Pop Culture Yoga

Defining Pop Culture Yoga: A Communication Remix was born out of a series of questions about the paradoxical nature of yoga: How do individuals and groups define yoga? What does it mean to “practice yoga”, and what does this practice involve? What are some of the most important principles, guidelines, or philosophical tenets of yoga that shape people’s definitions and practices? Who has the power and authority to define yoga? What are the limits, if any, of shared definitions of yoga? Kristen C. Blinne explores the myriad ways “yoga” is communicatively constructed and defined in and through popular culture in the United States. In doing so, Blinne offers insight into the many identity work processes in play in the construction of yoga categories, illuminating how individuals’ and groups’ words and actions represent practices of claiming—part of a complex communicative process centered around membership categorization—based on a range of authenticity discourses. Employing popular culture writing styles, Blinne ultimately contends that the majority of yoga styles practiced in the United States are remixes that can be classified as pop culture yoga, a distinct way of understanding this complex phenomenon.

At a moment when Americans--and practitioners the world over--are asking critical questions about the past, present, and future of yoga, Kristen C. Blinne's brilliant book is a timely contribution that should be read and discussed widely. She writes eloquently, with care, curiosity, humility, and deep wisdom. Her book clarifies many of the most pressing issues that yogis must consider if yoga is to be a practice aligned with justice and against oppression.--Jeremy Engels, Penn State University

Kristen C. Blinne is associate professor of communication studies at the State University of New York College at Oneonta and a certified yoga teacher.