Cultural Studies

Definitions of Cultural Studies First, cultural studies transcends the confines of a particular discipline such as literary criticism or history. First, cultural studies transcends the confines of a particular discipline such as literary criticism or history. Critical Inquiry, one of the most influential journals about cultural studies.

Cultural studies involves scrutinising the cultural phenomenon of a text and drawing conclusions about the changes in textual phenomena over time. Cultural studies involves scrutinising the cultural phenomenon of a text and drawing conclusions about the changes in textual phenomena over time. Boundary 2

Second, cultural studies is politically engaged. Cultural critics see themselves as “oppositional,” not only within their own disciplines but to many of the power structures of society at large. Second, cultural studies is politically engaged. Cultural critics see themselves as “oppositional,” not only within their own disciplines but to many of the power structures of society at large. The picture of the online journal Representations

Third, cultural studies denies the separation of “high” and “low” or elite and popular (mass) culture. Third, cultural studies denies the separation of “high” and “low” or elite and popular (mass) culture. Pierre Bourdieu, one of the theorists who explores how “good taste” often reflects social, economic, and political power bases.

Rather than determining which are the “best” works produced, cultural critics describe what is produced and how various productions relate to one another. Rather than determining which are the “best” works produced, cultural critics describe what is produced and how various productions relate to one another. Drawing upon the ideas of Michel de Certeau, cultural critics examine the “practice of everyday life.”

Cultural critics aim to reveal the political, economic reasons why a certain cultural product is more baled at certain times than others. Cultural critics aim to reveal the political, economic reasons why a certain cultural product is more baled at certain times than others.

Finally, cultural studies analyzes not only the cultural work, but also the means of production. Finally, cultural studies analyzes not only the cultural work, but also the means of production. The book cover of Janice Radway’s Reading Romance: Women, Patriarchy and Popular Literature.

Cultural studies joins subjectivity – that is, culture in relation to individual lives– with engagement, a direct approach to attacking social ills. Cultural studies joins subjectivity – that is, culture in relation to individual lives– with engagement, a direct approach to attacking social ills.

Five Types of Cultural Studies British Cultural Materialism New Historicism American Multiculturalism Postmodernism and Popular Culture Postcolonial Studies Poster for The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), directed by James Whale.

British Cultural Materialism Cultural materialism began in earnest in the 1950s with the work of F.R. Leavis, heavily influenced by Matthew Arnold’s analyses of bourgeois culture. Cultural materialism began in earnest in the 1950s with the work of F.R. Leavis, heavily influenced by Matthew Arnold’s analyses of bourgeois culture. Cultural Materialism: Theory and Practice by Scott Wilson. Cultural studies is referred to as “Cultural Materialism” in Britain.

New Historicism As a return to historical scholarship, new historicism concerns itself with extraliterary matters– letters, diaries, films, paintings, medical treatises– looking to reveal opposing historical tensions in a text. As a return to historical scholarship, new historicism concerns itself with extraliterary matters– letters, diaries, films, paintings, medical treatises– looking to reveal opposing historical tensions in a text. Frederic Jameson insisted, “Always historicize!”

New historicists seek “surprising coincidences” that may cross generic, historical, and cultural lines in borrowings of metaphor, ceremony, or popular culture. New historicists seek “surprising coincidences” that may cross generic, historical, and cultural lines in borrowings of metaphor, ceremony, or popular culture. From Hayden White, cultural studies practitioners learned how figurative relationships between present and past tropes are shaped by historical discourses.

The new historicism rejects the periodization of history in favor of ordering history only through the interplay of forms of power. The new historicism rejects the periodization of history in favor of ordering history only through the interplay of forms of power. For Michel Foucault, history was not the working out of “universal” ideas.

American Multiculturalism 1. African American Writers 2. Latina/o Writers 3. American Indian Literatures 4. Asian American Writers Henry Louis Gates uses the word “race” only in quotation marks.

Postmodernism and Popular Culture Postmodernism questions everything rationalist European philosophy held to be true. Postmodernism questions everything rationalist European philosophy held to be true. Jean-François Lyotard argues that stability is maintained through “grand narratives.”

