CULTURAL STUDIES

Founder

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)