Papers by Janna Michael
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In this paper we investigate the factors underlying the production of independent folk music (ind... more In this paper we investigate the factors underlying the production of independent folk music (indie-folk) in the Netherlands. By studying the creation, distribution and reception of indie-folk music through in-depth interviewing, we argue that the social production of indie-folk music is effected by the shift towards ‘participatory culture’ brought forward by the rise of the Internet and Web 2.0. This is observed, firstly, in how Web 2.0 helps musicians to educate themselves and to self-develop a career in music. Secondly, from the part of both musicians and gatekeepers, it can be observed in how participatory culture links with their preference for participatory aesthetics by which they aim to decrease the boundary between creator, distributor, and user. Within the idiom of folk music, they distinguish themselves from the imagined mainstream and create a more sincere performance. Thirdly, from the part of the audience, it is observed in how active fans contribute to their field by ...
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markdownabstractWhat meaning do people attach to their taste in music, clothing and visual arts a... more markdownabstractWhat meaning do people attach to their taste in music, clothing and visual arts and how do they talk about it? This thesis investigates discourses on cultural taste and consumption.
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Sociologie
Cultuursociologie heeft misschien geen breed gedeelde visie, geen doxa, maar de vraag is of dat u... more Cultuursociologie heeft misschien geen breed gedeelde visie, geen doxa, maar de vraag is of dat uberhaupt nodig is: het lijkt er op dat de noodzaak voor een definitie hoofdzakelijk bedoeld is voor hen buiten de cultuursociologie. Zo stellen Alexander, Jacobs en Smith (2012: 5) dat de discipline zelden doet aan positionering maar juist ‘gets on with explaining stuff, or with developing tools to do this explaining’. Met andere woorden, ‘broad calls for legitimation do not reflect routine practice but rather are appeals to an imagined audience of outsiders’ (ibid.). Maar dat pragmatisme stelt ons voor een dilemma; hoe graag wij ook gauw tot de inhoud willen komen, Sociologie is een tijdschrift waarvan het brede lezerspubliek minder ‘imagined’ is dan Alexander et al. stellen. Een degelijke inleiding van dit themanummer kan dus niet zonder een introductie in de cultuursociologie en haar vele gezichten. Ook hier geldt dat de cultuursociologische bijdragen aan de sociale wetenschappen dusdanig divers zijn dat de ‘task of explaining the merits of these contributions for the consolidation of cultural sociology is restricted to the editors’ introductions’ (Lima Neto 2014: 938). Daarom, een korte introductie in de cultuursociologie.
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Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage
Classical music venues in the Netherlands and throughout the world are struggling to attract new ... more Classical music venues in the Netherlands and throughout the world are struggling to attract new audiences. Especially younger visitors are underrepresented. Previous research emphasizes the importance of providing new, potentially interested audiences with more means to consume the music. This paper presents an exploratory case study with the persuasive game Listening Space which we developed to help attract new audiences and thus preserve Western classical music heritage. In particular, we studied to what extent this game could promote more varied ways of listening to classical music and thus enrich the experience of visiting a classical music concert. We designed and executed a controlled randomized trial with surveys before and after the experiment as well as a series of in-depth interviews with participants after the experiment. Our treatment group consisted of 139 participants (both new and existing visitors). They played our digital game at their own convenience, followed by ...
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Event Management
Experience has been widely recognised as an essential part of an event’s success, but few studies... more Experience has been widely recognised as an essential part of an event’s success, but few studies have analysed the processes underlying the event as social experience. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the social processes which make an event a social interaction platform. The social interaction processes that shape the event’s social experience is examined using a framework which brings together co-creation practices, group socialization and interaction ritual chains. This exploratory study investigates the social interaction processes that shape the event’s social experience, by developing a quantitative tool, the Event Social Interaction Scale (ESIS), which attempts to pinpoint and measure different social dimensions of the event experience. The ESIS was applied at a popular culture event, the festivities of São João in Northeast Brazil, and 625 survey responses were collected in 2016 and 2017. Findings suggest that multiple interaction rituals occur. People wh...
