The “Winnetou Kitsch” and Other Traces of “Americanization”
Popular Culture in Socialist Czechoslovakia between the State, Media Producers, and Consumers
In: East Central EuropeSearch for other papers by Darina Volf in
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Google Scholar
Abstract
The starting point for this article is the observation that American cultural influence never waned in socialist Czechoslovakia despite all attempts of the Communist Party to eliminate it and the Communist Party’s seemingly omnipotent position. The study focuses on the relationship between state policies, producers’ interests, and consumers’ demands, a triad more complex than the dichotomy of an “omnipotent” totalitarian regime versus an oppressed society. It describes the distinct phases in managing American cultural influence and illuminates the various interests and factors that contributed to the popularity and spread of “American” cultural goods. As the article shows, the approach of the Communist Party in prioritizing the political function of culture over entertainment or aesthetics facilitated consumers’ interest in cultural imports from abroad, mainly from the US. This interest in American cultural goods, in turn, exerted pressure on producers of culture and intermediaries to satisfy the demand. As a result, the American cultural influence not only survived in Czechoslovakia during the forty years of the Communist rule, but rather intensified and eventually took on a subversive force.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 617 | 74 | 4 |
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The “Winnetou Kitsch” and Other Traces of “Americanization”
Popular Culture in Socialist Czechoslovakia between the State, Media Producers, and Consumers
In: East Central EuropeSearch for other papers by Darina Volf in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The starting point for this article is the observation that American cultural influence never waned in socialist Czechoslovakia despite all attempts of the Communist Party to eliminate it and the Communist Party’s seemingly omnipotent position. The study focuses on the relationship between state policies, producers’ interests, and consumers’ demands, a triad more complex than the dichotomy of an “omnipotent” totalitarian regime versus an oppressed society. It describes the distinct phases in managing American cultural influence and illuminates the various interests and factors that contributed to the popularity and spread of “American” cultural goods. As the article shows, the approach of the Communist Party in prioritizing the political function of culture over entertainment or aesthetics facilitated consumers’ interest in cultural imports from abroad, mainly from the US. This interest in American cultural goods, in turn, exerted pressure on producers of culture and intermediaries to satisfy the demand. As a result, the American cultural influence not only survived in Czechoslovakia during the forty years of the Communist rule, but rather intensified and eventually took on a subversive force.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 617 | 74 | 4 |
| Full Text Views | 40 | 5 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 113 | 12 | 0 |
