Graeme Turner (1947–2025)

The new edition of this highly successful text provides a comprehensive introduction to British cultural studies. It is fully revised to include new issues in cultural studies and to update key debates and references. The only problem is the bias of this book: it dismisses the arguuments of Williams, Hoggart, etc., as "elitist" without an adequate examination of the truth of their claims. This is no better than name-calling. His own position is only held up by ideology and prejudice - which show more is that popular culture has as much merit as high culture. Is Shakespeare really as bad as Jeffrey Archer, or Beethoven as bad as David Bowie? The mind boggles. show less

Comprehensive, relatively lightweight whistlestop tour of basic tenets within film theory -- visual arrangements, industrial relations, critical perspectives & aligned within themes of cultural studies vaguely prodding at how identities or ideologies may be reinforced/criticised by cinema. Offers little of its own contributions, largely relying on citing & illuminating paths to essential scholars, although as a congregation it's a wonderfully cohesive text.