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When existing cultural boundaries seem to blur, people will look for alternative ways to express ... more When existing cultural boundaries seem to blur, people will look for alternative ways to express their identities. Recent research has shown that aesthetic dispositions (how one consumes culture) may be more significant than taste preferences (what is consumed). Sociologists therefore wonder whether distinction might be going underground. Elaborating on this issue, we examine the role of irony in cultural consumption through nine in-depth interviews with karaoke participants contacted in two bars in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, as we suspect that the ironic attitude is ideally suited to crossing cultural boundaries and, at the same time, to upholding class boundaries by distancing oneself from cultural activities that are considered enjoyable yet incongruent with one’s identity. We indeed found large differences in how people performed and appreciated karaoke, which aligned with their levels of cultural capital.
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Sociologie, 2015
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How can symbolic boundaries in cultural
consumption be simultaneously crossed
and maintained by t... more How can symbolic boundaries in cultural
consumption be simultaneously crossed
and maintained by those with high levels of
cultural capital engaging with low status
culture? We propose that irony, due to its
inherent ambiguity and detachment, is a
consumption style that allows its users to
simultaneously cross and uphold symbolic
boundaries. In this exploratory study, we
analyze nine in-depth interviews with karaoke
performers and link their way of participating
to differences in cultural capital.
While participants with low cultural capital
displayed a straightforward, high involvement
with their karaoke practices, the consumer
styles of participants with high cultural
capital were inclined to be both
‘secretly serious’ and ‘ironic’. Irony provides
a way to distinguish oneself in
today’s ambiguous cultural landscape,
where meanings of both class positions and
consumption patterns have become more
fluid. Indeed, irony allows distinction precisely
through ambiguity, which makes it a
potentially valuable attitude for contemporary
cultural elites.
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In this paper we investigate factors underlying the production of independent folk music (indie f... more In this paper we investigate factors underlying the production of independent folk music (indie folk) in the Netherlands. By studying the creation, distribution and reception of indie folk music through in-depth interviewing, we argue that the social production of indie folk music is affected by a shift towards ‘participatory culture’ brought about by the rise of the Internet and Web 2.0. We note how Web 2.0 helps musicians to educate themselves and to develop careers in music. Secondly, from the perspective of both musicians and gatekeepers, participatory culture links their preferences for participatory aesthetics, decreasing boundaries between creators, distributors and users. Within the idiom of folk music, they distinguish themselves from the mainstream, creating more sincere performances. Thirdly, from the perspective of the audience, fans actively contribute by organizing small-scale events, enabling the audience to establish (trans)local scenes, reframing music as a social experience.
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Talks by Janna Michael
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Conference Presentations by Janna Michael
Enquêtes naar cultuurparticipatie concluderen vaak dat laag opgeleide mensen, in tegenstelling to... more Enquêtes naar cultuurparticipatie concluderen vaak dat laag opgeleide mensen, in tegenstelling tot hoger opgeleiden minder bezig zijn met ‘highbrow’ cultuur. Een gevolg hiervan is dat sommige onderzoekers spreken van ‘inactief’ of ‘couch potatoes’ als zij naar naar opgeleiden refereeren. Met deze presentatie wil ik de vrijetijdsbestedingen en culturele smaak van laag opgeleiden kritisch bespreken. Door middel van semi-gestructureerde interviews met verschillende jonge Rotterdamse en Hamburgse beroepsgroepen werd een complex beeld van cultuurparticipatie zichtbaar. De voornamste bevindingen zijn: een diepe betrokkenheid met subculturen, het omarmen van de culturele mainstream en het beschikken over zeer gedetailleerde kennis over specifieke onderwerpen. De resultaaten dagen dominante ideeën van culturele participatie uit en werpen nieuw licht op verschillende vormen van participatie.
