04:192:200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Dominant Minority, Deep Structure And Surface Structure, Cultural Studies

• School: Rutgers University
• Department: Communication
• Course: 04:192:200
• Professor: Craig Scott

Document Summary

Substantial( ) societal/cultural imbalances exist that result in oppression and pain. Most people do not even realize this. Theory should critique as a way to facilitate awareness, reform and change. Goal is not just to represent the social world as it exists currently. Focal concept here is power. (cid:2) (cid:2) Saw the external world as humanly created, then reified and seen as objective. This process of objectification and reification serves as a source of alienation for the individual. The economic substructure and superstructure (culture, politics, etc. ) are sources of alienation and require critique and revolution. (cid:2) Key concepts include alienation and critique. (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) (cid:2) Complex and varied; social construction and realist. (cid:2) Critical-emancipatory view sees knowledge as self-reflection; realization of need for change. Methods of knowing usually center on critique . (cid:2) (cid:2) Values should direct theories toward emancipation. (cid:2) We create structures that then restrict some. Recognition of both agency and structure (cid:2)