May 27 2011
Defining ‘culture’ let alone ‘cultural studies’
My initial interpretation of cultural studies is that it is an examination of culture ranging in varying disciplines and contexts which can be specific to a subcultural group or broader to encompass political viewpoints and societal developments from around the world. The term “culture” in the context of cultural studies is defined broadly by Petrina (2009) as “the production and circulation of meaning.”
However, defining “culture” let alone cultural studies is certainly a challenge since at first glance it appears to be simplistic depending on what angle you begin interpreting it as. I must admit that based on this week’s readings I discovered that there are many facets of culture that I did not initially take into consideration. According to Murphie and Potts (2003), culture is a “notoriously difficult word to define” and as a result they offer a historical overview of the origin and subsequent evolution of the term. One of the key concepts I grasped was that there is no single definitive explanation for this word due to its innate ability to change in regards to viewpoints and values. Furthermore, attempting to come up with a precise definition is not and should not be the end goal. For example, although Murphie and Potts (2003) offer a utilitarian definition of culture as “the signs, beliefs, and practices of a group or society” I noticed that the authors were quick to mention that this definition is too general and ultimately fails to capture the term’s complexity. Our upcoming readings will no doubt provide further examination into the issues surrounding culture and technology. For the time being, I now understand culture to be both dynamic (in the sense that ideas and values are apt to change), and is also multiple (in that it consists of a range of activities of various races, classes, age groups and affected by economic and political factors).
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