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Niels van Poecke & Janna Michael:
Much of the discussion on convergence culture and prosumerism... more Niels van Poecke & Janna Michael:
Much of the discussion on convergence culture and prosumerism has been framed as ‘the public re-emergence of grassroots creativity’ (Jenkins 2006: 136). The Internet enables its users to change, recirculate and annotate commercial media content, which has been celebrated as the basis for the rise of online participatory cultures. These participatory cultures are often framed as the folk cultures of the digital age because they link to ideas of gift economies and operate without distinction between producing and consuming of media content.
In this paper we look into the relevance of convergence culture in a different habitat. We show that the prosumer is not only active in new media, but can also be found in small-scale participatory cultures offline. On the basis of a historical analysis of folk music culture and interview data from members of the scene, this study investigates the re-emergence of folk music culture in the so-called ‘hipster’, ‘indie’ or ‘folkster’ networks. These networks strongly build on do-it-yourself ideology and can likewise be linked to the idea of a barter or gift economy. Similar to their online counterparts, the offline prosumers contribute to their field by making their music, recording it or work on promoting it. The recent growth of the influence of folk music in the music industries and the spread of crafts shops furthermore seem to indicate that these developments are not only part of wider social changes. We suggest that the broad-based appreciation of independent folk music (culture) is based on a nostalgic longing for the authentic. This form of authenticity seems to consist mainly of romantic ideas and shaping objects with one’s own hands without entirely dismissing consumer culture.
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In order to understand status differences in cultural consumption, a range of recent studies call... more In order to understand status differences in cultural consumption, a range of recent studies calls for a shift of attention from ‘what’ is being consumed towards the ‘how’ cultural commodities are being appropriated. This study takes a closer look at how different social groups attach meaning to karaoke performances. Participant observations and in depth interviews with karaoke participants help us to understand the distinctive ways of appropriating this cultural form. Karaoke serves as an interesting example as it brings together different social groups which meet in the same physical space and spend their evenings ‘together’. While karaoke is a ‘serious’ game for those who try to develop and show their singing talent, it serves as a ‘funny’ evening entertainment for others who approach karaoke with irony. On the one hand, ironic appropriation is inclusive, as it bonds the people that read karaoke performances ironically. Its function vis-à-vis the serious participants may be dual: it allows the ironic participants to engage with popular culture, but at the same time their ironic stance ensures that they do not fully identify with this cultural form. Irony brings popular culture within reach, but also emphasizes distance towards ‘trivial’ popular culture and its ‘serious’ consumers.
By Janna Michael, Koen van Eijck, Pauwke Berkers, Lotte van der Jagt & Julia Peters
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Papers by Janna Michael
consumption be simultaneously crossed
and maintained by those with high levels of
cultural capital engaging with low status
culture? We propose that irony, due to its
inherent ambiguity and detachment, is a
consumption style that allows its users to
simultaneously cross and uphold symbolic
boundaries. In this exploratory study, we
analyze nine in-depth interviews with karaoke
performers and link their way of participating
to differences in cultural capital.
While participants with low cultural capital
displayed a straightforward, high involvement
with their karaoke practices, the consumer
styles of participants with high cultural
capital were inclined to be both
‘secretly serious’ and ‘ironic’. Irony provides
a way to distinguish oneself in
today’s ambiguous cultural landscape,
where meanings of both class positions and
consumption patterns have become more
fluid. Indeed, irony allows distinction precisely
through ambiguity, which makes it a
potentially valuable attitude for contemporary
cultural elites.
Talks by Janna Michael
Conference Presentations by Janna Michael
Much of the discussion on convergence culture and prosumerism has been framed as ‘the public re-emergence of grassroots creativity’ (Jenkins 2006: 136). The Internet enables its users to change, recirculate and annotate commercial media content, which has been celebrated as the basis for the rise of online participatory cultures. These participatory cultures are often framed as the folk cultures of the digital age because they link to ideas of gift economies and operate without distinction between producing and consuming of media content.
