The borders between the popular and the massive in the cultural theory of folkcommunication

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to explore in detail, and in an exclusively bibliographic way, the theory of Folkcommunication (Beltrão, 2004), belonging to the field of Social and Human Sciences, aligned, above all, with Communication Sciences; and which has its genuine Brazilian origin, having been founded and developed by the Brazilian journalist and writer Luiz Beltrão during the 1960s. The characteristic of its Brazilian origin is, therefore, the main motivation and justification for carrying out an in-depth bibliographic research on the aforementioned theory, in order to make known the main interests and foundations of this formulation, concept and discipline, which behaves as a cultural theory dedicated to understanding the complex and close relationship between popular culture and the mass media (Breguez, 2013). The folkmedia universe contemplates culture in its entirety, highlighting the extensive complexity of the elements, manifestations and cultural designs possible in the contemporary world (Marques de Melo, 2008). By making use of an investigative range of scientific material, which approaches concepts, processes and perspectives that facilitate an understanding of the Brazilian theory of Luiz Beltrão da Folkcommunication in its broad, general and complete aspect, we understand that the historical processes and the undeniable reality of the dynamics collective reflection in a constant metamorphosis of interests, empirical studies, practices and investigations (Maciel, 2013), which contribute to a permanent and recurrent updating of scientific studies and concepts.