Lit Theory - Cultural Studies

Cultural Studies

Cultural studies looks at the links between the collective cultures of groups against media.  The idea is to compare and contrast prevailing notions of cultural norms against television, cinema, advertising, music and other forms of communication.  It is a way of examining the effects of the media on the population and how they are produced, distributed and consumed.    

Lit Theory - Post Colonial Studies

Post Colonial Studies

Reflects writings from British colonies.  It generally reflects Africa, India and the Caribbean.   Significant aspects include the political and social relationships between the dominant and non-dominant cultures.  It also looks to literature form the non-dominant view to distinguish superficial surface relations against subaltern language, or the language of the non-dominant culture.  

Literary Theory - Gender Studies

Gender Studies

This category includes heterosexual, gay, lesbian and transgender views.  It identifies how the dominant view attributes pairings or values to sexuality.  Heterosexual relations are considered normal and are attributed with positive values.  Gay, lesbian and transgender relations are considered abnormal and paired with negative connotations.   Gender studies examine how sexuality is not strictly biological in nature, but is also determined by cultural outlooks.

Lit Theory - Post Structuralism - 20th Century

Post Structuralism

A school of thought reacting to the strict scientific approach to structuralism.   It is an approach that recognizes that literary interpretations do not have a strict or linear relationship with the objects they represent.  This group believed there was instability of meaning among words an culture.  This movement attempted to move understanding from black and white pairings to shades of grey that continually vary.   They emphasized free play while attempting to interpret texts.  

Critical Theory - Structuralism

Structuralism

Structuralism is a critical theory that analyzes culture in terms of larger systems of language and the unconscious.    Objects, language and notions of things are all determined by their relationship with other objects and notions.  Together, they all form a system that is understood by the culture, and together, form the overarching linguistic and cultural system.  Structuralism looks for the underlying structures that form the systems.  Semiotics, the study of signs and their human relationships, is central.  As described by Saussure, Signs gain their meaning from their relationships and contrasts with other signs.  In addition to linguistics, Lacan proposed that parallel structures form as a system within the unconscious. 

Critical Theory - The Frankfurt School

The Frankfurt School

The name for a group of scholars associated with the Institute for Social Research.  These scholars came to believe that Marxist theory had become narrowly construed toward communism and socialism.  They developed a body of work focusing on social understanding and change using broader views of Marx.   They included the works of Hegel, Kant, Marx and Freud.   The criticism is skeptical of Capitalism and works are evaluated under many of the power structures described by Marx; along with social, psychological and cultural studies that reveal the actions of a group our society.  Their intent was to understand social change and how to foster freedom from power.