Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice

By Chris Barker

Book Overview

"This book presents a magisterial overview of Cultural Studies, and of studies of culture more broadly. It synthesizes a bewildering range of writers and ideas into a comprehensible narrative. It's respectful to the history of ideas and completely cutting edge. I learned a lot - you will too."
- Professor Alan McKee, University of Technology Sydney

"The role of culture in spatial, digital and political settings is a vital aspect of contemporary life. Barker and Jane provide an excellent introduction to Cultural Studies' relationship to these core issues, both through a clear explanation of key concepts and thinkers, alongside well chosen examples and essential questions."
- Dr David O′Brien, Goldsmiths, University of London

With over 40,000 copies sold, Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice has been the indispensable guide to studying culture for generations of students. Here is everything students need to know, with all the key concepts, theories and thinkers in one comprehensive, authoritative yet accessible resource.

Teaching students the foundations of cultural studies - from ideology, representation and discourse to audiences, subcultures and cultural policy - this revised edition:

Fully explores the ubiquity of digital media culture, helping readers analyse issues surrounding social media, surveillance, cyber-activism and more Introduces students to all the key thinkers they'll encounter, from Stuart Hall and Michel Foucault to Judith Butler and Donna Haraway Balances the classics with cutting edge theory, including case studies on e-commerce, the self-help industry, the transgender debate, and representations of race Embraces popular culture in all of its diversity, from drag kings and gaming, to anime fandom and remix cultures Is re-written throughout with a new co-author, making it a more enjoyable read than ever.

Unmatched in coverage and used world-wide, this is the essential companion for all students of cultural studies, culture and society, media and cultural theory, popular culture and cultural sociology.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1473919452
• ISBN13: 9781473919457
• Release Date: August 2016
• Publisher: Sage Ltd
• Length: 760 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 7.3" x 9.1"

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...