When does borrowing become cultural appropriation in dance?
Borrowing dance movements may be degrading culture heritage.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Cultural appropriation
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Cultural appropriation and the whiteness of book publishing
A recent flurry of tweets about cultural appropriation from members of the Canadian media elite show their ignorance the publishing industry remains overwhelming white
Why augmented reality is triggering cultural conflict and religious controversy
Who owns culture in the real-virtual world of augmented reality?
Braid rage: is cultural appropriation harmless borrowing or a damaging act?
Few would argue that exchanging cultural ideas could be construed negatively. But what happens when the influence and origins of that culture go unacknowledged and ignored?
Cultural appropriation: theft or fair exchange?
A painting of a symbolic moment in the history of the US civil rights movement has stirred emotions.
How far they’ll go: Moana shows the power of Polynesian celestial navigation
Disney's Moana has a remarkably accurate depiction of how Polynesian peoples navigate by the stars, and draws attention to the richness of Indigenous astronomy.
Mediocre ‘musical’ La La Land deserves to win at the Oscars – it’s a story for our uninspiring age
No film could be more perfectly circular, more self-congratulatory and more suited to the time.
Explainer: why blackface (and brownface) offend
Furores over blackface happen with disturbing regularity in Australia. To help explain why blackface is more than a simple case of harmless parody - or even honouring your hero - we must understand its harmful history.
Lionel Shriver and the responsibilities of fiction writers
Lionel Shriver's controversial speech about cultural appropriation has made headlines around the world. But the debate need not be a binary one – novelists might approach characters from other cultures as 'thoughtful tourists'.
Cultural appropriation: when ‘borrowing’ becomes exploitation
Cultural imperialism and looting were part and parcel of the colonial project. Today, some argue this legacy continues. But in a globalised society, where does borrowing end and appropriation begin?
Western pastiche of Hindu colour festival ignores politics of pigment in India
Indigo, pink, saffron: colour for India isn't just for throwing. It's political, too.
Explainer: the myth of the Noble Savage
Liberal MP Dennis Jensen's comments about the 'noble savage' lifestyle tap into a centuries-old stereotype about Indigenous people.
From India, with love: cultural appropriation and 50 years of Light on Yoga
Does yoga in the West constitute cultural appropriation? We talk culture, pride and 50 years of Light on Yoga.
Why Gaudeamus igitur has no place at graduations in African universities
A Latin song takes centre stage at graduation ceremonies around the world, including in South Africa. Isn't it time the continent used its own methods to celebrate major events?
UKIP calypso cringe shows we’ve glossed over black music’s radical history
To call Mike Read’s recently withdrawn UKIP calypso an appropriation of “black” culture is to do a disservice to the cultural traditions usually identified under that name. Still, something grates about…
Miranda Kerr goes geisha in Vogue … and that might be OK
Miranda Kerr sparked controversy last week when she appeared in Japanese Vogue dressed in a kimono. Critics in the blogosphere and The New York Daily News wondered whether her donning traditional Japanese…
Please un-do ‘booty’ pop videos
Dear Music Industrial Complex, Do you mind if I call you Mic? I normally don’t write about pop music, but I am upset. I know that sex sells, but may I make a special request of no more music videos consisting…
Top contributors
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Lecturer in Communication Studies, University of Otago
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Senior ARC Discovery Early Career Research Fellow, Monash University
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Associate Professor, Design Anthropology, Swinburne University of Technology
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Professor of Cultural Economy, City, University of London
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Lecturer in Creative Writing, James Cook University
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Teaching Assistant in English, Queen Mary University of London
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Honorary Fellow (Philosophy), Durham University
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Associate Professor, Department of Music, University of Venda
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Fellow, Department of Gender, Media and Cultural Studies, School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University
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PhD Candidate, University of Liverpool
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Associate Professor of History, Deakin University
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Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine
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Professor, Occupational Therapy, University of the Sunshine Coast
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Professor of Film and Cultural Studies, Kingston University
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Cultural Astronomy & Cultural Competence Researcher, UNSW
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