Introducing Cultural Studies
Learning through Practice
- David Walton - University of Murcia, Spain
The fundamental task facing students of cultural studies is to apply theory to critical practice. Introducing Cultural Studies: Learning through Practice provides readers with the conceptual tools to practice cultural analysis for themselves. Further, readers will:
- Get a basic idea of the historical development of cultural studies
- Become familiar with important critics in the British cultural studies tradition
- Get a concise but critically aware introduction to key concepts
- Become conversant with some of the main areas of interest to cultural studies
- Develop awareness of how theory can be transformed into practice
- Develop the skills required to produce well-argued and informed projects
- See, from numerous practical examples, how concepts work in practice
Each chapter has a short introduction to explain the basic content and a brief description of the main learning goals. Chapters are concluded with brief summaries, references and advice on further reading. The book is full of exercises to motivate readers to respond to the book in an active and enjoyable way.
This book, by combining heuristic thinking with creative-critical approaches, provides undergraduates with an assured, witty, engaging and essential introduction to cultural studies.
David Walton is affiliated with the Universidad de Murcia, and is Senior Lecturer in Cultural Studies.
An outstanding entry level text aimed at those with little or no cultural studies knowledge... Innovative, creative and clever
THE
Times Higher Education
What a weird and wonderful book. It is the Ronseal of Cultural Studies Literature; it does what it says on the tin... the ideal textbook for Further Education and first year Higher Education Cultural Studies Students... It is also a brilliant revision and essay writing tool for more advanced learners. It is concise, honest and straightforward in its aims and content and witty in its approach... This does not mean however that its content is ‘dumbed down'. It valiantly manages to retain all the highly academic information required for this area of study and does not shy away from using the appropriate terminology and language that Cultural Studies students must familiarise themselves with. The ‘Oversimplification Warnings’, ‘Practice Exercises’, illustrations and ‘Notes’ act as practical or cognitive revision for the body of text rather than as a ‘gutter press’ substitute... this is a highly successful book, in that it has accomplished its intentions, but it is also a motivational book. Its quality and character allow the reader to ‘feel’ the enthusiasm of its author which in turn becomes infectious, instilling in the reader a genuine sense of ebullient perturbation
Art/Design/Media
The Higher Education Authority
It does not attempt to be in any way exhaustive, as it shows a constant awareness of "what's been left out", but, working towards "interpretive independence", it aims to provide students with sufficient notional skills to start doing their own cultural criticism… Like the best cultural studies works, Walton's exhilarating book may leave the student wondering what cultural studies actually is, perhaps undecided about a final definition, but nonetheless confident enough to start practising it
ATLANTIS
Journal of the Spanish Association of Anglo-American Studies
Ideal for courses linked to the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) laid down by the Bologna process that is transforming university education in Europe, epecially as the author shows a constant awareness of teaching in terms of developing students' critical competencies
J. Rubén Valdés Miyares
Universidad de Oviedo
Walton's book is essential reading for both undergraduates and postgraduates. It takes the foundationsl authors of the field and applies them to contemporary examples, which is important in a subject so highly theorised. Unfortunately, at the moment, our Department is moving away from cultural studies and more into the realm of glocal media studies, and therefore we are not able to adopt it at present.
A really useful text that presents complex ideas in an engaging and accessible format.
We are currently reconsidering our Cultural Studies curriculum. We are therefore looking at different textbooks to see which ones fit our purpose.
This book's slant toward British cultural studies should be taken into account when considering adoption. The heuristic thinking and practice undertone of the entire text is extremely valuable, though it isn't balanced by deep critical analysis.
Sage College Publishing
