Can't Help Lovin': David Chidester's Pop Culture Colonialism

This article examines the likability of hip-hop star Kanye West and The Voice champion Jordan Smith to explain the colonial terms for our pop culture taste. The writings of David Chidester establish the tie between religion and colonialism as an axiomatic one; he also argues that popular culture is...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal for the study of religion
Main Author: Lofton, Kathryn (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: ASRSA [2018]
In: Journal for the study of religion
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Chidester, David 1952- / Smith, Jordan 1993- / West, Kanye 1977- / Pop culture / Spread of
RelBib Classification:AA Study of religion
AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
AZ New religious movements
Further subjects:B Kanye West
B Jordan Smith
B Colonialism
B hate watching
B Religion
B Popular Culture
B Hate crime
B Whiteness
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
Volltext (kostenfrei)
Description
Summary:This article examines the likability of hip-hop star Kanye West and The Voice champion Jordan Smith to explain the colonial terms for our pop culture taste. The writings of David Chidester establish the tie between religion and colonialism as an axiomatic one; he also argues that popular culture is a rich site for formations of religion. West and Smith offer an opportunity to argue the connection between these two strands of scholarly observance, showing the fractal effects of colonialism in Africa on the preferences of pop culture consumption in America. The attraction to West's unlikability is the other side of the easy adoration for Jordan Smith: like those colonists who gave religion to those colonized subjects they dominated, pop consumers refuse to admit their intimate and needful connection to those idols who resist their control. Although organized by particular instances, this article seeks to encourage those in pop culture studies to see the erotic work of dislike; it seeks to encourage those in religious studies to see how pop subjects carry forward the classificatory imprints of colonial frontiers.
ISSN:2413-3027
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the study of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.17159/2413-3027/2018/v31n2a4