Essays on Cultural Studies

Hop on Pop is a study of the works of scholars in the current generation from diverse fields such as cinema, cultural studies as well as literature. The works of the authors attain significant inspiration from their engagement in the traditional culture and their insights mainly derived from fans, consumers, and critics. The anthology on pleasures of modern culture and politics extends a manifesto that provides an outline on a new focus in cultural studies. The popular culture directs much of its attention to the empirical rather than the theoretical, and a translation of critical acumen about redirecting the ...

Introduction

The conflict theory suggests that ideology and bias in media is correlated to the effects of ideology on society. This means that the influence of ideas on people’s perception of the society reflects on their actions and representation of gender. Examining examples from the Dove commercial and parody will explore the subject of media de-gendering, ideology, hegemony, representation, and the semiotic triangle. Furthermore, the discussion will also demonstrate how images constituted by the media creates the description of semiotic triangle and how represents the culture industry. Lastly, an image in social media will be examined trough the lenses ...

Compare and Contrast

Compare and Contrast

For a better part of 19th century, various expressive art forms such as orchestral music, Shakespearean drama, sculptures, paintings, and opera enjoyed mass popularity and high-cultural status. However, in America, people shared a culture that was less organized (hierarchically), and less divided into rigid adjectival categories. With time, American arts became increasingly renowned for a growing chasm of “high” and ‘low” culture. Specifically, highbrow culture appeals to the affluent sections of the society who have enough disposable incomes to spend on services and goods that are more expensive and of higher quality. It requires a culture ...

Thesis Topic- Does pop culture deserve academic study?

Thesis- In our world today, pop culture is reconfiguring traditional academic disciplines. I –Introduction Pop culture has taken the classroom on by storm. It is a field that is gradually becoming a legitimate field of study and taken seriously by seasoned educators. This pop culture revolution is helping many to better understand themselves and encourage creative expression. For some however, it is simply a distraction. Others view it as a tool to enhance what is learned through contextual experiences. In our world today, pop culture is reconfiguring traditional academic disciplines. II. What is pop culture?

Pop culture has been ...

Question 2: Definitions of Subcultures

Undoubtedly, no particular cultural studies texts have been widely read than the Subculture books written by Dick Hebdige in 1979. Hebdige (121) defines and analyzes subcultures based on specificity and conjuncture. His definition indicates that subcultures arise from symbolic and communal engagements with a larger form of industrial culture. They are expressed as the emergence of styles and not class or age. Modzelewski and Abramson (145) outline different definitions or ideologies of subcultures that arose from Chicago School Tradition, the Birmingham Center for Contemporary Cultural Studies and the Post-subcultural era. This essay attempts to understand how the definition and ...

Introduction

It’s called a fugue state. A fugue state is characterized by a complete removal from, or interruption of, a person’s identity and a personal history. A fugue state is not always permanent, but during the episode, a person can completely forget who they are, and can assume a completely new identity for themselves. Usually, the fugue state isn’t even diagnosed until a person can recall their identity after the fugue state has ended (Costandi). This is a perfect metaphor for Death Fugue, a novel by Sheng Keyi. In her novel, she explores the events related to ...

Intensified Research of Ridley Scott

Intensified Research on Ridley Scott There have only been a handful of filmmakers who had been able to stand out from the crowd of great film personalities that ever flourished in Hollywood. These filmmakers may not be the ones who made the most popular film in the world or the ones who made the most critically acclaimed or commercially successful films yet. Instead, these people are the pioneers that proved how significant movies can become for popular culture by influencing almost a couple of decades of filmmaking and/or lifestyle choices. Works of this handful of filmmakers, hailed as classics ...

Every nation has some sort of historical trauma. The creepy and full of horror twentieth century did not miss anyone generously awarding each with a bouquet of mass psychosis caused terrible events. However, among the many big and not very countries most of all has gotten to China: war, revolution, famine, the occupation in the first half of the century and the severity of the second one. Mainland China having suffered under Comrade Mao with his Cultural Revolution, Hong Kong remembers the bloody riots of the 1960s, and Taiwan has gone through a difficult period of "White Terror." This ...

Describe two research methods used in sociology.

