Cultural Studies

Stuart Hall

Cultural Studies popularized by Stuart Hall. Hall criticized the majority of communication scholars to use empirical approaches, quantitative, and tend to see only causality in the practice of mass communications. According to him, they fail to see what should be important in the mass media influence on society. Mass media influence could not be seen only through a survey to readers of newspapers, radio listeners or television viewers.

Hall, much influenced by Marxist thought that seeing that there are relations of power or the power behind the practice of community, especially in the practice of mass communication and mass media. Hall also criticized the scientists are only just able to describe the world, but will not try to change the world into a better direction. The purpose Hall and scientists of Critical Theory is to empower and give power to the marginalized or disadvantaged communities, especially in the realm of mass communication. Hall believes that mass media function is basically to maintain the continuity of the dominant power. Broadcast media and print media is owned by a group of people only. Media is also considered the parties to exploit the poor and weak.

According to Hall, many studies failed to reveal the communication power struggle behind the practice of the mass media. Is an error if the separate disciplines of communication from other sciences. If this is done then we have to separate the message communication with the cultural sphere in which they should be. Therefore, Hall's work is more than called for Cultural Studies Media Studies. In the 1970s Contemporary Hall founded the Center for Cultural Studies (CCCS) at the University of Birmingham. Under the direction of Hall, CCCS carrying the mission to provide a snapshot of the struggle between "who has power and who does not have power." The ultimate goal is to capture a little "space" in which a party to the voices and the marginalized can be heard over the communications practice.

Cultural Studies is basically a complex thought. Hall is much influenced by the ideas in the idea of economic determinism, textual analysis in the study of semiotics, and especially thinking about the criticism of his philosophy or language Michel Foucault.

Frankfurt School itself states that the mass media, whether news or entertainment show, essentially provide a snapshot of the world from the standpoint of the capitalist system. media tend perspective the status quo in a variety of mass media products in the industry will change the media into the culture (cultural industries). Hall also adopted the concept of hegemony. According to him, there is hegemony, domination, or domination of one party by another party, especially in the role of culture in the practice of mass media. Hegemonic practices are not purely unconscious, coercive, and has a total effect.