2011-2012 YEAR THREE - Cardiff University

MC3587 Cultural Agency: Theory and Practice (capped at 50) Spring
TUTOR: Dr Paul Bowman 20 Credits
Aims of the Module
This team taught module explores questions of cultural agency: What is
agency? What are the ways that one might intervene into culture and
politics? In posing these questions, the module focuses on the relations
between culture and politics, examining the cultural dimensions of the
political and the political dimensions of culture. It covers key contemporary
theories of cultural politics, and analyses specific examples drawn from the
realms of popular culture since 1968, in particular. Different academics will
lead you through a range of different kinds of cultural practice in terms of the
questions of cultural agency.
NB: This module is team taught. This means that different lecturers teach
different weeks. Weekly lectures will be given by different experts in
different fields of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, drawn from the
JOMEC PhD students, researchers and post-doctoral academics.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will have: Examined the
relations between culture and politics; Encountered various different
paradigms, models and theories of culture and politics; Analysed diverse
instances and examples of cultural politics; Developed analytical skills;
Developed their own map of the main figures, themes, and debates
surrounding cultural theory since the 1960s; Reinforced their understanding
of key contemporary concepts in cultural and political theory.
Methods of Teaching:
Teaching and Learning methods will include: Lectures; Seminars; Tutorials;
Online Activities; Group Activities; Independent Activities
Method of assessment:
One mid-term essay plan of 1,500 words = 30%; AND One end-term essay of
2,500 words = 70%. (Both elements to be attempted. Pass across elements only
required)
Syllabus Content:
Topics to be taught may include: Feminism(s); Democracy; Civil Rights and
Anti-racism; Capitalism, neoliberalism, globalisation; Politics and Popular
Culture; The politics and cultural effects of new technologies; New social
movements; Theoretical and Philosophical questions of: subject and structure;
freedom and determinism; power and agency; Hegemony; Theories of
discipline, subjectivity, identity-formation and interpellation.
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YEAR 3