Two popular research methods adapted to be used in sociology are classified as quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative research methodology encompasses collecting numerical data to analyse a phenomenon. It also involves interpreting findings through statistical applications. The foundations of quantitative research design/methods emerge from the philosophical premises of realism; subjectivism and paradigm wars. From a sociological, perspective quantitative research methods focus on a systemic empirical approach in its investigation of social issues (Hunter & Leahey, 2008).

Qualitative research method investigates the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of a phenomenon without utilizing any mathematical tools. In this sense it is considered the inversion of quantitative research ...

Introduction

Cross-cultural research is the scientific study of members of different cultures who have different experiences that lead to varying mental processes and behavior. In most cases cross-cultural studies are carried out in cultures that speak different languages. The process of carrying out cross-cultural research involves; establishing research questions, sample cultures, assess contract, choose the method, task and instructions, language and translation, experimenter, additional variables, data analysis, tentative conclusions and finally planning of the next study (Byrne & Vijver, 2010). The following essay focuses on the methodological, theoretical and ethical issues in cross-cultural research performed parental influence on the choice ...

Cross-cultural psychology is a combination of both cultural and cross-cultural psychology; nevertheless, the two terms have a significant difference. Cultural psychology focuses on the cultural dynamics, whereas cross-cultural psychology is concerned with a culture’s static aspects. In this case, the main agenda is cross-cultural psychology, as it focuses on the effects culture has on studying human behavior.

This study looks at how human behavior is influenced by cultural factors. A culture involves the various characteristics that a certain group of people depicts. These attributes may include the peoples’ behaviors, attitudes, values and customs that pass on from one generation to another. The ...

There are different discussions concerning city studies. This paper looks into some of the debates on the whole structure of cities; social, economic as well as political organization. It uses four different sources to review city life.

In part two of the book, City Reader, LeGates, Richard T, and Frederic Stout talk about “Urban Culture and Society.” Cities comprise of a sequence of institutions. They include; the economic market segment, the government fort as well as the community. The community or society is considered as the most authentically communicative form of the city population, the city’s local culture ...

The overall research question in this research proposal is why people are enthusiastic to embrace planned obsolescence and leave old things aside in favor of new ones in a disposable society. Planned obsolescence is an intriguing topic on cultural studies. Planned obsolescence is an industrial policy in the making of a product with a restricted life span. This makes the product useless after some time hence it is beneficial to the producer because for consumers to continue using a product, they need to purchase a newer version of the same product. Planned obsolescence enhances the demand of a product hence ensures that a product remains relevant ...

The article represents a critique of the work Media and the American Mind by Daniel J. Czitrom published in 1982 which is considered revolutionary insight in journalism of nineteenth century because it “was linked to a tidy history of thought and research about the media” (Park, 2007, p.466).

The Czitrom’s book is notable for several significant ideas but the factor which set this work apart from other studies is the author’s choice of media theorists to analyze. The author’s goal was to give a critical estimation of Media and the American Mind and analyze the contribution of the ...

Study Program

Review of Keenan, J. & Evans, A. 2014. ‘‘I am a starbucks worker my life no longer belongs to me’: the performance of enstrangement as a learning tool,’ Teaching in Higher Education, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 101-112. This paper examines the use of autoethnography as a means of approaching the experience of estrangement, thereby making the researcher’s personal experience a topic of investigation. Autoethnographic practices that emphasize the location of the researcher as an important response to post-structuralist epistemologies in which older forms of certainty in the validity traditional scientific inquiry have been edged out by greater knowledge that experience ...

Canada is a multicultural area, which has the different sense background, of religious, racial, and cultural festivity. This is notable through the Canadian government adoption of the Multiculturalism policy, in the 1970-80s. This placed the Canadian government, as being the multiculturalism ideology instigator, due to its public prominence on the articulating the social significance of immigration. Therefore, placing the Royal Commission in Canada, dealing with Biculturalism and Bilingualism, often to be referred in multiculturalism as being; the modern political wakefulness derivation. "Multiculturalism" as a term, has been used by Canadians both descriptively, what is seen as a fact sociologically and prescriptively ...

