J 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Jacques Derrida, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault
Document Summary
Critical theory: gives us tools to understand the world around us beyond a superficial level. Discourse: the system of ideas that inform the rules, procedures, and practices of society and its institutions. Ex: the media is a significant participant in and creator of discourse. Ex: newspaper, news network, online forum, snapchat, reporters, creators, shows, sports, grafitti, professors. Ideology (worldview): the framework of ideas upon which people make decisions, act and understand the world. The capacity to control meaning is essential for making and maintaining power. Hegemony: a cultural condition in which certain ideologies are accepted as "common sense" Hegemonic legitimacy: when dominated groups consent to domination by more powerful groups > Hegemony requires constant maintenance and is in a permanent state of tension and change. Hegemony: those in power will alter its definitions and its boundaries if it serves them. Encoding/decoding: translating an idea vs. deciphering that idea.
