Synopses & Reviews
This book systematically examines prevailing cultural patterns in contemporary American society. Using information on several thousands of cultural organizations, including opera and chamber music companies as well as cinemas and live rock concerts, Professor Blau examines the geography of culture, the changing demands for culture, the interdependencies among cultural organizations of different kinds, the nature of labor markets for artists, and the effects of arts subsidies on nonprofit cultural establishments over a ten year period.
Review
"...Blau's study is a methodologically sophisticated, sociological examination of artistic production and consumption patterns in the larger metropolitan areas of the US....Blau demonstrates a thorough command of the literature. Some of her findings are surprising, and are contrary to much of the conventional wisdom of past and contemporary observers, whose conclusions lacked the kind of painstakingly gathered and skillfully analyzed empirical support provided by Blau." Choice"Judith Blau's new book on patterns of cultural supply in the American metropolis is original and ambitious....On the whole, this book is often intriguing and sometimes provocative, but constantly stimulating, which gives a good idea of the theoretical and methodological scope of the present development of the sociology of culture." Pierre-Michel Menger, American Journal of Sociology
Synopsis
Using information on thousands of cultural organisations, cinemas and live rock concerts as well as opera and chamber music companies, this text systematically analyses the prevailing cultural patterns of contemporary American society.
Table of Contents
1. Culture as structure and meaning; 2. The American cultural landscape; 3. Reproduction and decline; 4. Co-ocurrence, tipping in, and bridging; 5. Organizational assembly and disassembly; 6. Increasing returns on diminishing artists; 7. A little more on the hobby horse; 8. Masses and classes; 9. The transformation of American culture.