Abstract
This paper is an examination of the recent field cultural history that Robert Darnton used to examine the study of 18th-century France. The author breaks down Darnton's work, "The Great Cat Massacre," by chapter in order to illustrate how his theory was designed to work. Each chapter is discussed in detail, examining both the strengths and weaknesses of the materials discussed. The author looks at methodology, and the inherent flaws that present themselves to the reader. The author looks at the problem of using narration and biography when looking at cultural history, which in their view, contradicts the goal that Darnton set out to accomplish. The author feels that this type of approach is best suited to the investigation of past events in history that are not fresh in our minds.

From the Paper
\\\"Understanding a narration poses an entirely distinct set of problems to understanding an event; for one thing, it introduces the problem of reader expectations, which are determined by the previous development of the genre in which the narration is embedded. For this reason, Darnton's analysis seems less compelling than the nature of the bizarre events he would have us believe really took place. Strangely enough, though, his anthropological method is most impressively applied in a chapter, which deals with what would seem to be far more ordinary events.\\\"

Tags:history, anthropology, method, account, narrative, autobiography, writer, subculture, relationships, events, analysis, cult, attitudes, intellectuals, european, worldviews

Abstract
This essay is an examination of the cultural history of Madrid, the rather accidental capital of Spain. The paper considers the golden age, during which Spanish culture and art were at their height, then the decline and reaction, the brief republican flowering, the nightmare of Civil War and the Franco regime, and finally, the post-Franco emergence of Madrid into modern culture.

From the Paper
"Madrid, Spain's capital, reflects the history of that country. In some ways, Madrid is more a regional than a national capital, reflecting its Castillian background but alien to many of Spain's other regions (Mitchell). Early on, Madrid was relatively urbane. An ordinance of 1512 made elementary education in Madrid compulsory (Altmira, 142), decades before Philip II moved his court to the city in 1561 (Davies, 25). Shortly after the court took up residence in Madrid, two theaters were built for the performances of the new comedies, and beginning in the 1580s, Spain enjoyed a golden age of its drama. The two pre-eminent..."

Tags:madrid, franco, spain

Abstract
This essay briefly explores three areas of Hong Kong culture and history and includes the unique culture of the Hong Kong people and how it developed. The paper discusses how the efforts to stamp out the mui tsai practice illustrates the problems encountered in attempting to enforce British morality on the Hong Kong population and includes how and why Beijing attempted to influence the course of democratization in post 1997 Hong Kong.

From the Paper
"Both Lau Siu-kai and Benjamin Leung agree that the Chinese people of Hong Kong have a unique culture and describe this culture as adventurous, individualistic, self-reliant and less encumbered by traditional inhibitions and having a degree of artificiality. A culture where an individual is free to be upwardly mobile and where personal success is based on economic success. Leung is more critical and to the point and adds that the Hong Kong citizen has a shaky moral status, no sense of cultural or moral mission and is characterized by crass materialism and utilitarianism due to the lack of moralizing elite and dominance of economic elite."

Tags:hong, kong, culture

Abstract
This paper explains that the Fowler is a museum of culture rather than an art museum, and therefore it concentrates on the way culture is manifested by different peoples around the world. The author points out that the Fowler Museum is in a relatively new building on the north end of the campus of UCLA, but getting to the museum and close-parking areas are problems. This paper explains that the display of the artifacts in this museum differs from that in many museums; the visitor is not so separated from the objects being shown, but rather most objects rest on low platforms no more than a foot or so off the ground. The paper includes details of the "Music in the Life of Africa" exhibition.

From the Paper
"Two of the current exhibits emphasize a continuing concern with how a culture makes use of its waste in artistic expression with shows on how certain materials are recycled for use in artworks. A second show has a similar theme but is more particularized as it shows "Muffler Men," or human figures made from discarded mufflers, usually by mechanics who then place these figures outside their businesses as advertising to show passersby what kind of business is conducted inside. Many of these figures are very creative. One service station shown in a photograph has eight or nine such figures outside and on its roof. Some of the figures are playing musical instruments, also made from old mufflers and other automobile parts no longer needed. The figures are usually painted, and they resemble nothing so much as robots in an old science fiction movie."

Tags:community, learning, parking, display, exhibits

Abstract
Although Haitian culture is a unique mix that blends many other cultures to form its own, many of the roots of this cultural representation can be traced to African culture, especially West African. This paper shows that, because most of the inhabitants of Haiti are of African descent, African culture plays a key role in the culture of the island and manifests itself in many ways in a reflection of present and emerged patterns in Haitian cultural history. In family structures, gender, religion, and other areas of culture, it is clear that African culture has had a great deal of influence over Haitian culture before and since the existence of Haiti as an independent country.

From the Paper
"According to tradition, the spirits of Vodou followed the slaves from Africa to the Caribbean, where Vodou was set up as an inseparable part of Haitian history and culture, and therefore African culture in its
relation to Haitian culture as a continuance and point of influence. Since Vodou was frowned upon by the French during their time ruling the island before the revolution, it had to take on some trappings of Catholicism as a way to disguise the religion. Thus, Vodou continues to have elements that would be familiar to students of Catholicism."

