Academic Writing Workshop - ll

CS_In_Practice_Frankenstein_Hawthorne_His_Market

Welcome Readers!

Frankenstein / Hawthorne and his market

Introduction : Frankenstein as a scientific novel, how it had influenced its particular age, where a monster is seen in different areas of field; a revolutionary birth, as a proletarian, natural philosophy-cyborg by concerning its political and scientific aspects. Which is also seen in respects of popular culture of film adaptations, stage etc. While seeing parallely 'Hawthorn and his market' it conveys that by being a classical writer, this writer has many difficulties, going on, forthcoming and already existing but he made his way and made his works to be published.

Reading Frankenstein As A Cultural Critic:

In cultural studies, Frankenstein can be read as both; with political and scientific concerns as well as yielding afternoon entertainment to generations.

In former part we can see in subtopics : Revolutionary births, the creature as proletarian,  a race of devils and how it transforms from natural philosophy to cyborg. While in latter part we see "the frankenpheme in popular culture, utilizing it with fiction, drama, film and television.

Subsequenty if we try to see Frankenstein with both the features, as it is just the invention by Mary Shelley in Romantic era, it has been considered as revolution, which is related with genetically engineered "Frankenfoods" like testtube babies and cloning.  The other "a creature as a proletarian, struggles between survival and social inacceptancy, as well as the difference and effect of radical and ideal knowledge. While parallely  "a race of devils" is something which narrates the constitution of Negro people, who are yellow in color, has much physical strength(cyborg) beyond human normal capacity, without senses(represented in the creature of Frankenstein) and the last one of the same category, interconnected with genetic engineering, biotechnology and cloning.

Furthermore we have also seen the concept of natural reduction and then the population. Luigi Galvani's theory of "muscle induction" which was utilized in imaginative manner by "Mary Shelley" to generate the monster and also prior to this "electricity impulse" where a freshly severed oxen was taken for experiment and when it was going on its ears and tongue remained shook, while its eyes were plainly open. Some assumptions that a human recreation also has its roots in 'pulmonary resucsiation'.

If we see the same aspect in today's time then we have digitized human, which will probably called as "digitized human" or "robot".

The novel Frankenstein in popular culture has regardance with films, adaptations, drama, fiction and television and how variously with different ideas the same thing is depicted by various means.

Thus in both the perspectives "Frankenstein" can be read from different angles, and by analyzing gradually, it can be reframed, based on different measures and with the time tendency prevailing, at any particular time.

Hawthorne_And_His_Market:

In Hawthorne and his market we see the Hawthorne had written hundred of the short stories and then he turned towards writing romances, one of which is "Scarlett Letter".

He at first found difficulty in finding publishers for his own book's publication in America, as the publishers were use to sell pirated book at cheap cost and also some influences was from the preceding puritan forbears(his ancestors) who were scorning the profession of writing and considering it as an idle work, and as they were such he had to fought against those hidden and internal fears, which may be proved to be responsible for the writer's own failure of the career.

Contemporary aspect of market

Seeing 'the concept of Hawthorne and his market' in contemporary times. Perhaps in present times a writer wouldn't suffer or grapple to find a publisher as he / she / hir may have digitized means like blog, Twitter, Facebook, to showcase their writing skills on public platform or one can share one's point of views, ideas, by accessing in 'writing extension' like 'wikipedia' and many more. But for this one need to be aware of or involved in that particular field, or else it won't happen for everyone. So as Hawthorne was to face the problem of 'finding publisher' can't happen in contemporary times, and there won't be any question of cheap or qualitative selling means / personalized, as financial means are also digitized, people will get reward as per their qualitative or appealment of work, concerning public taste.

Thus in this manner one has to fought for his own as well as his working proficiency survival.

Thankyou

Samiya Kagdi

A learner at PG center

Department of English 

MKBU

APPLIED SOURCES

https://dilipbarad.blogspot.com/2020/02/introduction-to-cultural-studies.html

Cultural_Studies_In_Practice_Hamlet_To_His_Coy_Mistress

Hello Readers!

Implied Culture Versus Historical Facts.

This blog aims to see how in "To His Coy Mistress" - ANDREW MARVELL. The implied culture is shown, where the two speaker as well as the implied reader are only engaged in their wealth, leisurely talking and sexual activity, while the prevailing status of the then era isn't shown in term of disease, in the form of "Syphillis, sexual transmission etc". Which is actually the mind stressed problem of contemporary times also. 

In Hamlet we will see "the two mighty opposites" in the form of Claudius and Hamlet. Who're centralized in center in picture the two inferior being Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are waving in periphery. Where they have to act or react as per their reaching hands not more than that.

So let's see..