In this paper we look into the relevance of convergence culture in a different habitat. We show that the prosumer is not only active in new media, but can also be found in small-scale participatory cultures offline. On the basis of a historical analysis of folk music culture and interview data from members of the scene, this study investigates the re-emergence of folk music culture in the so-called ‘hipster’, ‘indie’ or ‘folkster’ networks. These networks strongly build on do-it-yourself ideology and can likewise be linked to the idea of a barter or gift economy. Similar to their online counterparts, the offline prosumers contribute to their field by making their music, recording it or work on promoting it. The recent growth of the influence of folk music in the music industries and the spread of crafts shops furthermore seem to indicate that these developments are not only part of wider social changes. We suggest that the broad-based appreciation of independent folk music (culture) is based on a nostalgic longing for the authentic. This form of authenticity seems to consist mainly of romantic ideas and shaping objects with one’s own hands without entirely dismissing consumer culture.
By Janna Michael, Koen van Eijck, Pauwke Berkers, Lotte van der Jagt & Julia Peters
consumption be simultaneously crossed
and maintained by those with high levels of
cultural capital engaging with low status
culture? We propose that irony, due to its
inherent ambiguity and detachment, is a
consumption style that allows its users to
simultaneously cross and uphold symbolic
boundaries. In this exploratory study, we
analyze nine in-depth interviews with karaoke
performers and link their way of participating
to differences in cultural capital.
While participants with low cultural capital
displayed a straightforward, high involvement
with their karaoke practices, the consumer
styles of participants with high cultural
capital were inclined to be both
‘secretly serious’ and ‘ironic’. Irony provides
a way to distinguish oneself in
today’s ambiguous cultural landscape,
where meanings of both class positions and
consumption patterns have become more
fluid. Indeed, irony allows distinction precisely
through ambiguity, which makes it a
potentially valuable attitude for contemporary
cultural elites.
Much of the discussion on convergence culture and prosumerism has been framed as ‘the public re-emergence of grassroots creativity’ (Jenkins 2006: 136). The Internet enables its users to change, recirculate and annotate commercial media content, which has been celebrated as the basis for the rise of online participatory cultures. These participatory cultures are often framed as the folk cultures of the digital age because they link to ideas of gift economies and operate without distinction between producing and consuming of media content.
In this paper we look into the relevance of convergence culture in a different habitat. We show that the prosumer is not only active in new media, but can also be found in small-scale participatory cultures offline. On the basis of a historical analysis of folk music culture and interview data from members of the scene, this study investigates the re-emergence of folk music culture in the so-called ‘hipster’, ‘indie’ or ‘folkster’ networks. These networks strongly build on do-it-yourself ideology and can likewise be linked to the idea of a barter or gift economy. Similar to their online counterparts, the offline prosumers contribute to their field by making their music, recording it or work on promoting it. The recent growth of the influence of folk music in the music industries and the spread of crafts shops furthermore seem to indicate that these developments are not only part of wider social changes. We suggest that the broad-based appreciation of independent folk music (culture) is based on a nostalgic longing for the authentic. This form of authenticity seems to consist mainly of romantic ideas and shaping objects with one’s own hands without entirely dismissing consumer culture.
By Janna Michael, Koen van Eijck, Pauwke Berkers, Lotte van der Jagt & Julia Peters
The social interaction processes that shape the event’s social experience is examined using a framework that brings together cocreation practices, group socialization, and interaction ritual chains. This exploratory study investigates the social interaction processes that shape the event’s social experience by developing a quantitative tool, the Event Social Interaction Scale (ESIS), which measures different social dimensions of the event experience. The ESIS was applied at a popular culture event, the festivities of São João in Northeast Brazil, and 625 survey responses were collected in 2016 and 2017. Findings suggest that multiple interaction rituals occur. People who are more directly and
actively engaged in the event are more likely to be open for contact with unknown others. The event becomes a multidimensional platform where different types of social interaction are not only possible but fostered. The ESIS contributes to charting the footprint of the event as social experience, revealing a similar experience footprint across different years of the study. The ESIS and the implications of its processes for the event can be useful for academics, practitioners, and policymakers interested in understanding and facilitating more engaging event social experiences.
Keywords: Social interaction; Experience; Socialization; Platform; Event Social Interaction Scale (ESIS)