Review Essay

A review essay on a book edited by David H. Flaherty & Frank E. Manning, The Beaver Bites Back: American Popular Culture in Canada (Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's U Press, 1993 [see listing in IRPS No. 82]). The volume contains discussions of Canadian uses of US popular culture tha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian journal of sociology 1995-04, Vol.20 (2), p.245-251
Main Author: McGregor, Gaile
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Canada
Popular Culture
United States of America
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:A review essay on a book edited by David H. Flaherty & Frank E. Manning, The Beaver Bites Back: American Popular Culture in Canada (Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's U Press, 1993 [see listing in IRPS No. 82]). The volume contains discussions of Canadian uses of US popular culture that are useful for both academics & general readers alike. The essays heighten cultural complexities, rather than offer simple insights or solutions & are also notable in their ability to create dialogues. However, most authors respond ideologically & parochially to questions regarding the influence of US popular culture on Canadians, rather than providing or conducting research on comparative issues, & often resort to gross cultural generalization. Many articles tend to be highly specialized & narrow in focus, which is more representative of the factionalization of cultural research in Canadian academia than of the weaknesses on the part of individual authors per se. More than anything, the diversity of viewpoints & treatments is symbolic of the field's current intellectual status, & will be worthwile signposts in the future. J. MacDowell
ISSN:0318-6431