Cultural Studies in Literature

Cultural Studies: Etymology and Concept

Etymology/Term:

The term “Cultural Studies” originated in the mid-20th century and gained prominence during the 1960s and 1970s. Emerging primarily from British academia, it was initially used to describe an interdisciplinary field that sought to analyze, critique, and understand various aspects of culture, including popular culture, media, language, and everyday life. Rooted in a desire to break down traditional academic boundaries and incorporate perspectives from diverse disciplines, Cultural Studies aimed to explore how power, ideology, and societal structures shape and are shaped by cultural practices.

Concept:

• Interdisciplinarity: Cultural Studies is characterized by its interdisciplinary approach, drawing insights from sociology, anthropology, literature, media studies, and other fields to analyze cultural phenomena.
• Power Dynamics: The field emphasizes the examination of power relations within cultural practices, investigating how they reinforce or challenge existing societal structures.
• Popular Culture Analysis: Cultural Studies places a significant focus on the study of popular culture, recognizing it as a site where societal norms, values, and ideologies are reflected and contested.
• Identity Formation: Examining how cultural practices contribute to the construction of individual and collective identities is a central concern, with attention to issues of race, gender, class, and more.
• Critical Theory Influence: Cultural Studies is influenced by critical theory, incorporating perspectives that question established norms and challenge dominant ideologies in various cultural contexts.

Cultural Studies: Definition of Term

Cultural Studies is a multidisciplinary field of academic inquiry that analyzes the production, distribution, and reception of cultural artifacts and practices. It examines how power dynamics, social structures, and identity formation intersect within cultural contexts. The field employs diverse methodologies, drawing from sociology, anthropology, media studies, and literature, to critically explore the complexities of contemporary culture.

Cultural Studies: Theorists, Works and Argument

Theorist	Key Works	Main Arguments
Stuart Hall	Encoding and Decoding in the Television Discourse, The Cultural Studies Reader	Pioneered reception theory, emphasizing how media messages are encoded and decoded by audiences; argued for the importance of decoding practices in shaping cultural meanings.
Raymond Williams	Culture and Society, Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society	Introduced the concept of “cultural materialism,” exploring the relationships between culture, society, and power structures; emphasized the role of everyday language in shaping cultural understanding.
Michel Foucault	Discipline and Punish, The Archaeology of Knowledge	Explored the dynamics of power and knowledge in society; argued that power is dispersed throughout social structures and embedded in discourse, influencing cultural practices.
Judith Butler	Gender Trouble, Bodies That Matter	Developed the concept of performativity, challenging traditional views of gender identity; argued that gender is a socially constructed performance rather than an inherent trait.
Homi K. Bhabha	The Location of Culture	Introduced the idea of “hybridity” and the “third space” in cultural identity; argued for understanding cultural identities as fluid and constantly negotiated within diverse social contexts.
bell hooks	Ain’t I a Woman, Black Looks: Race and Representation	Examined the intersections of race, gender, and class in cultural production; argued for the importance of intersectionality in understanding and addressing social issues.

Cultural Studies: Major Characteristics

• Interdisciplinarity:
  • Example: In “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare, interdisciplinary themes of gender, power dynamics, and societal expectations are explored through both comedic and critical lenses.
• Cultural Materialism:
  • Example: In George Orwell’s “1984,” cultural materialism is evident in the scrutiny of language, reflecting how power structures manipulate and control society through the manipulation of words and concepts.
• Reception Theory:
  • Example: J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series engages with reception theory as readers interpret the narrative, characters, and moral dilemmas, contributing to a diverse range of interpretations.
• Performativity:
  • Example: In Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando,” the concept of performativity is explored as the protagonist undergoes a gender transformation, emphasizing the performative nature of identity.
• Hybridity:
  • In a similar vein, Tsitsi Dangarembga’s “Nervous Conditions” for African literature or Yan Ge’s “The Chili Bean Paste Clan” for Chinese literature exemplifies hybridity, fusing magical realism with historical elements to illuminate the diverse cultural tapestry of their respective regions.
• Intersectionality:
  • Example: In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah,” intersectionality is central as the protagonist navigates issues of race, gender, and immigration in both Nigerian and American contexts.

These literary examples illustrate how the major characteristics of Cultural Studies manifest in diverse ways within the realm of literature, showcasing the field’s broad applicability and relevance.

Cultural Studies: Application in Critiques

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald:
   • Cultural Materialism: A Cultural Studies critique of “The Great Gatsby” would delve into the societal values of the Roaring Twenties, exploring how materialism and the pursuit of the American Dream shape the characters’ identities and relationships.
2. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe:
   • Postcolonial Analysis: Applying Cultural Studies to “Things Fall Apart” would involve examining the novel’s portrayal of the clash between Igbo traditions and colonial influences, highlighting the cultural disruptions and power dynamics at play.
3. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood:
   • Feminist and Reception Theory: A Cultural Studies critique of “The Handmaid’s Tale” would explore the novel’s feminist themes, analyzing how readers’ interpretations contribute to the ongoing dialogue about gender roles, power structures, and dystopian societies.
4. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan:
   • Intersectionality: Cultural Studies could be applied to “The Joy Luck Club” by scrutinizing the intersectionality of cultural identities within the Chinese-American immigrant experience, emphasizing how factors like gender, generation, and ethnicity shape the characters’ lives.

In each case, a Cultural Studies critique would go beyond traditional literary analysis, focusing on the broader cultural contexts and societal influences present in the works. It would explore how these texts reflect, challenge, or contribute to cultural norms, power structures, and identity dynamics, showcasing the versatility of Cultural Studies in literary criticism.

Cultural Studies: Relevant Terms

Term	Brief Definition
Hegemony	Dominance or control exerted by one group over others, shaping cultural norms and values.
Orientalism	Western representations of the East, often portraying it as exotic or inferior, influencing cultural perceptions.
Subaltern	Marginalized groups or individuals lacking political power, often analyzed in postcolonial critiques.
Cultural Hegemony	The dominance of a particular culture’s beliefs and values, influencing societal norms and practices.
Cultural Appropriation	Adoption of elements from a marginalized culture by a dominant culture, often raising questions of power and authenticity.
Discourse Analysis	Examination of language use to understand power structures and social constructions in cultural communication.
Othering	The process of depicting individuals or groups as fundamentally different, reinforcing stereotypes and power imbalances.
Spectacle	The presentation of events or images in media that shape cultural perceptions and influence societal attitudes.
Cultural Capital	Accumulated cultural knowledge and experiences that can provide social advantages or disadvantages.
Globalization	The interconnectedness and interdependence of cultures on a global scale, impacting cultural exchange and identity.

Cultural Studies: Suggested Readings

1. Hall, Stuart. The Cultural Studies Reader. Edited by Simon During, Routledge, 2007.
2. hooks, bell. Black Looks: Race and Representation. South End Press, 1992.
3. Said, Edward W. Orientalism. Vintage Books, 1979.
4. Bhabha, Homi K. The Location of Culture. Routledge, 1994.
5. Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Routledge, 1990.
6. Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Vintage Books, 1995.
7. Williams, Raymond. Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society. Oxford University Press, 1983.
8. Anzaldúa, Gloria. Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza. Aunt Lute Books, 1987.
9. Fanon, Frantz. The Wretched of the Earth. Grove Press, 1963.
10. Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. A Critique of Postcolonial Reason: Toward a History of the Vanishing Present. Harvard University Press, 1999.
11. Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulation. University of Michigan Press, 1994.
12. Du Bois, W. E. B. The Souls of Black Folk. Dover Publications, 1994.