Hamlet / Tom Stoppard (Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are dead):

In Hamlet we see 'power relations' which is reflected through two 'mighty opposites' Hamlet & Claudius. Where the inferior beings are called by Claudius from Wittenberg, are given a responsibility to execute 'Hamlet' by being at England, but fortunately it is known to the suspicious mind of Hamlet and he by blithely tricking into, replacing their names by him and ultimately both are executed.

If we consider their identities, they're travelling on periphery, while the two "mighty opposites" are centralized,and as those are centralized, do you think they will get any recognition as an established individual identity? No.

One of the metaphorical speech is also mentioned in this particular section, spoken by Rosencrantz that how they are mere "annexment of the massive wheel, which is located at the summit of the highest mountain". They're insignificant to those and are only pawns and sponge to be directed from them. They don't have their choices to implement upon, but are only followers of the commands, on which they have to get on without applying any sense.

So how these personalities can be interpreted. Though they're educated, may be knowing every pros and cons of life. Won't be knowing / not having any idea of the intentions of Claudius behind calling them from Wittenburg? They must have atleast some, right? But it isn't shown and are described as dumb among the two mighty opposites.

Hence Tom Stoppard says that who don't feel anything, can't differentiate between right or wrong, only do what is commanded by bowing on head, how their conscience is? Is it being dead as it can't hear anything / contemplate anything? And likewise he concludes his part by saying some of the below mentioned lines.

As he says: in his play, that these two are almost dead, and dead are likewise killed. Is there any offence in killing lifeless persons? Who are already dead.

To_His_Coy_Mistress

While on the other hand in 'To his coy mistress' we see both are representing 'elitist culture's where only three things are happening; chit-chat, love-making, eating and taking sensual pleasure throughout the novel.

If seen in contrast it seems as anyones's life can't be static, it fluctuates as the circumstances of life changes, sometimes there is joy sometimes sorrow, sometimes light sometimes dark as "Shakespeare says that life is constituted of two contrasting binaries, and both exists, either in absence or presence".

Jewels, education, ancestors, everything which is lavish is discussed but not about "everyday's disease, plague and syphilis". Whose threat is knocking on everyone's door, but the two speaker and the listener both are aloof from the real world and have engaged themselves in their dreams world. Seems as a life seen in imagination.

There is much to discuss but keeping this much to this, we understand here how Hamlet and To his coy mistress are seen parallely connecting with history and how it is evaluated and analyzed by succeeding generations point of views.

Thankyou

Samiya Kagdi

A learner at PG center

Department of English 

MKBU

APPLIED SOURCES:

Cultural Studies - CS IN PRACTICE : HAMLET AND TO HIS COY MISTRESS. 

Five_Types_Of_Cultural_Studies

FIVE_TYPES_OF_CULTURAL_STUDIES

Introduction:This five types of cultural studies comprises; British Cultural Materialism, American Multiculturalism, New Historicism, Postmodernism and Popular Culture and lastly Postcolinialism. Each and every aspects of cultural studies contains some writers, who have shared their different views, concerning that particular tendency, first narrating the problems, than trying to find the resolution of that solution, by means of cultural approaches. Let's see in brief how it has been utilized by cultural critic.

BRITISH_CULTURAL_MATERIALISM: 

Where two trajectories are presented, one leading to the past(feudal system) another to the future(social utopia). As a result a leftist oriental was originated, who studied formalism, antihistoricism, apoliticism etc to know the actually problem prevailing at those times.

Many writers Michel Foucault(complexity of power forces), Althuser(Ideology of social relationships), Benjamin(Fascism), Burnett(Primitive culture). As it was a long tradition, it was also influenced by Mathew Mathew Arnold.

Who utilized their ideas to study the prevailing tendencies of culture, seems to be experimental,  know their problems and tried to sort it out.

AMERICAN_MULTICULTURALISM:

It constitutes two things in it; social conflict(1966 Violent insurrections) and cultural development.

Social conflict arises with discrimination in respects of race, gender, ethnicity and many other things. Based on biases and prejudices, they may be restricted from entering into their necessitate spheres of lives and so they have to remain in the culprit's eyes as other, forever.

Richard Lewontin found that : "Most genetic differences were within racial groups, not between them".

For which many writers had contributed in form of their missions towards awareness, to be the believer of 'salad bowl culture' rather than 'a melting pot culture'. That is to believe in differences rather than sticking on oneness. To be amiable with others's identities, Americans were levied to graduate with framework of historical knowledge, that includes:

• Afro-American writers
• Latina / o Writers / Mexican writers
• American-Indian Literatures
• Asian-American writers

With constitution of these variety of histories, perhaps Americans will understand the grain of differences in outside and inside of culture and there won't be any differences regarding gender, race, ethnicity etc.