The concept and ideology of diverged cultures in the world have come into the limelight with the increased philosophy of globalization, and internationalization. The stated issues have led to increased human interaction from across the world in many aspects that touch on social, political as well as economic matters. In the recent times, there has been the observed increase in terms of technological, and innovation’s improvement across the world. This has facilitated and enhanced the observed increased human interaction. However, this paper analyzes the importance of cultural studies and diversity in the contemporary times. It is important ...

Annotated bibliography on American Popular Culture

Mukerji, Chandra, and Michael Schudson. Rethinking Popular Culture: Contemporary Perspectives in Cultural Studies. Berkeley: the University of California Press, 1991. Print.

The book aids the reader in understanding the various cultural dynamics that are involved in the American culture. The combination of the various schools of thoughts by various scholars helps the reader to understand the aspects of popular culture in different perspectives. Franz, Kathleen, and Susan Smulyan. Major Problems in American Popular Culture: Documents and Essays. Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. IPop News. "Pop Culture's War on Fraternities .com." iWantPop. N.p., 24 Feb. 2014. Web. ...

Prostitution in Spain is tremendously rampant. It is worth noting that the aspect of prostitution in the Spanish constitution is not illegalized. The only thing that is illegal is pimping. There is mush tolerance of prostitution in Spain. These are attributed to the fact that it existed through the 17th century during the medieval period. In critical analysis, prostitution in Spain is a problem. The prostitutes are working in various parties of the country following the high demand from men. Everywhere from clubs, to roadside restaurants prostitution is a practice that is permitted by law. In critical analysis, prostitution is s ...

Between the two topics that the writer can choose from for this paper, we opt to discuss postmodernism in contemporary media. Exploring postmodernism tackles time and how media have drastically changed through time. Certainly, media have acquired layers of complex histories. However, with time incorporated through the study of postmodernism, we are sure to learn valuable and boundless wisdom that we can use in the understanding of our near future in the media. In this regard, we argue that although the media has a challenging history, its influence continues to expand and transform through postmodernism. Before anything, let us ...

Communication

1b. Satire is an influential form of art that has the power to highlight the insufficiencies and paucities in specific human behaviors as well as the social issues that are eventual outcomes of these in a manner in which they transform into ridiculous, often hysterical, which is thus humorous and engaging, and finally reach a wide range of audience. Satire also has the capacity to safeguard its creator from guilt and accountability for the criticism, as it is implicitly expressed instead of being overtly expressed; and eventually, it develops into a powerful tool for dissidents in challenging or domineering political and social ...

Cultural Issues in Zhang Yimou’s To Live (1994) One of the primary objectives in learning cultural studies is to explore cultural and social landscapes to determine the impact of patterns, trends, and changes on people’s way of life. Furthermore, cultural studies highlight the influence of culture on people’s experiences that shape their views and perspectives of the world, and on the interaction and relationships among people (Barker, 5). In terms of the operational application and understanding of cultural studies, this discipline is concerned with the analysis of cultural and social worlds, the transformation of this ...

“Artists are men who wish to become inhuman. They seek painfully the traces of inhumanity, traces which are never found in nature. These are real truths and beyond them we know no reality.” 1 Art such as paintings and sculptures are man’s way of expressing their thoughts. In the eyes of an artist, they can see the suffering behind the beauty, and this reason allows them to create beautiful artworks. Artists desire to fully express themselves using only their canvass and their brush; hence, they will attempt to construct their masterpiece in the most creative way in ...

Nationalism is a socio-political philosophy whereby the nation’s or state’s welfare as an entity is regarded paramount.It is essentially a collective consciousness or mind state in which people have the belief that their primary loyalty and duty is to the state. In most cases, nationalism glorifies different virtues of the nation as well as implying superiority of the nation. In nationalism, the love for the nation is likely to be overemphasized. Though a recent move that probably started during the French Revolution, nationalism has been instrumental in the formation of the bonds that keep modern states intact. Nowadays, the ideology ...

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Examining Bell Hook’s Contribution to Debates About Gender and Race

Introduction The dawn of the 20th century paved the way for the second wave of feminist where Bell Hooks or otherwise Gloria Jean Watkins emerged as among the most renowned thinkers that contributed to the debates about gender and race. Among the most notable contributions to gender and race debates are the theories that provided the standpoint for feminists. The myriad of claims encompassing in the debates on gender and race states that knowledge is something that is socially situated in ways that marginal members of the society particularly women can be made ...

