British Cultural Studies and Ideological Critique: On Hall''s Thought

• Main Authors: Hu, Chih-Ying, 胡芝瑩
• Other Authors: Hung, Lien-Te
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 1998
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/71619290383765959974

碩士 === 淡江大學 === 歐洲研究所 === 86 === 　　Cultural Studies'' is an interdisciplinary discipline which is certainly concerned with methods and approches. The term ''British Cultural studies'' is now well known since it signifies an important set of theories and practices within the humanities and social sciences, which redefines the study of popular culture, the media and everyday life. This thesis attempts to illustrate how cultural studies differs from the study of behaviorism. It deals with Stuart Hall''s work which presents the tradition of European critical theory. As a marxist and a scholar of British cultural studies. Hall''s interpretation of cultural studies lies within the theoretical framework of Marxism. He slao tries to forge a new political and intellectual alliance based on a ''Marxism without guarantees'' . 　　Within British cultural studies, the primary focus of ideological analysis has been on the media, in particular, on their definition of Social relations and political problems, and on their implications for the mode of production In order to explore the relations between social practices and their reprentations in discourse, Hall sought to articulate a non-reductionist theory of determination, ideology and hegemony. Furthermore, Hall attempts to define ideology as a field of possible sites filled with contradiction and contesttation, although one that is never entirely open. 　　The essay employs the methods of documental analysis and textual analysis to analyze Hall''s work. Thus the main sources of this treatise are based on Hall''s work. On Hall''s ideological research, Hall applied semiotics to research media, then proposed an ''encoding-decoding '' model adn applied Gramsci''s theory of hemony to analyze Thatcherism. In addition, the thesis also employs historical analysis to explain the theories of those marxists whose ideas have possed great influence and impact on Hall''s ideological concept. 　　According to Hall, ideological stuggle has a strong permeability. Therefore, media play a very important role in the process of articulation of social forces. On the other hand, the term ''politics'' in cultural studies carries with it the broadest implications. It refers to the distribution and operation of power. The ways in which power operates, the range of sites upon which power is constituted the mechanisms through which power is distributed throughout the society are the ranges which Hall tries to theorize. In consideration of Hall''s work, his ''media study'' and ''political study'' may enlighten us for the examination fo ideology which has existed in day-to-day life for a long time.