FEM 2110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Theodor W. Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Frankfurt School

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Women's Studies
• Course: FEM 2110
• Professor: Kathryn Trevenen

Document Summary

Culture is the social production and reproduction of sense/meaning/consciousness. The sphere of meaning, which unifies the spheres of production (economics) and social relations (politics). Stuart hall: culture is not so much a set of things (novels, paintings, tv programs and comics) as a process, a set of practices. Primarily, culture is concerned with the production and exchange of meanings - the giving and taking of meaning between members if a society or group. Involved in all practices which we are not inherently born with (i. e: a knee jerk when tapped); culturally-informed. Popular culture is any cultural product that has a mass audience. Distinction between high and low culture art (pop culture/commercial culture vs high culture): Often cost a lot more money (theatre, opera, art galleries; folks without financial resources are often excluded from participation) Class, race and gender are explicable in the distinctions between high and low art. These distinctions are about a series of power relations.