Definition of Cultural Studies
Cultural studies is a literary theory that studies how society creates and shares meaning. Some important aspects of cultural studies are gender, race, and ethnicity and the struggles between people who have different opinions about them. It includes how a society perceives reality and how culture creates social roles. An important element of understanding a culture is understanding its beliefs and how that particular society defines reality. Society is also marked by a struggle for power, and the leader shapes the society's perceptions of reality, which can lead to social inequality. In each society, its perception is the reality of its members, and it sets the norm for the people to follow.
"The other" is a term used for the people outside of one's culture who have different definitions of reality than another culture. If one looks at another culture through the lens of one's own beliefs rather then embracing that culture's beliefs, one is seeing that culture as "the other" ("Cultural Studies: The Basics").
An important aspect of cultural studies is the idea of tricksters. Tricksters are characters who break physical or social boundaries. Often times tricksters change form and cross between worlds. Tricksters are especially apparent in African American literature ("Tricksters").
Finally, cultural studies looks at the author of the novel and how that author's views of society and culture affect their work.
"The other" is a term used for the people outside of one's culture who have different definitions of reality than another culture. If one looks at another culture through the lens of one's own beliefs rather then embracing that culture's beliefs, one is seeing that culture as "the other" ("Cultural Studies: The Basics").
An important aspect of cultural studies is the idea of tricksters. Tricksters are characters who break physical or social boundaries. Often times tricksters change form and cross between worlds. Tricksters are especially apparent in African American literature ("Tricksters").
Finally, cultural studies looks at the author of the novel and how that author's views of society and culture affect their work.