Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice

By Chris Barker

Book Overview

"This is probably the best general textbook that has been written on cultural studies to date. Barker covers an enormous amount of material. He explicates key concepts and theories in the field and focuses upon particular issues of contemporary interest.... Barker is always fair in his assessment of contrasting arguments and alternative points of view. This book] should enable many students to make sense of a complex, fascinating and vital field of study." - Jim McGuigan, University of Loughborough, UK This single-authored undergraduate textbook tells you all you need to know about the theory and practice of cultural studies. While guiding the reader through the core issues, Chris Barker accessibly covers all of the topics included on Cultural Studies courses. Not restricted to the experience of any single country, this is a book for the English-speaking world of Cultural Studies. Highlighted throughout the text: - key concepts - the book includes an extensive glossary - the major figures and schools of thought - the essential methodologies - the historical roots of the subject - the turns towards ideology, language, gender, race and identity - the challenges posed by postmodernism and postcolonialism - what cultural studies can bring to cultural policy Comprehensive in scope and authoritative in its analysis, Cultural Studies - Theory and Practice offers a one-stop introduction to Cultural Studies.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0761957758
• ISBN13: 9780761957751
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: SAGE Publications, Limited
• Length: 464 Pages
• Weight: 1.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 7.3" x 1.0"

Customer Reviews

If Just One, Buy It

This serves as the best single introduction to Cultural Studies. Highly readable and frank in its discourse. If you must buy a book to learn broadly about Cultural Studies, buy this one. If this is a potential interest, and you just want to see, buy it.

An Excellent Work!!!

The book shows the author's breadth in grasping and interacting with various theoretical schools of thought and their founders. Each theory is assessed succintly and critically. The book provides a window to look into the world of those who have changed the way we live, our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. A summary is provided at the end of each chapter. Overall, "Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice" is a good place to start to learning the subject matter.

Excellent!

This book--along with its dictionary companion--provides an excellent overview to not only the basic terminology of cultural studies but also the complex theory and history. Excellent read! "Cultural Studies" offers many interesting topics such as television and print media to explain the complex cultural field that includes but goes beyond history.

Best general book on cultural studies

The mere fact that the author is a lecturer at an Australian University gives a fair, deep and non Eurocentrist perspective of key concepts, ideology, identity, and the challanges of postmodern and postcolonial cultural studies to achive a significant cultural policy. Excellent as textbook too.

Impressive guide...

This is an impressing critical overview of the broad specter of theories and methods under the umbrella of cultural studies. The book gives you some sense of direcion as you enter into the sea of confusion made up by the various schools of thought that have influenced todays cultural studies, be it withing media, popular music, folklore or popular studies in general. The book includes a glossary of key concepts, and can be read like a companion to cultural studies. I found a lot of valuable information as the author traced the historic roots of various subjects, enabeling me to change perspective with him as he went along. I am myself a music student, studying within the field of popular music...