Is it ever appropriate to "borrow" culturally inspired ideas? Who has ownership over intangible culture? What role does power inequality play? These questions are often at the center of heated public debates around cultural appropriation, with new controversies breaking seemingly every day. Cultural Appropriation in Fashion and Entertainment offers a sociological perspective on the debate, exploring appropriation of cultures embedded in race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, and religion in entertainment as well as the clothing, textiles, jewelry, accessories, hairstyles, and tattoos we wear.
Case studies are drawn from K-pop, Bollywood dance, J-pop, Bhangra music, Jamaican reggae, hip hop and EDM fashion to explore how, when, and why cultural borrowing or appreciation can become cultural appropriation. There's also discussion of subcultural territories that extend beyond geography, race and ethnicity, such as cosplay and LGBTQI+ communities.
By providing a range of global perspectives on the adoption, adaptation, and application of both tangible and intangible cultural objects, Kawamura and de Jong help move the conversation beyond simply criticizing designers and creators to encourage nuanced discussion and raise awareness of diverse cultures in the creative industries.
Cultural Appropriation in Fashion and Entertainment
Y. Kawamura and J-W. Marc de Jong
Unpicks the knotty problem of cultural appropriation in fashion and entertainment, using sociological analysis to explore international examples and engage with the passionate debates that surround them as well as the implications for designers, artists and consumers.Rights Sold
All rights availableBook Details
Imprint: Bloomsbury Visual Arts
Publication Date: 14-07-2022
Format: Hardback
240 pagesAbout the Authors
Yuniya Kawamura is Professor of Sociology at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, USA. She is the author of Doing Research in Fashion and Dress (2011, 2020, Bloomsbury Visual Arts), Fashioning Japanese Subcultures (2012, Berg), and Sneakers (2016, Bloomsbury Visual Arts).
Jung-Whan Marc de Jong is Associate Professor of Sociology at Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, USA.
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