The emergence of the United States in public discourse in the Netherlands, 1890-1990. In this presentation I present the methdology of my research as well as the case study of the my first chapter: the cigarette.
Explore beautiful and ugly buildings. Mathematics helps us create beautiful d...
Smoke Like an American
1. Smoke like an American
The emergence of the United States in public
discourse in the Netherlands, 1890-1990
MELVIN WEVERS / M.J.H.F.WEVERS@UU.NL
UTRECHT UNIVERSITY, THE NETHERLANDS
Monday, September 9, 13
4. Reference Culture(s)
Mental constructs or ‘cognitive maps’ by the receiving cultures
in asymmetrical cultural exchanges
Historical examples: Byzantium, Roman Empire, Dutch Republic,
19th Century England, 20th Century US, China?
Monday, September 9, 13
5. Reference Culture(s)
Mental constructs or ‘cognitive maps’ by the receiving cultures
in asymmetrical cultural exchanges
Historical examples: Byzantium, Roman Empire, Dutch Republic,
19th Century England, 20th Century US, China?
Addition to theories of empire, nation, cultural creolization
Monday, September 9, 13
6. Reference Culture(s)
Mental constructs or ‘cognitive maps’ by the receiving cultures
in asymmetrical cultural exchanges
Historical examples: Byzantium, Roman Empire, Dutch Republic,
19th Century England, 20th Century US, China?
Addition to theories of empire, nation, cultural creolization
Transnational, extra-temporal (historical, futuristic), extra-
territorial
Monday, September 9, 13
7. Reference Culture(s)
Mental constructs or ‘cognitive maps’ by the receiving cultures
in asymmetrical cultural exchanges
Historical examples: Byzantium, Roman Empire, Dutch Republic,
19th Century England, 20th Century US, China?
Addition to theories of empire, nation, cultural creolization
Transnational, extra-temporal (historical, futuristic), extra-
territorial
How were ideas, products and practices associated with the
United States valued in Dutch public discourse between 1890
and 1990?
Monday, September 9, 13
11. Public Discourse(s)
Reference cultures emerge in collective discussions
Digitized collection of the National Library of the Netherlands
Monday, September 9, 13
12. Public Discourse(s)
Reference cultures emerge in collective discussions
Digitized collection of the National Library of the Netherlands
Magazines (De Groene, Elsevier, Commercials)
Monday, September 9, 13
13. Public Discourse(s)
Reference cultures emerge in collective discussions
Digitized collection of the National Library of the Netherlands
Magazines (De Groene, Elsevier, Commercials)
How does public discourse(s) reflect and influence the
emergence and impact of reference cultures?
Monday, September 9, 13
16. Digital Humanities
Digital technologies (i.e. Cultural Text Mining -> Digging for
meaning)
Named Entity Recognition (NER), Sentiment Analysis, Word
Cloud
Monday, September 9, 13
17. Digital Humanities
Digital technologies (i.e. Cultural Text Mining -> Digging for
meaning)
Named Entity Recognition (NER), Sentiment Analysis, Word
Cloud
How can digital technologies be used to map historical
trends and changes in relation to the economic power,
cultural acceptance, and scientific and technological
impact of the United States as a reference culture?
Monday, September 9, 13
20. Consuming America
The United States as ‘Market Empire’ (De Grazia,
2005)
Dutch consumer society shaped by America
Monday, September 9, 13
21. Consuming America
The United States as ‘Market Empire’ (De Grazia,
2005)
Dutch consumer society shaped by America
Consumerism as Americanization??
Monday, September 9, 13
22. Consuming America
The United States as ‘Market Empire’ (De Grazia,
2005)
Dutch consumer society shaped by America
Consumerism as Americanization??
“...it is the local context of consumption which ...
finishes up commodities and their meaning
(Sassatelli, 2007: 115)
Monday, September 9, 13
23. Consuming America
The United States as ‘Market Empire’ (De Grazia,
2005)
Dutch consumer society shaped by America
Consumerism as Americanization??
“...it is the local context of consumption which ...
finishes up commodities and their meaning
(Sassatelli, 2007: 115)
The understand of self in society through goods
Monday, September 9, 13
25. Case Study: Cigarettes
Cultural icon of American entrepreneurialism. (“the product that
defined America”)
Monday, September 9, 13
26. Case Study: Cigarettes
Cultural icon of American entrepreneurialism. (“the product that
defined America”)
Advertisements as contextual point-of-departure in which “the
product is symbolically charged and inserted in wider
lifestyles” (Sassatelli, 2007: 126)
Monday, September 9, 13
27. Case Study: Cigarettes
Cultural icon of American entrepreneurialism. (“the product that
defined America”)
Advertisements as contextual point-of-departure in which “the
product is symbolically charged and inserted in wider
lifestyles” (Sassatelli, 2007: 126)
How is America perceived as part of the brand identity of cigarettes
sold in the Netherlands?
