CULTURAL STUDIES

Founder

Stuart Hall

3 Main Concepts

Critical theory, interpretive, manufacture of consent

What does Hall BELIEVE?

Media = myth of democratic pluralism, suspicious of ignoring power relationships, unmask power imbalances in society, mass media does media hegemony

Manufacture of Consent

Management of public opinion; ordinary people need guidance for flourishing democracy

Critical theory and cultural studies relationship

Close cousins

Meaning via Discourse

-Signs made through comm. + culture.
-Controlling media convinces audience share same views via discourse
-Powerful media purveys meaning of dominant ideas

Discourse

Frameworks of interpretation

Discursive Information

Process where unquestioned and seemingly natural ways of interpreting the world turn into ideologies

Cultural Studies Validity

-If it deconstructs current media establishment that fails to deal with ideology
-Liberates people from unknowingly learning dominant ideologies of the culture
-If the ability to raise our consciousness of media's role preserves status quo

Herbert Gans

-Published stories around same time as Hall on what news stories makes the headlines and why
-Supported Hall's work
-Says there's values, publishing procedures to ensure headlines reflects those in power

5 Steps of Deciding What's News

-Sources of news: news comes from people with power
-Individualism: Americans value stories about individual effort
-Ethnocentrism: stories that don't make our country look bad
-Democratic processes: every story is dichotomy/simple "who won or lost?"; nothing is solved
-Objectivity: Strong commitment to reporting news w/o bias or taking sides

Category

interpretive; critical

Hegemony

society's haves vs. what it lacks (have-nots)