NEW_HISTORICISM

Old Historicism Vs New Historicism

World views magesterially unfolding as a series of a tableaux in a film called progress, while the later one with order of the interplaying forms of power.

Stephen Greenblatt, a Renaissance scholar and founding editor of "Journal representations", may be credited with the coinage of the term "new historicism". Greenblatt identifies major influence on his thought from Jameson : Capitalism as perpetrating a false distinction between private and public. Jean Francois Lyotard : Capitalism has forced a false integration of these worlds. While Veeser  explains : New historicism exists, between these two poles : Distinction and integration of aforementioned two sectors.

If we refer to this the story of "Laputa(Gulliver's Travels novel in III voyage by Lilliputians):

Laputa is a flying island and female anatomy or can be compared with female Gynaecology and Power.

As Sussan Bruce examines the four parts of Gulliver's travels, already given dry account through "Corolini Di Marco". She says here that in 1727, three things were found parallely; one the midwives of the Eighteenth century, who were with then times physicians and a havoc, created in Royal family about, rabbits are being born.

At first we see the first aspect as stated by Jameson about capitalism(distinction between two sectors). As female wasn't given recognition at that time, they were differentiated from men in many respects, and there was literal distinction. But then with the advent of education, an idea came in mind, to equalized both of them, but then it had become an ego problem and women had become stubborn(reflecting the other aspect as said by Lyotard) so integration falsely come to an end and ultimately neither female is given power / recognition or an honour of having integration of men, so she has to swing in between, between the two poles.

POSTMODERNISM_POPULAR_CULTURE

Postmodernism is concerned with 'dismemberment of tradition' and establishing the real objects. Who according to "Jean Baudrillard : Simulacra and Simulation": Real objects aren't having depth and coherency, but without depth, seems to mere superficial,  shallow and presented in disparate fragmented manner, which is actually narrating one's distortive experience.

• Ulrich Bech : Risk Society.
• Paul Virilio : The logic (Science) of speed.
• Jean Francois Lyotard : Postmodernism prefers 'mini-narratives'(based on local events) rather than meta or grand narratives.

Then also came another initiative of 'slow movement' which told that "slowmovement doesn't mean to be slow literally by with right speed". That would be savouring(not counting on time but utilizing time qualitatively), productive, healthier and qualitative.

Popular culture:

Main Four Types Of Popular culture analyses : Historical analyses(ask about the rest three dimensions, changing over time) : Textual analyses(The examination of specific popular culture works and its meaning creation): Production analyses(ask questions on the owning of media, creation of text and the reason of its creation, under which circumstances, democratic and elitist-a production of popular culture and the works centralizing only money) : Audience analyses(Ask about the different groups of popular culture; consumers  or users, make similar or different sense of the text).

Thus the difference between the two; Postmodernism and Popular culture is that the former speaks for "subject positions" and latter for human notion and so are above mentioned four main types of popular culture analyses.

POSTCOLONIALISM:

 As said by "Slavoj Zizek" : An invention, which helped many rich guys in India, by being at top universities, build their careers by playing with guilts of white liberals.

Refers to a historical phase undergone by third world countries after the decline of colonialism.

For example : Asia, Africa(Post - Negritude movement) Latin America and the Caribbean separated from the European empires and were left to rebuilt themselves.

Britain seemed to foster in its political institutions as well as in literature universal ideals for proper living, while at the same time perpetuating African enslavement and other imperialist cruelties around the world, causing untold misery and destroying millions of lives.

Many third world writers focus on colonialism and the changes created in the postcolonial culture, the latter concerns both the resurrection of culture and to combat the preconceptions about their culture.

An touchstone of "Orientalism" was given by Said, who said that "Britishers have contributed their part in constructing Easterns, rather than destructing them due to their anxieties and preoccupations.

Furthermore the people who were literally colonized, are read more(E.g : productions by aboriginal authors, marginalized ethnicities, immigrants and refugees) rather than those who had their upper hand and so one of the writers, Gayatri Chakraborty Spivak has written for voiceless people, to give them voice. Many others are there who had contributed their parts in describing the colonial situation and the suppressed voice of the then people.

Thus we learnt here 'the five types of cultural studies' where how Britishers have their materialist aspect, diversity of American multiculturalism, how new historicism differs from old history, what is its connotative meaning, the postmodernism concerning the real objects (superficial and without depth), popular culture (concerning human notion) and the last but not least post colonialism(concerning colonized people).

Thankyou

Samiya Kagdi

A learner at PG center

Department Of English 

MKBU

Applied Sources:

Cultural Studies : Different Approaches.

