Essay
Assignment 1 Cultural Studies
- Course
- Institution
Partim Assignment 1 of Cultural Studies (Summary of the article by Gilbert Rodman). Professor: Kris Rutten
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
claudiablancog
Reviews received
Content preview
Claudia Blanco García Module 1 Cultural Studies 2020/2021Partim Assignment 1: Summary of the article by Gilbert Rodman
When we claim that cultural studies is ordinary we mean that is something common to all of
us, something that we can find outside of the academic sphere. Nevertheless, these studies
have gradually become ordinary in a different sense: cultural studies are nothing more but
just another academic choice in university, and its essence has lessened with time.
In its origin, cultural studies was a critical approximation to intellectual and political work.
Nowadays these studies have distanced themselves from the intended purpose and have
become an academic discipline that can be found and learned within some walls.
The fact that cultural studies has become an academic discipline is not a bad thing in itself,
but the fact that this settlement has diverted cultural studies from its primary objective and
has prevented it from being effective in intervening in worldly problems is a worrying
development. The increase in thoroughness has caused the general goal of cultural studies to
be set aside and with it the people who were pursuing that goal. One of the signs of this
settlement as an academic discipline is the fast increase of cultural studies textbooks.
However, we must keep in mind that the ultimate goal of cultural studies is treating the
concerns of ordinary people, and these studies are only useful when combining academic
knowledge with knowledge and actions on the ground.
In order to counter this settlement as an academic discipline we should take a step back and
think about what cultural studies claims to do, who does it and where they do so. By
examining the roots of this discipline we can become aware of the fact that cultural studies
emerged in response to ordinary issues, which means that originally it was intended to be an
on-the-ground discipline rather than an academic one.
When revising the literature on cultural studies, it becomes clear that this discipline does not
comprise the study of a particular matter or field, and neither there’s a particular method or
theory to tackle it. Essentially, cultural studies covers theory, research, pedagogy and action.
The value of the theory is to provide people with a model of how the world works, and the
advantage of this type of theory regarding academic theory is that it serves to understand and
treat real issues. The production of knowledge happens both within the academic context and
outside of it, and we shouldn’t ignore ordinary knowledge simply because it has not been
produced within the walls of an academic institution.
Moreover, it is a great mistake to consider as valid only the research carried out within these
institutions and to ignore the research practices associated with the arts and culture. These
practices do not provide us with the rough material necessary for further research, but rather
that is the material itself necessary to carry out cultural studies.
In other matters, the pedagogy has to do with communicative practices that are performed
to share academic and mundane knowledge with a broader public, and when talking about
action we mean that cultural studies encompasses modifying the theory behind political and
social activities as well as modifying the activities themselves.
1
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller claudiablancog. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.22. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
53340 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now