Master of Arts-Integrated Studies 625: Critical Perspectives in Cultural Studies is a foundational course for the Cultural Studies stream of the Master of Arts-Integrated Studies. In this course students learn about the history and origins of cultural studies, analyze and discuss some of the key theoretical debates initiated in and around what constitutes cultural studies, and review examples of the range of approaches that continue to shape and reshape [the ever-expanding boundaries of] the field. Students are also given the opportunity to apply this knowledge by producing, as their final assignment, an analysis of a cultural text or practice-in short, to actually do cultural studies themselves.
Required Readings |
Giroux, Henry, et al. "The Need for Cultural Studies." EServer Cultural Studies and Critical Theory Collection. |
Schulman, Norma . "Conditions of their Own Making: An Intellectual History of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies at the University of Birmingham." Canadian Journal of Communication. Vol 18, No 1 (1993). |
Seiler, Robert. Human Communication in the British Cultural Studies Tradition. |
Supplementary Readings |
Biographical information on Stuart Hall |
Journal Articles |
Required Readings |
Hall, Stuart. "Cultural Studies: Two Paradigms." Media Culture Society Vol 2, No. 57, 1989. |
Fiske, John. Introduction to Communication Studies. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 1991. |
Hall, Stuart. "Encoding/Decoding." The Cultural Studies Reader. Ed. Simon During. London: Routledge, 1999. 507-517, Bib. 577-599. |
Fiske, John. "Chapter 2: Commodities and Culture." Understanding Popular Culture. London: Routledge, 1989. 23-47. |
Supplementary ReadingsUnit 2: Theoretical Influences and Key Debates |
Books and Articles in Anthologies |
Althusser, Louis.
“Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses.” Trans. Ben Brewster. Lenin and Philosophy and Other Essays. London: New Left Books, 1971. 127–188. Use this form to request a print copy of this article from the AU Library. |
Journal Articles |
Said, Edward. “Third World Intellectuals and Metropolitan Culture.” Raritan 9.3 (1990): 27–50. Use this form to request a print copy of this article from the AU Library. |
Required Readings |
Mulvey, Laura. "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" Screen Vol. 16, No. 3: 6-18, 1975. |
Supplementary ReadingsUnit 3: Classic Examples
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See especially the Introduction and Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 11. |
Williams, Raymond. Towards 2000. London: Chatto & Windus, 1983.
This title is not presently available from the Athabasca University library.
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Journal Articles |
Frith, Simon and Angela McRobbie. “Rock and Sexuality.” Screen Education 29 (1978): 3–19. Use this form to request a print copy of this article from the AU Library. |
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Grossberg, Lawrence.
“Wandering Audiences, Nomadic Critics.” Cultural Studies 2.3 (1988): 377–391. Use this form to request a print copy of this article from the AU Library. |
Required Readings |
Kahn, Richard and Douglas Kellner. "Internet Subcultures and Oppositional Politics." |
McRobbie, Angela. "Post-Feminism and Popular Culture." Feminist Media Studies Vol. 4, No. 3, 2004. |
Fenton, Natalie. "Bridging the Mythical Divide: Political Economy and Cultural Studies Approaches to the Analysis of the Media." In Media Studies: Key Issues and Debates. SAGE Publications Ltd., 2007. |
Supplementary ReadingsUnit 4: Current Trends and New Directions
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Bhabha, Homi. “Signs Taken for Wonders.” Literary Theory: An Anthology. Ed. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Oxford: Blackwell, 2004. 1167–1184.
Textbook for the course.
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Morrison, Toni. “Playing in the Dark.” Literary Theory: An Anthology. Ed. Julie Rivkin and Michael Ryan. Oxford: Blackwell, 2004. 1005–1016.
Textbook for the course.
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See, in particular, “New Disorder: Kids in the Hall,” “TV Nation: SCTV,” and “From the Hip: Pierre Trudeau’s Rule of Cool.” |
See, in particular, “Chapter 8: History and Representation: Symbolizing the Asian Diaspora in the United States,” “Chapter 9: Beyond Postmodernism: Notes on ‘Third World’ Discourses of Resistance,” and “Chapter 10: Multiculturalism and the Challenge of World Cultural Studies.” |
Journal Articles |
Chabram, A.
“Chican/o Studies as Oppositional Ethnography.” Cultural Studies 4.3 (1990): 228–247. Use this form to request a print copy of this article from the AU Library. |
Chambers, I.
“A Miniature History of the Walkman.” New Formations 11 (1990): 1–4. Use this form to request a print copy of this article from the AU Library. |
de Lauretis, Teresa.
“Queer Theory: Lesbian and Gay Sexualities—An Introduction.” Differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies 3.2 (1991): iii–xviii. Use this form to request a print copy of this article from the AU Library. |