Gayatri_Spivak_Feminism_Elaine_Showalter

Hello Readers

Introduction:  Elaine Showalter(21st January, 1941), an 'American literary critic', feminist and a writer on social and cultural issues. She was one of the founders of "feminist literary criticism" in 'United states academia' developing the concept and practice of "Gynocriticism". A specialist in 'Victorian literature and the 'Fin_de_siecle'. Some of the Showalter's best works is "Toward a feminist poetics(1979), which we are going to discuss, somewhat in brief, comprising the three feminism phases; feminine(1840-80), feminist(1880-1920) and female(1920 onwards)      divided in three different periods, contains also 'gynocriticism' concept in it. Which we're going to discuss, comprehensively in precision, concerning the positive side of female specifically.

Elaine Showalter concerns 'stereotypes of feminism' such as 'obsessed with phallus' and 'obsessed with destroying male writers's reputation. The writer realizes that it emerges, due to lack of 'favourable articulated theory concerning women' and as women very tendency is to escape the reality and showing off inability to fought back for their rights, they turn away from the theory due to male academics attitude : theory is their property, but don't try to make their own space by staying there and confronting them.

Gynocriticism furthers by studying "linguistics". Where it assumes that as the society or culture is constructed with 'patriarchy along with patriarchal language', where women don't have their individual "female language" to speak on, so as a result they may be feeling themselves to be inferior to men. Where the very idea of 'equality' is blurred and weightage is given to partiality towards female.

Logocentricism & Phallus

For example: It is also seen in "Derrida's deconstruction's one of the points, where he emphasises on "logocentricism" and "phallus" which denotes absence of something, if experienced by opposite sex, while the same thing can be exeprienced by a man, concerning "women's godgifted womb" where she can nourish or nurture a child, and men aren't blessed with this privilege.

First Phase (1840-80) : Feminine : Imitation : Elaine Showalter says(concerning first phase of feminism) : Due to these reasons, inferiority(inability / lackness of not having something and if tried to , hasn't privilege to gain) jealousy of another identity is developed and so those women try to "equal the intellectuality of these male writers" and they were have "male pseudonym" also the probable fact was, their unrecognition for doing such things. As a result what happened there was a irregular pressure on narrative, tone, diction etc..In this manner the frustration, and detestment for male side was came out, seems to be mere imitation.

Second Phase (1880-1920) : Feminist: Protest : As religions are based on myth, and as it becomes a factual history, by the followers of any particular ideology, by practising it on and often. If we took feminist perspective here, it says the 'women are enable to reject their accommodating feminity postures'. Evidence can be seen in 'Bible scripture' where 'Eve' eats forbidden fruit, which stimulate her to ask many logical questions, but here she has dared to, while we see this aspect dychronically, perhaps women were suppressed by patriarchal structure and so their voice wasn't heard. Gradually as the time furthered they got awareness of their state and tried to sketch their ordeals of "wronged womanhood" in literature form. As it is based on protest they envisioned their forth coming future as society led by women, there will be their structure, totally absence of men(shows hatred) where women can be seen as leading an ideal society, comprising only women.

Greek mythology on Amazonian women

Where daughters of Ares and Harmonia are brutal and aggressive and so they frequently indulge themselves in such battles.

Have a glimpse of myth, here..

In contrast see a work by W.H. Hudson, on 'A crystal age' where men are unable to adapt to 'matriarchal society'(utopia/dystopia society).

(To refer the story in detail, click here)

Ultimately in female phase, the dependent attitudes towards recognition are vanished and have gained 'a self discovery'. Where female experiences are utilized to generate autonomous art, extending the feminist analysis of culture to the forms and techniques of literature.

For example : "The bluest eyes" - Toni Morrison : An African-American writer, who has presented a young girl named "Pecola". Who has become inferior due to her black skin and mannerisms.

Where we can see a girl very young as ignorant of practical life, how she has to suffer, in educational as well as in her personal life.

Gayatri Charavorty Spivak has explained the same concept of 'feminism' in her video, concerning post-colonial and colonial aspect. As a result of colonialism, post-colonialism movement is happening, where the repressed are unheard, but in latter movement they are given the voices, by the reforming pioneers of this particular movement.

Female is symbolized as colonized and man as a colonizer.

In this video, an example of disaster is given, which is listened through radio by the people, they only can feel sorry for those people who have suffered, while the people solely know, through which they have passed, and how they're helpless and poor that they can't do anything without just praying to God as they don't have any option to rely on.

A study from cultural critic's side:

Where when a cultural critic will see the same aspect, with some of the 'four goals of cultural studies'. He / she will recognize that yes from "interdisciplinary approach" if we see: we are to see that whatever a woman has experienced will be analysed by different perspectives, rather than considering only one side of the story. If a person is belonging to her own family, their particular family's values and cultural norms can be seen in his / her interpretation. If the same thing is seen by the victim of this situation, will be something different, sometimes victimizing oneself, sometimes self-loathing and sometimes just dragged into someone else's thought and is ultimately ruined. If a cultural critic will look he/she will look considering all these aspects, and then probably will come at probable conclusion.

