Page 54 - Introducing Cultural Studies
P. 54

The  notion  of  "art"  in  British  Despite  its declared  aim to  be
           cultural  studies  is  also  seen  the champion  of the
           as  particularly  Eurocentric.    marginalized and
           Only  Western  culture  views     disempowered, cultural  studies
           the  arts as a source of          maintained a continuing
           meaning through which  life is    relationship  with the
           recreated  in all  its dimensions.  supremacist  Western  "culture
           The  idea that  every  self-      and civilization" tradition  of the
           conscious  individual  life       colonial  and  post-colonial
           aspires to the condition  of  art  period.
           is  not  endorsed  by non-
           Western  cultures.





























                      Similarly,  British television
                   practice,  particularly  Channel  4
                    productions,  are  championed
                     as  representations  of  "the
                     people" and  "minorities" -  a
                   perspective  that,  while  insisting
                      on maintaining difference,
                       actually  dissolves  it  by
                   assuming  commonality  across
                   cultures  and  social  structures.


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