factor. A popular film song is hummed across the land, even by those who do not understand the words. It is broadcast on radio, played at weddings, sung in schools, heard on cassettes, performed on television, and used as a filler in political rallies”. (Varma 2004:155)
The films are frequently debated in the media, and the controversial films are often banned interstate according to the local state government who has a major influence in the entertainment. Bollywood films often portray people who challenge norms and behaviour, people who climb the social ladder from poverty to wealth, extra marital affairs, out of caste relationships and pre marital relations in its own “collective fantasy” (Kakar 1996:25) .
Ethnography in virtual worlds
Posted by Johanna in Anthropology on mars 24th, 2009
I believe that there can be interesting ethnographies done in virtual worlds. Maybe this can even constitute a sub-field in the future. I believe with Boellstorff; “The virtual is the anthropological” (Boellstorff 2008:237). Because when reading an ethnographic book, I am virtually there.
The dynamics of identity construction are aided by ICT:s. The expansive realization and the expansive potential are central strategies that individuals absorb when their day to day lives are intertwined with ICT. The expansive potential gives way to new meetings, new contacts, new nodes connecting and the egos are fed with new material to digest and materialise into the concept of the self. In the intertwined network of networks the connectedness is prodigious.
ICT:s facilitates new possibilities for interaction in the information age. In the societies of today social units are enabled through ICT to interact anywhere, anytime. ”…the boundaries between human life and machine life are blurred..” (Castells 2004:6). ICT influences identity construction, the spread of ICT facilitates the individual’s sense of self, her location, her world view, her cultural belonging and her identity shaping process. = The virtual is anthropological
Researching Networks
Posted by Johanna in Anthropology on mars 22nd, 2009
I think that since networks constitute the fundamental patterns of life it should be one of the major methods for anthropologists to understand the complexities of modern urban societies to use networks as analytical tools. In the interaction with ICT:s our abilities to expand our ego-centred networks are powered. Changes in technology developments lead to change in social structures in the modern network society. Castells’ notion of the ‘network society’ is a concept based on ICT in correlation to society; “…a society whose social structure is made of networks powered by microelectronics-based information and communication technologies” (Castells 2004:3).
The individuals’ usage of ICT is only limited by their imagination. The societies of today are enabling social units amid ICT to interact anywhere, at anytime. This connectedness gives us a whole new set of possibilities for interaction. Through ICT individuals build their ego-centred networks. The flexibility of the human networks is complex; the different networks are integrated across age, gender, class and geographical boundaries. Networks are the fundamental patterns of life.
Defence Colony Market
Defence Colony in South Delhi is a typical site where young urban youth ‘hang out’. This is an upper class area: business men, well dressed foreigners and upper class college students dominate this area, diplomat vehicles and expensive cars can be seen parked. Defence Colony is a secluded quarter surrounding a small park, multi cuisine restaurants serving Italian, continental and sushi, multinational food chains are also found here.
There is no sign of the “stereotypical India” many times portrayed in popular culture; beggars, cows, holy men, poverty and crowded streets. Instead it is a upper class shopping sphere; presenting imported goods and branded shopping and expensive multi cuisine restaurants, priced for wealthy people. At nights in these areas boys and girl’s men and women go drinking together. Dimmed windows make secret entries. I did not see the whole upon my first visit. It is all hidden holes. Defence Colony is worth a visit for the Delhi traveller- be attentive and search the “hidden” entries with dimmed windows.
Normal coffee – a matter of interpretation
Posted by Johanna in Anthropology, India on mars 14th, 2009
I went for coffee with my Indian friend in Delhi. At the College cafeteria I asked for black coffee, and not surprisingly they did not have black coffee, they used a machine who produce the popular indian coffee mixed with milk and sugar.
My friend asked me;
-Do you never drink normal coffee?
I laughed and explained that to me, the black coffee is normal coffee. Sweden and India, not even coffee is interpreted equally. Reading a vast amount of Philosophical social science I begun to experience that very few things, emotions and notions can have fixed meanings. What is normal and commonsense in one social setting can be the complete opposite in another. I love the complexity of this world, and I love my coffee black.