Considering the other subsequent types; political engagement and the separation of high and low. As literally the difference can be seen, a cultural critic will at first study the possible reasons for this condition of women and then try to merge this gap by discovering new model for reestablishing the healthy relationships between men and women and other earthly species.

If we take here society as a means for production, concerning woman identity, then one will literally find out that the very society is tainted then how it would be able to manufacture healthy, finely processed and newer thing. If suppose it does, nevertheless the woman will naturally indulge into such constructed things, that it would be impossible for her to come out, as she is at extreme level dragged into by hidden societal forces.

It can be analyzed, using many theories; Derrida's deconstruction(by distorting the very identity to the extremity of its roots), structuralism(how woman's identity is  structured), Lucas (Psychoanalytical theory: emotional and mental state of woman, when put into such situations and many more.

Thus how "Gynocriticsim" is rooted in these aforementioned three phases, and emerges as answer to the question of 'female resistance' through establishment of an individual female language, as men were used to have, and still they have. But doesn't mean to establish equality regarding sex or gender, but striving to construct 'a female identity' so they may also have a dignified place in society and culture. All in all it is also scrutinized from four goals of cultural studies viewpoint.

Thankyou

Samiya Kagdi

A Learner at PG Center

Department Of English

MKBU

APPLIED SOURCES:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazons

https://dilipbarad.blogspot.com/2013/12/elaine-showalter-towards-feminist.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Crystal_Age

Thinking_Activity_Cultural_Studies_Goals

These "Cultural Studies Goals" serve a facilitative aspect, which aids and owe an outsider lens to see the other disciplinarial picture clearly, by shrinking or expanding, whether in convex / concave form.

Let's see how it is happening in sequences..

Introduction:

In this 'thinking activity' we are going to study about "the cultural studies" its various approaches, itself standing as an individual entity. First an essay on "Culture and Anarchy" was published in 1869, in cornhill magazine, in the form of periodical series and in 1875 a preface was added to it. Afterwards with the same essay's influences "a school of thought for cultural studies with learned researchers and socialist was established, named "Frankfurt School" later on and it was developed around 1950 or 60s and was named as "Leavicism". In this activity we're particularly going to study, about "what is culture, cultural studies and which are its goals"?

 Culture:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture
Culture (/ˈkʌltʃər/) is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities and habits of the individuals in these groups.

With all the later elements, one has to retain elasticity and try to comfort him/her enthusiastically in this complex zone and must come out with reformation.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_culture
While comparing this same idea of culture with "cell culture", here also it is one type of process by which cells are grown in controlled conditions as human has to in society, in outside world, who is actually isolated from its living being (it happens when a person is immigrated to another place, by means of education, job or marriage) and has to follow those rules(etiquettes of living society/urban space)which are levied upon. They will subsequently be maintained under careful controlled conditions(if it is state, state has its specific rules for its people and to maintain its space). When coming out of this, one will be reformed and will be constituting 'a vessel' is nutrients, which provide; carbohydrate, amino acid, minerals etc.

For example: Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake(Diasporic novel): where the woman called "Ashima" though provided an opportunity of shaping her life in abroad, wasn't utilized and at last also she was feeling satiation only by being at her home town, after spending her more than half life in Boston.

Ecofeminism:
Where a woman has to naturalize herself, as per the society's requirements, if she fails to then she will be vehemently criticized by the society or she has to leave her in-laws home.

Perhaps to adjust in a different environment is also called a culture, where accordingly one has to adapt and made one flexible with all complexities by retaining the tendency of learning.

*Then a question arises that what is made of those, who are unable to adjust themselves in any compromisational situation?

*Is it necessary to adjust?

*If adjusted then at what extent?

*Is there any limitation or it is an ongoing process?

*A group makes a culture or an individual?

We should also prefer to "Amazon Culture" of tribal people, which was then prevailing, it is just a scrap preview. Where according to "Archeologist" tribal people are buried under the over growth of jungle as remnants of their body's can be seen there.

Thus we conclude here by learning that though "culture's significance" though in a nutshell but is huge in amount and has a tremendous impact on the minds  of the learners.

Cultural Studies:

As per "Patrick Bratlinger": 'Cultural studies isn't  "a tightly coherent, unified movement with a fixed agenda, but a loosely coherent group of tendencies, issues and questions".

"It is endless process of constant evolvement rather than having any fixation".

