Transcript CHAPTER 20 Cultural Studies

Cultural Studies
Cultural studies as a theoretical perspective focuses
on how culture is influenced by powerful, dominant
groups.
the
of
•Cultural studies does not refer to a single
doctrine of human behavior but pertains to
blending of attitudes and approaches toward
the criticism of culture.
•Stuart Hall focuses his attention on the role
the media and their ability to shape public
opinions of marginalized populations.
•Emphasizes that the media keep the powerful
in control while the less powerful absorb
what
is presented to them.
Assumptions of Cultural Studies
1. Culture pervades all facets of human
behavior.
2. People are part of a hierarchical
structure
of power.
a. Cultural studies theorists note that
power is something that
subordinate
groups desire but
cannot achieve.
b. Hall and others contend that the
ultimate source of power in our
society is the media.
Hegemony: The Influence of the
Masses
Hegemony is defined as the influence,
power,
or dominance of one social group over
another.
1. Ways in which one social group
dominates over another: coercion or
consent
a. Real (1996) notes that in
hegemonic
societies people
are influenced by
consent
rather than coercion.
Doing cultural studies
1. Cultural studies scholars study the
images, events, language, and beliefs of
society.
2. The process known as the “circuit of
culture”
a.
b.
c.
d.
Representation
Identity
Production-consumption
Cultural regulation
Audience decoding
1. Audiences decode a message from one
of three positions
a. Dominant-hegemonic
b. Negotiated
c. Oppositional