124642 VO BEd 04.2: Cultural Theories and Popular Culture (2018W)

This lecture course will introduce you to major theoretical approaches, key practices and selected issues relevant to the study of popular cultures. We will learn that cultural theories make use of a plurality of approaches and methodologies which have been developed in the contexts of different disciplines and positions, ranging from philosophy to sociology, from Marxism to psychoanalysis, or from linguistics to literary theory. This diversity also reflects the plurality of possible meanings that can be associated with the concept of culture in general and popular culture in particular. We will investigate key issues such as historical contingencies, identities shaped by intersectionality as there are gender, race or class or the interrelation between power and knowledge. There will also be ample opportunity to "do" Cultural Studies and we will explore theory in action.