Approaches of Cultural Studies:

An entity had, has and will have connection with "interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches". It is based on interdependent studies, which just by utilizing one particle of any discipline, unlayer all that is hidden in that study oriented entity.

Composition of cultural studies:

Arising from the social turmoil of the 1960s, cultural studies is composed of elements of Marxism, poststructuralism and postmodernism, feminism, gender studies, anthropology, sociology, race and ethnic studies, film theory, urban studies, public policy, popular culture studies and postcolonial studies: those fields that concentrate on social and cultural forces that either create community or cause division and alienation.

Perhaps which can learn both the aspects of culture: culture in healthy/hygienic state, flourishing, prosperous state and culture in deteriorating and dilapidated condition. As an example is given above that how after the "social turmoil in 1960s" the reformation in many fields took place in feminism, Marxism etc. While actually it is the war, which give arouse to such reformation, at prior if assumed perhaps another culture with fractions was surfacing and furthering for cold civil fight.

Thus it can be seen that not only culture with positive side is taken into consideration but also a culture who thrive to exist can be took into consideration. If poor people representing any culture, then rich also and likewise middle class people also, culture is only a set of standards, values, norms which are fixed for a cultural representor, facilitating to this one has to act, with specific resistance or else it can be transformed into anarchy or something in revolutionary act.

We got how cultural studies can be done systematically by keeping in mind its chronological order and its coassociated matter.

Four_Goals_Of_Cultural_Studies

Interdisciplinary Studies:

Literary criticism and history, are kind of disciplines, which transcends and it is the job of "cultural studies critic" to transcend it. Which is practised in such journals, representations and boundary two.

Process:

Cultural critic scrutinize 'the cultural phenomenon of the text'(what is the reason of occurring event and how it transformed into a cultural entity). 

For example: Italian culture:

Where does the intellectual promise lies:

In their introduction to cultural studies, editors Lawrence Grossberg, Cary Nelson and Paula Triechler emphasize that "the intellectual promise of cultural studies lies in its attempts to, cut across diverse social and political interests  and address many of the struggles within the current scene".

Transcript on democratic debate:  A talk on issues of immigration, situation unfolding on America's border and the treatment of migrant children.

Intellectual works aren't limited by their own "borders" as single texts, historical problems and disciplines, and the critic's own personal connections to what is being analyzed may also be described. 

If perhaps they have borders for themselves then there will be only their single story, which will be considered in coming time as harmful and deteriorating. As "Chimananda Ngozi Adichie" talks about the dire consequences of "single story".

Intellectuals see any work as "an emancipatory project" which has accomplished priviledge of evaluation from each and every side and is made loose in its analyzation.

For this "a Professor's example is given": that a Professor instructs the students with his own political views(seems only as professor's single story)which seems as an engagement into "feminism", and which has no detachment.

Thus in this point we learnt how "cultural phenomenon" is evaluated through many approaches if it is bordered then it would have single story, which is harmful, and if it is being done by intellectuals then it will have "emancipatory outcomes" which can be seen from many sides.

POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT:

A CULTURAL CRITICS see themselves as "oppositional" not only within their own disciplines but to many of the power structures of society at large.

A cultural critic reading power structures.

Cultural critics questions inequalities within power structures and seek to discover models for restructuring relationships among dominant and minority or subaltern.

A game based on RPG, supported in "Android mobile". Which says the story of a team of heroes, who save their kingdom from enemies invaders.

But here we can see this in power structure that: It can happen when one has distinctiveness than others and as power is based on abilities and skills of a person or team, only one will be getting privilege. So when knew that we won't be able to be at that powerful position, they try to invade and look forward to snatch the power rather than achieving it.

As usual we can see here the distancing power in two groups(heroes and enemies) and as some are underprivilege and not given the required position, so they try to snatch the power. But then an ample of questions arise.

*should power be given to everyone?

*If perhaps it is given, then what everyone will be able to make justice with their power as well as with people?

*Won't they utilize it for their own benefits?

We assume that power structures are mere a cultural construction of individual subjectivity. Then it should be there or not?

Thus by learning "political engagement" we learnt how a cultural critic by being oppositional read the power structures and inequalities prevailing in the society or in any political or economical world, it can be in any form but to know the forms we should cultivate the skill to read in between the lines as (shown in aforementioned image on kingdom in chaos). Power can be read from different perspectives and not everyone is deserving to be in power. If perhaps power is centralized then there should be some deservable individual, who can retain that power authority, loyally and honestly otherwise there should be power free society, but then a question come, that if power free society is imposed then perhaps it will turn into chaos(as told in one of the points from Culture & Anarchy-Mathew Arnold : Doing as one likes). 

Resistance = Power.

