The Uses Of Cultural Studies

Offering an introduction to both the theory and practice of cultural studies, this book also provides readers with an opportunity to regard Angela McRobbie 'in dialogue' with six of today's leading cultural studies theorists.

Offering an introduction to both the theory and practice of cultural studies, this book also provides readers with an opportunity to regard Angela McRobbie 'in dialogue' with six of today's leading cultural studies theorists.

This book offers an introduction to the theory and practice of cultural studies through a critical engagement with the work of six foundational theorists: Hall, Bhabha, Butler, Gilroy, Bourdieu and Jameson. By looking at the key themes and central dynamics of their writings, McRobbie introduces their work and their contribution.

Providing a student guide to the process of research and writing for media and cultural studies, the author covers both quantitative and qualitative methods and includes a list of useful library resources and essential Web sites.

How is culture 'lived'? What are the best ways of investigating cultural life? This book offers practical guidance for researching cultural studies.

How is culture 'lived'? What are the best ways of investigating cultural life? This book offers practical guidance for researching cultural studies.

"Will be a very useful tool for any student trying to make sense of the vast expanses of contemporary cultural theory and criticism. Well-written and admirably self-reflective, it combines rigorous explications and applications of many of the most influential concepts and theorists." - Lawrence Grossberg, University of North Carolina "Accessible and insightful throughout; offering help to both experienced and inexperienced students of cultural theory. Highly recommended." - John Storey, University of Sunderland Doing Cultural Theory teaches more than just the basics of cultural theory. It unpacks its complexities with real-life examples, and shows readers how to link theory and practice. This book: Offers accessible introductions to how cultural studies has engaged with key theories in structuralism, poststructuralism and postmodernism Teaches straightforward ways of practising these theories so students learn to think for themselves Uses ′practice′ boxes to show students how to apply cultural theory in the real world Guides students through the literature with carefully selected further reading recommendation. Other textbooks only show how others have analyzed and interpreted the world. Doing Cultural Theory takes it a step further and teaches students step-by-step how to do cultural theory for themselves.

This new textbook addresses the neglect of practical research methods in cultural studies. It provides readers with clearly written overviews of research methods in cultural studies, along with guidelines on how to put these methods into operation. It advocates a multi-method approach, with students drawing from a pool of techniques and approaches suitable for their own topics of investigation.The book covers the following main areas:* Drawing on experience, and studying how narratives make sense of experience.* Investigating production processes in the cultural industries, and the consumption and assimilation of cultural products by audiences and fans.* Taking both quantitative and qualitative approaches to the study of cultural life.* Analysing visual images and both spoken and written forms of discourse.* Exploring cultural memory and historical representation.