Monday, September 9, 13
28. Case Study: Cigarettes
Cultural icon of American entrepreneurialism. (“the product that
defined America”)
Advertisements as contextual point-of-departure in which “the
product is symbolically charged and inserted in wider
lifestyles” (Sassatelli, 2007: 126)
How is America perceived as part of the brand identity of cigarettes
sold in the Netherlands?
Do moral and social values associated with cigarettes or smoking
in Dutch public discourse reflect or effect the cultural position of
the United States?
Monday, September 9, 13
29. Case Study: Cigarettes
Cultural icon of American entrepreneurialism. (“the product that
defined America”)
Advertisements as contextual point-of-departure in which “the
product is symbolically charged and inserted in wider
lifestyles” (Sassatelli, 2007: 126)
How is America perceived as part of the brand identity of cigarettes
sold in the Netherlands?
Do moral and social values associated with cigarettes or smoking
in Dutch public discourse reflect or effect the cultural position of
the United States?
What role do reference cultures play in the gender aspects of the
cigarette and/or smoking?
Monday, September 9, 13
32. The Modern Cigarette
Americanness of the cigarette:
the leafs and curing techniques originated in the US
[Tobacco associated with the new world]
Monday, September 9, 13
33. The Modern Cigarette
Americanness of the cigarette:
the leafs and curing techniques originated in the US
[Tobacco associated with the new world]
packaging and branding is based on American marketing
techniques
Monday, September 9, 13
34. The Modern Cigarette
Americanness of the cigarette:
the leafs and curing techniques originated in the US
[Tobacco associated with the new world]
packaging and branding is based on American marketing
techniques
the production technique is often associated with the
United States [Mass machine-produced] -> Bonsack
Monday, September 9, 13
35. The Modern Cigarette
Americanness of the cigarette:
the leafs and curing techniques originated in the US
[Tobacco associated with the new world]
packaging and branding is based on American marketing
techniques
the production technique is often associated with the
United States [Mass machine-produced] -> Bonsack
American tobacco industry dominates the global market
Monday, September 9, 13
36. The Modern Cigarette
Americanness of the cigarette:
the leafs and curing techniques originated in the US
[Tobacco associated with the new world]
packaging and branding is based on American marketing
techniques
the production technique is often associated with the
United States [Mass machine-produced] -> Bonsack
American tobacco industry dominates the global market
Military presence important in spreading American cigarettes
Monday, September 9, 13
38. American national
identity
Cigarettes were marketed as national brands: American
blend, “America’s most popular cigarette”, “Welcome to
Marlboro Country”, “American Blend”
Monday, September 9, 13
39. American national
identity
Cigarettes were marketed as national brands: American
blend, “America’s most popular cigarette”, “Welcome to
Marlboro Country”, “American Blend”
Country-of-Origin effect
Monday, September 9, 13
40. American national
identity
Cigarettes were marketed as national brands: American
blend, “America’s most popular cigarette”, “Welcome to
Marlboro Country”, “American Blend”
Country-of-Origin effect
associated with global and local icons -> labeling as
exotic or national offers a moral picture of consumption
Monday, September 9, 13
41. American national
identity
Cigarettes were marketed as national brands: American
blend, “America’s most popular cigarette”, “Welcome to
Marlboro Country”, “American Blend”
Country-of-Origin effect
associated with global and local icons -> labeling as
exotic or national offers a moral picture of consumption
Values: independence, autonomy, pleasure, leisure, health,
price, everyday life as a sign of modernity
Monday, September 9, 13
42. American national
identity
Cigarettes were marketed as national brands: American
blend, “America’s most popular cigarette”, “Welcome to
Marlboro Country”, “American Blend”
Country-of-Origin effect
associated with global and local icons -> labeling as
exotic or national offers a moral picture of consumption
Values: independence, autonomy, pleasure, leisure, health,
price, everyday life as a sign of modernity
GOAL: Chart the values associated with cigarettes both in
advertising and wider public discourse
Monday, September 9, 13
44. Cigarettes in the
Netherlands
Russian cigarettes popular in the beginning of the 20th
century. First Dutch produced cigarette ‘Encore’ showed an
Indonesian girl with palm leafs on the packaging.
Monday, September 9, 13
45. Cigarettes in the
Netherlands
Russian cigarettes popular in the beginning of the 20th
century. First Dutch produced cigarette ‘Encore’ showed an
Indonesian girl with palm leafs on the packaging.
British prisoners-of-war introduced Virginia cigarettes in the
Netherlands (1914)
Monday, September 9, 13
46. Cigarettes in the
Netherlands
Russian cigarettes popular in the beginning of the 20th
century. First Dutch produced cigarette ‘Encore’ showed an
Indonesian girl with palm leafs on the packaging.