Absence of Resistance = Anarchy(chaos)

Separation of high, low and popular culture:

This point equally resembling the prior point(political engagement) the only difference is there "the cultural critic" by being an outsider just reading power structures but here by realizing the ongoing tendency of power structures in the world, he denies separation of high, low, elite and popular culture but rather try to merge them and this he explains with one example.

HIGHBROW VS LOWBROW

(GIVING ILLUSTRATION OF HIGHBROW ART AND A PAIR OF TICKETS TO A ROCK CONCERT).

By refering to this chart one may knew how the three categorised strata of society are privileged and underprivileged towards material things and facilities.

Favouring this idea, Jean Baudrillard and Andreas Huyssen cultural critics argue: that after world war II the distinction among high, low and mass culture collapsed. They also cite other theorists like Pierre Bourdieu and Dick Hebdige on how "good taste"(Rudyard Kipling) often reflects prevailing social, economics and economic power bases. As Rudyard Kipling had in innocence circulated many images of India, during the colonial rule of the British raj. But he only has perhaps superficially seen then prevailing tendency of India and spreaded the images world widely, while actually it actually reveals an entrenched  imperialist argument for white superiority and world wide domination of other races(especially asians).

Thus here we learnt by being supporter of above mentioned aspect, a cultural critic will try to merge the three stratas of culture and perhaps will share an idea of equal privilege in every field of lives.

MEANS OF PRODUCTION:

Not concerning only the cultural work but also "the means of production": that is the supporter of artist, who is the buyer? Who is publisher? By whom it is purchased? Who has distributed and how? Who are the buyers literate or illiterate?

If one is literate then only one will understand the empathic feelings of the writer towards cultural phenomenon and the people whom she/he has addressed through his/her work. It can also happen with illiterate people, but incase if language is illigeble to them otherwise one cannot. Only by understanding one can say something to someone or else the message will get miscommunicated.

Means of production are the workers, not the owner:

If in this context we see here the owner is saying that: he had owned the productive machine so he is rich. But the workers argue that he hasn't build the machine, even not operating or working on it. Then how this machine belong to him? As they are, equivalently he is required to work otherwise it can't be considered his own machine.

So here an idea reflects in mind that if a person/writer has worked on his/her work then only it can be considered as authentic and positive, otherwise it can be considered as such. If one has done some great or altruist work then only the message of that particular machinery, text, music or anything will get wide-spreaded or in equal measure it can also corrupt the society.

REFLECTION OF THESE ASPECTS IN INDIAN CONTEMPORARY TIMES

If we look this all aspects in contemporary situation in India. We are to confront the very tendency of political ministries of spreading post-truth, which remains only to be single story, though people satirically evaluate by their different perspectives. 

Concerning "political engagement" we have corporate world and also a political position, both are interdependant on each other, while the creamy layer is only privilege to those who are belonging to corporate world, with indirect exploitation of people, while on another side a handful of creamy layer is given under the table to the supportive power as being supportive to him/her in their own personal gains. Where we can read the power structures in terms of political, corporate and other different stratas of societies. Where perhaps a cultural critic thinks to merge or equally distribute the power one can literally understand that it is 'time seeking' rather never be made possible ever in life.

If seeing this same aspect in terms of "means of production" every designated person in India whether he/she is a celebrity, belonging to corporate world or placed at a highly designated strata, one would require the manipulative support of the "prime minister". As Salman Khan is seen as seeking favour to promote his movie "Jai Ho". Mukesh Ambani for his own purpose, seeking favour from Narendra Modi, never even concern for his wife,  seems as for personal financial gain he can even sell his wife as when in image Narendra Modi is holding his wife's hand, poor Mukesh Ambani is pitching on his back seems as implored corporater is pleading to be reasonable towards him for his own wife!

Thus we learnt about culture, what cultural studies meant to be, its four goals and at last reflection of these four goals in contemporary times in India.

Thankyou

Samiya Kagdi

A learner at PG center

Department of English

MKBU

Applied Sources:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_culture

Ecocriticism_&_Ecofeminism

Ecocriticism&Ecofeminism



Introduction: Ecocentricism &Ecofeminism are the two terms which are related with nature but one has connection with specificity, while another has connection with interdisciplinary approach. One can be related with different societal, psychological, behavioural aspects, another also but by centralizing woman at center, in former approach literature is given prime importance which isn't in latter one and from that approach systematically one can deconstruct as well as structuralize woman's identity and draw her character to the extent of generalizations, that how "woman is to male, as nature is to culture".

Ecocriticism

Cheryll Glotfelty's working definition in The Ecocriticism Reader is that "ecocriticism is the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment", and one of the implicit goals of the approach is to recoup professional dignity for what Glotfelty calls the "undervalued genre of nature writing". 

