Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Case 2, Q 1

 Hi everyone,

Here's the first (take-home) question for Case 2.  Please let me know if you need more explanation to help you answer it.

Good luck, and have fun!
Graham
***

In Bend it Like Beckham, Jess is shown being a member of two subcultures -- Indian Britons and female soccer players.    

Using substantial information from your textbook to support your answer, identify and discuss defining elements of these subcultures  (e.g., diet, religion, clothing/fashion, romance, family structure, career/education expectations, leisure activities, household décor, etc.). 

Then, using substantial information from your textbook to support your answer, discuss how the members of these subcultures (not just Jess) use consumption and non-consumption to help create identities for themselves and express their lifestyle preferences.

Finally, please note whether you think these portrayals are stereotypes, and justify your opinion, using substantial information from your textbook to support your answer.

Image source: http://www.availableimages.com/images/pictures/2003/bend-it-like-beckham/aph_0.jpg

Monday, October 17, 2011

No class this Wednesday

See you all next Monday!

On Wednesday, any time after noon, you're welcome to come by my office (Reid 347) to pick up your case studies.  If I'm not here, look in the folder on the outside of my door.


Photo source: http://davidsheffield.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/celebrate.jpg

Friday, October 14, 2011

Ugh!

 Hi everyone.

I had written the best. blog post. ever. and was trying to make one tiny edit when I accidentally hit the "revert to draft" button.

Note:  DON'T EVER DO THIS.

I don't know why, but now there seems to be absolutely no record that I ever even started writing the BBPE, much less published it.  Yargh.  Maybe it has shown up in your feed, if you're subscribed to this blog.  If so, can someone please copy it for me and mail it back to me?

Anyway, I can't take the time to completely re-write the whole post, so I'm just going to include all the links that I had included the first time I wrote it.  You can look at all the posts and see if you can figure out what I was trying to say -- it'll be like a game! ... right?

Okay, here goes (in order):

Journal article about how we learn
Popular press article about journal article
HUGE news about the College of Business
Article about red Solo cups
Flip Cup video
Missoni at Target
Article about Missoni at Target
Article about Missoni at Target.com
Article about the resignation of Target.com's president
Wiki page re the blogosphere

Happy weekend!


PHOTO CREDIT (THIS WAS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIX WHEN I DELETED MY WHOLE FLIP-CUPPIN' POST): http://www.xtcian.com/KentbabyHappySad(bl).jpg

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Case 1, question 2


The Burning Man festival, held annually in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, emphasizes people’s experiences, interpersonal communication, sacred consumption, and playfulness.

It's a "brand-free zone," meaning that any commercial brand names, logos, etc. are forbidden from being displayed.

This doesn't prevent people from engaging in barter or other forms of trade, nor does it keep them from engaging in displays of "personal brands."  In fact, Burning Man has become a very powerful brand itself.

***
Discuss, in as much detail as the time will allow, how alternative consumption & non-consumption are tied to people’s ideas of themselves (e.g., their real & ideal selves, looking glass selves, extended selves, inner v. other-defined selves, etc.).  Explain & support your answer.

***

Notes:  Don’t make unsupported assertions, i.e., don’t assume that this question only refers to Burning Man participants, hippies, etc.  I expect proof for any blanket assertion that you make about individuals or groups of consumers. 

EVERYONE engages in alternative & non-consumption behaviors – even you! 
(Okay, I know that’s a blanket assertion J)

If you’re stumped, you might start by thinking about how can a person have “relationships” with brands/products that s/he DOESN’T consume or actively rejects. 

Remember the two biggest questions to ask yourself as you’re answering the question:

“Have I proven that this is a correct answer?”
“Have I proven that this is a complete answer?”