Postmodernism argues that it is all contingent and that most cultural constructions have served the function of empowering members of a dominant social group at the expense of “others.” Postmodernism argues that it is all contingent and that most cultural constructions have served the function of empowering members of a dominant social group at the expense of “others.” Jean Baudrillard describes the “simulacra” of postmodern life which have taken the place of “real” objects.

Popular culture: there are four main types of popular culture analysis: production analysis, textual analysis, audience analysis, and historical analysis. Popular culture: there are four main types of popular culture analysis: production analysis, textual analysis, audience analysis, and historical analysis. These analyses seek to get beneath the surface (denotative) meanings and examine more implicit (connotation) social meanings

Postcolonial Studies Postcolonialism refers to a historical phase undergone by the Third World countries after the decline of colonialism. Postcolonialism refers to a historical phase undergone by the Third World countries after the decline of colonialism. Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism was an important touchstone to postcolonial studies.

Orientalism Orientalism is a 1978 book by Edward Said that marked the beginnings of postcolonial studies. In his book Said suggests that all discourse, particularly discourse about other cultures, is inherently ideological.

Orientalism In another words, many predominant ideas or images we have on non-Western worlds are not only constructed but are constructed by the gaze of the foreign colonisers, either through their ignorance, their misconceptions, or their deliberate misrepresentations for imperial purposes. Some of these misrepresented stereotypes survive to this very day and are still influencing our understanding of the world, and even of ourselves.

Orientalism Some of these stereotypes of Asians are: The mystical East Exotic Arabia The otherworldly traditionalists in Asia

Orientalism To this very day, some Westerners actually still think that all Chinese people are skilled in Kung-Fu. The world might have been globalized, but Orientalism is a reminder that the humans can still be very partial in terms of understanding the global peoples.

Many Third World writers focus on both colonialism and the changes created in a postcolonial culture. Many Third World writers focus on both colonialism and the changes created in a postcolonial culture. Frantz Fanon drew upon his own horrific experiences in French Algeria to deconstruct emerging national regimes.

Taiwan as a Postcolonial Case Taiwan is one of the most interesting cases of postcolonial studies in Asia, perhaps in the world. Its name Formosa (Beautiful Island) is dubbed by Portuguese

Taiwan as a Postcolonial Case Overview of Fort Zeelandia ( 安平古堡 ) in Tainan, Taiwan/ painted around 1635/ 73 x 103 cm/ The Hague National Bureau of Archives, Netherlands It has been ruled by colonisers such as: The Dutch The Japanese The building currently known as the ROC Presidential Office was originally built as the Office of the Governor-General by the Japanese colonial government. Presidential Office the Japanese coPresidential Office the Japanese co

Taiwan as a Postcolonial Case Considering the aboriginals in Taiwan, some will argue that even the Taiwan reigns by Ming and Qing Dynasties, as well as by the ROC, can be regarded as colonial in nature

Taiwan as a Postcolonial Case Taiwan has exhibited unmistakable post-colonial features in the struggle of representations of it histories and identities A machine gun was installed on a fire engine by the Chinese Nationalist Army. Dr. M. Ottsen of the United Nations took this photo at the time in Tainan. machine gunons took this machine gunons took this 228 Massacre Taiwan Identities The 1996 Proposed flag of Taiwan. ROC flag

Taiwan as a Postcolonial Case If we want to understand the current situation of Taiwan......we should not only listen to the words of politicians and start understanding the underlining postcolonial challenges in Taiwan

Some of the best resources is right beside us, Prof. Ping-hui Liao ( 廖炳惠 ) of NTHU is one of the most famous scholars in Postcolonial Studies, in the world. Prof. Kuei-feng Chiu ( 邱貴芬 ), who is coming to speak to us in a few weeks, is an expert in Taiwanese Literature

Works Cited Munns, Jessica and Gita, Rajan. Eds. A Cultural Studies Reader: History, Theory, Practice. London :Longman, Ono A. Kent. Ed. A Companion to Asian American Studies. Malden: Blackwell Press, Schwarz, Henry and Sangeeta, Ray. Eds. A Companion to Postcolonial Studies. Malden, MA :Blackwell Press, Power, Dominic and Scott, Allen J. Eds. Cultural Industries and the Production of Culture. New York: Routledge, Representations. > 。 > 。