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The Asian Media & Mass Communication Conference 2010 Osaka, Japan
educational, family, legal, political, syndicate, cultural communication) function using
ideology. However, every device of state functions by using ideology and pressure. However,
in ideological devices of state using ideology is the primary function. In ideological devices of
state a kind of pressure or use of force can be observed tough to a little extent.
Gramsci explains his ideology approach with the concept of hegemony. Hegemony is
identified with its aim to construct a common will. Dominant class being hegemonic is
possible with the creation of a national massive will by articulating the interests of other
classes in the society to their own interests. Gramsci just as Althusser defines ideology with a
positive content because ideology -in Gramcsi’s theory- is an understanding of world related
with art, law, economic efficiency and all other manifestations of individual and common life.
This understanding functions as social cement (Slattery, 2008:241).
Ideology centered study of processes in the production and consumption of media
texts started with English Cultural Studies. By nature, the approaches of English Cultural
Studies to media texts determine standpoints to media. English Cultural Studies regards media
as an institution which reproduces dominant ideology and values in society. This approach
enabled ideological analysis of media texts. Therefore, ideology has had an integral place in
the English Cultural Studies. Hall–based on Gramsci’s hegemony concept- defines ideological
struggle processes as articulation. According to Hall, hegemony can be achieved with
ideological coerce but with cultural guidance. Articulation is production during usage.
Cultural productions and practices make sense with articulation. Hall views ideology as a
struggle in the framework of meanings and seeks to define concrete effects of ideology rather
than finding its roots (Dagtas, 1999:335-357).
3.Ideological Structure of Art and Cinema
Art is affected by dominant ideology. Those who dispose means of production are
authorized in cognitive and artistic production process. Ideological functions of art can be
made sense of when they are handled in a social context. Actually, art is social expression of
standing against power. However, only when an art work becomes a part of mass culture, it
goes under the control of power and turns into means of transmitting its ideology. Therefore,
there is a close relation between art works and ideology. It is impossible to work art in its
unique and aesthetic case without allowing for the relation between art and ideology
(Althusser,2004:134).
Seventh art coincides with an era when approaches to ideological structure of cinema
and social change were intensive and psychoanalysis, semiotics and Marxism were hotly
debated within an intellectual framework and with the end of the ‘60s when the 68s events
occurred. Especially there were very intensive discussions in Chairs du Cinema Magazine in
France (Erkılıc, 1997:24).
Camoli and Narboni in their article titled as Cinema, Ideology and Criticism in Charis
du Cinema Magazine underlines the significance of the relation between cinema and ideology.
First of all, every film is political because cinema as in the production of the literature triggers
the great economic interests. Second, cinema reproduces reality. Camera and pellicles are
used fort his purpose as imposed by ideology. However, the devices and techniques in film
production themselves make up parts of reality, as well. Reality is nothing but the expression
of existent ideology. In fact, what camera records is the vague and unformulated world of the
dominant ideology (Camoli and Narboni, 2010:100-102).
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