British prisoners-of-war introduced Virginia cigarettes in the
Netherlands (1914)
British American Tobacco grew in NL -> More American
brands that use Native Americans, movie stars, and oriental
(!) imagery
Monday, September 9, 13
47. Cigarettes in the
Netherlands
Russian cigarettes popular in the beginning of the 20th
century. First Dutch produced cigarette ‘Encore’ showed an
Indonesian girl with palm leafs on the packaging.
British prisoners-of-war introduced Virginia cigarettes in the
Netherlands (1914)
British American Tobacco grew in NL -> More American
brands that use Native Americans, movie stars, and oriental
(!) imagery
In 1967, 65% of the smokers prefers American (filter)
cigarettes
Monday, September 9, 13
49. Cigarettes in the
Netherlands - Statistics
Between 1923-1940 steady increased from 274
cigarettes per person per year to 596
Monday, September 9, 13
50. Cigarettes in the
Netherlands - Statistics
Between 1923-1940 steady increased from 274
cigarettes per person per year to 596
After war a short dip and then a steady increase
up until 1964 (1.460) - Surgeon General Luther
Terry’s announcement that smoking is harmful
Monday, September 9, 13
51. Cigarettes in the
Netherlands - Statistics
Between 1923-1940 steady increased from 274
cigarettes per person per year to 596
After war a short dip and then a steady increase
up until 1964 (1.460) - Surgeon General Luther
Terry’s announcement that smoking is harmful
Shortly afterwards, increase until 1977 after which
consumption decreased
Monday, September 9, 13
54. Digital Humanities
Principle uses: generate hypotheses & spot continuities
and discontinuities
Query: “Sigaret AND Virginia”
Monday, September 9, 13
55. Digital Humanities
Principle uses: generate hypotheses & spot continuities
and discontinuities
Query: “Sigaret AND Virginia”
The “pure” Virginia blend is sometimes associated
with England, whereas blended cigarettes (burley) are
associated with the United States.
Monday, September 9, 13
56. Digital Humanities
Principle uses: generate hypotheses & spot continuities
and discontinuities
Query: “Sigaret AND Virginia”
The “pure” Virginia blend is sometimes associated
with England, whereas blended cigarettes (burley) are
associated with the United States.
Goal: Chart this shift in the connection between nation
and blend
Monday, September 9, 13
57. Digital Humanities
Principle uses: generate hypotheses & spot continuities
and discontinuities
Query: “Sigaret AND Virginia”
The “pure” Virginia blend is sometimes associated
with England, whereas blended cigarettes (burley) are
associated with the United States.
Goal: Chart this shift in the connection between nation
and blend
Texcavator & SPSS - Text analysis, sentiment analysis
Monday, September 9, 13
58. Digital Humanities
Principle uses: generate hypotheses & spot continuities
and discontinuities
Query: “Sigaret AND Virginia”
The “pure” Virginia blend is sometimes associated
with England, whereas blended cigarettes (burley) are
associated with the United States.
Goal: Chart this shift in the connection between nation
and blend
Texcavator & SPSS - Text analysis, sentiment analysis
Monday, September 9, 13
60. Close-reading
1932: article in “Het Vaderland”, reaction on possible tax
increases on consumption goods in the United States
Monday, September 9, 13
61. Close-reading
1932: article in “Het Vaderland”, reaction on possible tax
increases on consumption goods in the United States
“There is a clear difference with European cigarettes.”
Monday, September 9, 13
62. Close-reading
1932: article in “Het Vaderland”, reaction on possible tax
increases on consumption goods in the United States
“There is a clear difference with European cigarettes.”
“zenith of simplicity”
Monday, September 9, 13
63. Close-reading
1932: article in “Het Vaderland”, reaction on possible tax
increases on consumption goods in the United States
“There is a clear difference with European cigarettes.”
“zenith of simplicity”
“circular instead of smashed flat”
Monday, September 9, 13
64. Close-reading
1932: article in “Het Vaderland”, reaction on possible tax
increases on consumption goods in the United States
“There is a clear difference with European cigarettes.”
“zenith of simplicity”
“circular instead of smashed flat”
“we [Europeans] are not at the point that women smoke
as regular in public as men”
Monday, September 9, 13
67. Thank you!
Questions?
m.j.h.f.wevers@uu.nl
Twitter: @melvinwevers
Sources:
De Grazia, Victoria. Irresistible Empire: America’s Advance through Twentieth-century
Europe. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2005.
Sassatelli, Roberta. Consumer Culture History, Theory and Politics. Los Angeles: SAGE
Publications, 2007.
Monday, September 9, 13
