124010 VO Introduction to Cultural Theories (2021S)

The aim of this lecture is to acquaint students with major theories and concepts pertaining to New Cultural Studies that borrows from various traditions in order to provide the best instruments for up-to-date analysis and interpretation of contemporary cultures and their historical development. With the help of contemporary and historical examples from (chiefly) British culture, we will use appropriate critical methods and discuss our findings. We will address various cultural practices (production, representation, reception) as well as products (material objects, films, newspapers and periodicals, architecture, TV-shows, sculpture, etc.). We will link all these discussions to major theoretical traditions and concepts in cultural studies (Marxism, structuralism, postcolonial studies, gender studies; identity, hegemony, representation, discourse, etc.).