Unit 3: Theoretical Approaches

Theoretical Approaches

Critical Social Theory (Marxism, neo-Marxism, Hegemony Theory)
Feminism
Postmodernism.
Postcolonialism
Poststructuralism
Queer Theory.

What is a theoretical approach?

In the first year of the course you are encouraged to look at texts and cultural products and interpret them - you learn that there are always several different ways of interpreting the same thing. These different interpretations, or 'readings' depend on the attitudes, beliefs and values of the person looking at or experiencing the text or cultural product.

In the second year, we look at culture through some classic viewpoints - from the point of view of gender, class, race, sexual orientation and different lifestyles. As men and women we don't experience or produce culture in the same way, neither do people of different races or classes. You are expected to be able to discuss and write about different aspects of culture such as storytelling (fictions), architecture and public spaces and desirable objects from more than one point of view.

The links in the left-hand margin look more closely at some of these viewpoints and give you some examples of how they might apply to culture.