Tags:Benin, Caribbean, Creole

Abstract
The writer of this paper defines the term Orientalism, which comes from the Latin word oriens, as the rising sun, which generally implies, 'the East.' This paper focuses on the culture, religion, art and history of Orientalism. This paper explores the European view of Islam throughout history. The writer explains that during the birth of Christianity and Islam there was a distinct difference between European Christian cultures and those of East and North Africa, which are detailed at length in this paper. During the Middle Ages the European Christians denounced the Islamic people as the enemies of Christendom, due to their lack of knowledge of Eastern culture. This paper discusses how the Enlightenment thinkers of the 18th century viewed the Eastern culture as being superior to that of the Christian west. This paper illustrates that Islamic societies were praised for their religious tolerance when compared with Christian west. This paper also delves into those who opposed the Orientalist culture, such as James Mill, who believed that Eastern civilizations were stagnant and corrupt and Karl Marx who believed that Eastern methods of production were static. Christian evangelists further maligned Eastern traditions as superstitious nonsense. This paper also examines the rich artistic history of the Oriental culture. Depictions of Islamic Moors were found in Medieval and Renaissance art, but it wasn't until the 19th century that Orientalism became recognized in the arts. This paper also details the outspoken views and opinions of political activist and author Edward Said.

Table of Contents:
Definition of Orientalism
History of Orientalism
Orientalism in the Arts
History of Orientalism in the Arts
Edward Said and Orientalism
References

From the Paper
"Photography was still in its infancy and did not allow for the capture of the sunlight, the colors and the mood in which a painter could. With the iconoclastic nature of Islam, and the forbidding of the depiction of the prophet Muhammad, there was little representational art in Islam. Most of their artwork was centered on pattern and design. For this reason, the Muslim world had very little visual record of their history, including the people and the cities that existed prior to modern photography. Today, still, the best visual record of exotic cities like Cairo or Damascus, prior to the advent of modern photography, exists in 19th century paintings by Europeans and Americans. In the mid to late 19th century, painters from every country in Europe and from across the oceans in America, came to the East."

Tags:art, islam, africa, north, europe, christianity, conflict, culture, history, edward, said

Abstract
The paper relates that the history of Puerto Rican culture is inextricably tied to the cultures of the three nations that went into it and asserts that while native cultures often seem to be lost in many countries as they develop, the island of Puerto Rico seems to have been able to preserve much of the Taino influence in their traditional foods, music, and dance. This paper provides a brief overview of these aspects of Puerto Rican culture.

From the Paper
"The island of Puerto Rico is rich in cultural history. The Puerto Rican culture draws upon the shared influences of the native islanders, the Taino, as well as influences from the Spanish and African cultures that later settled on the island. These widely varied elements came together to form a single culture that is like no other in the world. Located in the Greater Antilles, Puerto Rico is the smallest in the chain of islands and is farthest to the east. Because the island of Puerto Rico is actually the exposed peak of part of a now-submerged mountain range,..."

Tags:taano, puerto rico, culture

Abstract
This paper describes the Chinook Indian tribes of Washington and Oregon. The writer describes their territory, language, social structure and customs, such as division of labor between the sexes, marriage, and status symbols. The writer also gives an overview of their dietary habits, their hunting methods, and the other foods that they consumed, with some detail on the edible thistle and the fruit named salal.

Outline:
Introduction
Lower Chinookan of Northwestern United States of America
History
Hunting
Vegetables
Fruits
Conclusion

From the Paper
"A language called Chinookan, which derives from Tsinu, was predominately spoken among groups of people living in Washington and Oregon along the coasts and along the banks of the Lower Columbian and Willamette Rivers in the 1700s to the early 1900s. Seven groups consist of Chinook proper, the Clackamas, Clatsop, Shoalwater Chinook, Wahkiakum, and Cathlamet (Kathlamet). The Columbia River bisects the territory from east to west and the Willapa Bay in the other side. The coast, of course, is on the whole west side."

Tags:Penutian, epidemic, dentalia, slave, trade, elk

Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses that the way in which Americans get their news has changed drastically over the years. In each era the dominant medium used has impacted how we interact with the news. The writer points out that while newspapers forced us to focus and actively learn as we read, television allows us to absorb images passively.

From the Paper
"The Medium Is The Message" - Marshall McLuhan THE NEWS, specifically the selection, investigation, presentation and personal reception of information about current events, has changed over time. These changes reflect and illustrate both the power and the nature of the various media in which "news" is shared with the public. At various times over the past three hundred years the most important media for sharing public news has evolved and slowly shifted from newspapers to radio and newsreels, to television. Many believe it is now shifting quickly to the Internet. As news reporting has moved through these various ..."

Tags:radio, television, newspapers

Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts the "myth of the cowboy" and the "myth of origins" in American cultural history. It specifically focuses on the cultural connection between the two myths. The paper argues that these two mythic narratives may be seen to be fundamentally identical in that their narrative elements and ultimate purpose are to justify the expansion and assertion of Euro-American power in the New World.

From the Paper
"In conclusion, it is clear that the "cowboy myth" is a potent cultural construction that - while distinct from the "myths of origin" in terms of time frame - nonetheless may be seen to be intimately related to these myths in how it justifies the extension of European settlement and authority over North America. The myths together effectively displace the Aboriginal First Nations of the continent from their historical role as the first settlers of these lands, and thus achieves on the level of cultural history what European power achieved on the landscape of the continent itself: the displacement and marginalization of Aboriginal culture. In this way, we can see how cultural narratives, while not even historically valid, can possess enormous power to create meanings and determine how we understand our histories and ourselves."

Tags:settlement, Aboriginal, New, World