The contribution of Stuart Hall and Ulrich Beck to the sociological understanding of contemporary society

Stuart Hall He was born in the year 1932 in the Jamaican city of Kingston. Many scholars have termed him as a genius and an academic giant in the field of sociology. He is remembered as among the founders of the popular British movement of the mid 1960’s which went by the name “British Cultural Studies”. In the movement, Hall viewed Britain as a country that is incessantly in conflict with itself and other nations of the world on such matters as freedom of speech, rule of law and freedom of conscience (Curtis, 2006). He was also cynical about ...

Ideological Position of Contemporary Culture as Related by Eggers, Foer, and Morrison

Definitive conclusions regarding contemporary literature and the ideological position it takes have yet to be conclusively drawn. What is clear is that writers of the twenty-first century have departed greatly from the predecessors of the previous century in terms of their place within the culture and understanding of it. While difficult to make broad statements about American literature as a whole due to its diversity, it is possible to closely analyze three popular works and connect similarities, which can then be used to make broader statements about the culture as a whole. Three books that have been widely printed and sold ...

In many instances, authors use powerful ideas that shift their readers in a way that intrigues their every day understanding of life. It is not debatable that Robert Browning and William Shakespeare were legendary writers of their time. It is also not ironic that although there are years separating the two writers, their work contains similar themes. As a common ground for my comparisons, this paper examines the common ideas and how the themes are brought out in William Shakespeare’s “Othelo”, and Robert Browning’s two poems “My Last Duchess” and “The Laboratory”. Using characters Iago in Othelo, The Duke ...

Cultural Ideology and Art - Framing a Cultural Ideology Based on Societal Practices

Introduction Cultural ideology and art based on societal practices looks at social production, cultural autonomy, theories, as well as late capitalism. The underpinnings of the academic exploration of this subject take into consideration art and culture as part of a dominant ideology as well as aesthetic autonomy. In this academic exercise answering these and other structured inquiry presented in this discourse, engage further considerations of the course texts of Halley, Halley, Halley, Valdez, and Nava as well as others in this field of cultural studies. In addition, this academic exploration and discourse offers examples from the texts of specific ...

Introduction: Summary of the Episode

The 9th episode of season one of the television crime drama, “Criminal Minds” is about the conflict that arises between a delusional psychotic, Teddy Bryar and other train passengers, including FBI agent, Elle Greenaway. A former physicist, Dr. Teddy Bryar, now delusional psychotic, takes a train, which was moving from El Paso to Dallas, hostage. In the initial stages of his demand for the removal of the microchip that was implanted under his skin, gunfire ensues, where “Ted” attacks the train security guard, takes away his gun, and shoots out, consequently killing the security guard. He realizes that one of the ...

Rabbit Proof Fence, a film that moves the souls of human beings is a real life heartbreaking story of three little girls set in the 1930’s that shows how the aborigine children were taken against their will from Jigalong and made to work for white families as servants or maids. Rabbit-Proof Fence provides a fundamental illustration of Australian aboriginal children and women as victims, and the government viewing them as passive with no individuality or culture. The concept of empowerment in culture is well defined by Banet-Weiser (Reading Popular Culture through Feminism, May 28 2013) where they argue that the emphasis ...

Introduction

The development of eco-criticism has been attributed to the increased variation in the field of literature and cultural studies. Various artists have presented issues affecting the environment, as well as providing reflections of the real life. Eco-criticism has been developed in explaining the relation of human being with the nature. In addition, it provides an illustration of the role of language, art play and language in explaining the relation between the human being and the nature. Eco-criticism is based on explaining the relationship between human beings and the nature, and it attempts to explain how modernization and globalization have ...

The development of eco-criticism has been attributed to the increased diversification in the field of literature and cultural studies. Various artists have presented issues affecting the environment, as well as providing reflections of the real life. Eco-criticism has been developed in explaining the relation of human being with the nature. In addition, it provides an illustration of the role of language, art play and language in explaining the relation between the human being and the nature. Eco-criticism is based on explaining the relationship between human beings and the nature, and it attempts to explain how modernization and globalization have ...

