A very useful introduction to anthropology and popular culture alike, casting the discipline in terms that respect its rich scholarly heritage without ignoring its power to plumb the details of contemporary popular culture. -- Paul Mullins, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis This text is important for any introductory anthropology course, particularly in conveying to students the relevance of anthropology by engaging with the very aspects of popular culture that are significant in their everyday lives. -- Kristin L. Dowell, University of Oklahoma Suitable as a primary or supplementary introductory text, Pop Culture encourages students to think critically about the ways in which the seemingly mundane aspects of 'the everyday' are both culturally constructed and meaningful to the lived realities of diverse groups of people. -- Karen McGarry, York University

While usually associated with facets of commercial culture, pop culture can and must be analyzed as an important part of material, economic, and political culture. The author begins by defining popular culture, outlining criticisms, and examining the impact of globalization on pop culture. She then explores mass media and popular culture (soap operas, Egyptian melodramas, Afro-Cuban rap music, and virtual communities), artistic expression and popular culture (graffiti art and body art), and gatherings and popular culture (fast food in Japan, equality in sport, and wedding rituals).