Noun. The romanticization and exoticization of minority populations and their cultures are tied with, and often evolve into, cases of fetishization. Through the appropriation of cultural designs and items, dominant narratives are formed to disguise the objectification of “foreign” groups as “respect” and “appreciation”. For example, the widespread and casual use of indegenous prints aren’t meant to validify the importance of native groups within our global society, but is rather the denigration of their cultures in the oversimplification and over-accessibility of significant (and often sacred) native traditions. The fetishization of any minority population is dangerous, needless to say, as it can easily affect outsiders’ perspectives on foreign cultures.

Examples

“…with Beyoncé expected to make an appearance, the question of whether the “overly exoticized Bollywood angle will be used further” is being asked by some angry Twitter users.”

Saini, Mayu. “Coldplay Video with Beyoncé Stirs Controversy in India.” Women’s Wear Daily. Last modified February 4, 2016. https://wwd.com/business-news/media/beyonce-coldplay-video-controversy-india-10338722/.

“[Cultural appropriation] involves a dominant cultural group exploiting the culture of less privileged groups—i.e. when an American pop star wears a bindi and is deemed ‘fashionable’ or ‘worldly’ but experiences less or none of the historical discrimination or systemic oppression associated with being part of a minority group or having origins in much of the Global South.”

Thacker, Mara. “‘Sari, Not Sorry’: Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation.” Glocal Notes. Last modified February 23, 2016. https://publish.illinois.edu/iaslibrary/2016/02/23/sari-not-sorry-thoughts-on-cultural-appropriation/.

Navajo prints have been used as “trendy” designs, popularized by celebrity culture.

I. Randolph