In “In The Skin of a Lion,” Michael Ondaatje has revised the history of the city of Toronto. Although, city planners and corporations in town are the principal focus of official accounts, however, Ondaatje does not allot enough space in his narration to such functionaries and their visions. Instead, he emphasizes on those who built Toronto and their stories. In his novel, he focuses on peripheral workers rather than the controlling centre. In his novel, Ondaatje uses an oral narrative model to present the diversity of these workers. The characterization of the novel and the foundation of its structure and ...

For those with the eyes to look far past the Presidency, now in the hands of an African-American man, there is still an impending crisis within the U.S.; that is, an existing movement that continues to use Blaxploitation films as a means to accurately portray representative characterizations of African Americans. Although we are now well into the 21st century, this has been an on-going problem that was first put to society’s attention by Ossie Davis. "Cotton Comes to Harlem" is one such movie that achieved legendary status, when it was released in 1970. By some, it is even considered a ‘ ...

There has been variations in population of smoking college students throughout the globe especially for past 20 years. These variations were due to the differences in the smoking bans and lifting bans in colleges by the government, iIt is estimated that a typical smoker starts smoking before reaching the age of 24 years (Young People and Smoking). This factor makes it very important to consider the smoking habits of college going students who generally fgall under the age of 24 years. Smoking students not only consume a major portion of tobacco products but are also the long lasting customers for tobacco ...

According to Kendra Cherry, psychologist, cross-cultural psychology is a fairly new field in the area of psychology that explores how cultural factors affect human behaviors. Psychologists who focus on cross-cultural psychology focus on comparing and contrasting differences and similarities in behaviors between cultures. Some focus areas might be familial relationships, language acquisition, and emotional expression. In contrast, cultural psychology differs in that culture and mind cannot be separated. In the study of cultural psychology, one focuses on the impact of culture, social practices, and traditions as types of unity (Cherry, 2012).

Initially, it was for academic reasons that the initial ...

Ethical Dilemmas for Multinational Companies

This argumentative essay tries exploring how the seemingly wise, invincible and “tall standing” multinational companies also get entangled in the web of ethical dilemmas, and their immediate response when confronted with such a morally pressing situation, in the context of their international business operations, and the extent to which it is appropriate or inappropriate in the light of relevant academic research studies and the current global legal environment.

An “ethical dilemma” is a morally pressing circumstance where an individual is required to choose between two actions to be performed, neither of which ironically offers a satisfactory resolution to the situation or problem ...

Introduction

Szostak (2003) defines world view as an individual’s frame work of ideas and beliefs through which the individuals interacts with the world, and the perception that the individuals has about the world. My world view was shaped during my early childhood days. I grew up in a poor background in Chicago, where my parents were store workers in a local supermarket. My early life was thus coupled with problems of childhood which included lack of decent meals and shelter. To add to the endless list, my parents were in constant wrangles. Later my father passed away after being shot down ...

Introduction

Films under the “teen romance” genre have continued to attract a large young audience especially in the modern society. Most films under this category have attained the best seller category over the past few years. There have been divided views concerning these films particular on their impact on the younger generation. Most of these films explore romantic aspects that affect teenagers on a daily basis. Teen movies have not been granted much consideration yet they showcase significant issues such as politics, gender, psychology and many others that affect the modern society.

Politics

The book, “The Hollywood Sign: The Culture of American Film ...

Many of the works we have studied this term derive from a cultural context where social imbalances are reflected in the texts (i.e., class, race, colonialism, etc.). Consider one or more texts by taking into account how they respond to their cultural and historical circumstances.

Introduction

The purpose of literary texts is to highlight the human condition. Since time immemorial, literature has recorded and brought to light several incidents of social imbalance and disparity. American literary texts are replete with colonial and feminist literature and works on racial prejudices and authoritarianism. Such texts explore and guide the various ways in which ...

‘The wheels ground and the car flew forward. My neck pulled backwards and I was glued to my seat. The car had been engineered for speed. Feeling the speed, I was thrilled and then scared. I screamed, but it was not a scream I expected: it was an ugly howl of fear’ -Heli Vaaranen (Vaaranen and Wieloch 44). There you have it, a typical experience of any first time street racer, a subculture that has been slowly growing in the most parts of the world since the early 1990s pioneered mainly by the Asian Americans in the American State of California. Actually, ...