Lawrence Buell defines "'ecocriticism' ... as [a] study of the relationship between literature and the environment conducted in a spirit of commitment to environmentalist praxis".

To elaborate aforementioned aspect of "ecocriticism" as it is underlined "relationship between the literature and physical environment":

Both the aspects of this particular term have their nature, those are naturalized with interdisciplinary approach. Which comprises all integral essence of a literary work, where social, physical, psychological, astronomy, linguistics etc can be included and 'science' can be perceived, working as an 'embryo'. How these aspects are naturalized with the character as well as the environment, behavioural patterns, way of living life, customs of the social system etc, reflecting to a particular culture.

It can be related with "Roland Barthes close textual reading, structuralism, deconstruction and post-structuralism and anthropology. The reader has full-fledged freedom to pursue, how he/she/hir wants to and in what manner, what tendency.

Roland Barthes "close textual reading" may relate either to interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary approach, which is in an either way interdependant on each other.

Or it can be accordingly structuralize with reference to other movies, literary texts and day to day life issues reflecting in newspapers.

It can be deconstructed that how woman is at present time, how she was in past as well as going to be in future, as awareness is spreading in favour of woman with leaps and bounds.

Thus we knew here how a nature can be related with various aspects, it is inter as well as multi disciplinary approach, where with interdependancy one can analyze, critique on anything taken in his/her hand.



Ecofeminism: with refernece to Claude Levi Strauss's: Elementary Structures of Kinship(1969):

Eco = nature + feminism = who is banished from high social status, politics, economic like realms of the world, where only the men are given 'the prime priviledge'.

When we see this aspect by centralizing woman in center, we are to see how a woman is framed particularly in respect of society, psychology and phisiological.

IF we discuss this idea is brief then "physiologically women is seen as delicate", has natural functionality, to give birth to a child, taking care of him/her along with her husband and if she is in joint family then also of husband's family. They have to hover in and around of this atmosphere as the job is very intricate and engaged, and are victim of gender specification of social structure, they won't get free space even to think of themselves or of their existence. While in men's respects it differ.

When we see her in "social aspect". She would be seen mere as 'societal creature's as constructed by the society, concerning her role, status, manner in working with societal peoples. When occasionally gets chance of getting get togetherness she will be an individual, she will try 'for time being' to wipe out her identity, and to intermingle with societal people and exchanging and framing ideas. While the daughter of this specific gender will be of this particular identity and as she has seen her mother as her role model of social creature, though she is given particular atmosphere to shape herself but ultimately she will turn to that specific specificity and so it doubles, triples as generation after generation passes on.

Concerning their "psycology/psychic tendency". We discussed earlier how women are socialized, but it isn't that those can be seen only as such. This can be seen in an area where people are still uneducated or not having that type of air(if we see in this context, tribal people also don't have privilege of getting education, but still in some sects they were having matriarchal society) or can say some who have got societal atmosphere and specifically their minds are trained, there we can see how irrational and emotional women are.

On contradictory, we may have an example of rational and practical women(an example of one of the Dashwood sisters: Elinore in Sense&Sensibility) and of many of the states in India, while at some corner, some are underprivileged(an example of Marriane-Sense&Sensibility-Jane Austen).

If refering to some literary works, we can see, old women have become subjective, can't find even any reason, whether due to inability of acting or stamina,or of hopelessness or frustrated of many gathered experiences, where they have only seen failure and hopelessness.

 Some become concrete so they just engage themselves only in such works, which are produced in front of them, and without any sense they will adapt meaninglessly.

Some of the novels of Afro-American women novelists, except the rightly downwards indicated work on autobiography by Harriet Jacob.
 

If we see the core idea of how African women are made mere a slave, where they have to just behave as unexpected girl child, who is ignorant of society, culture  or of any highly designated place(for which one can't even imagine)and not given any space to shape, nurture, or to think anything for themselves, and in extremity they have to surrender to the particular predicting societal situation and at last they are squeezed to death. But some as narrated in these works, are able to come out of societal structure and shape their lives for the betterment of the society and of themselves.

 If we see this, concerning cooking as nature to women, that's it that they're not given reward what they are doing for, everything is done selflessly. While for the same thing men are given wages, when working as a chef in(France and China).

If we see the similar thing in the similar context in contemporary times, today we have many fractions of women; some are still submissive, some seems to be rationale, some are privileged to be subordinate but somehow are able to come out of it and some just influenced with their past experiences that unable to come out of it and as those are engage at extent, that they won't be able to see the exact prevailing tendency of society.

Ecofeminism in Contemporary times:

The feelings, emotions, desires and spirit of women, which were earlier repressed under customs, religious beliefs and social construction, is suddenly now surfacing. What woman was "by product" earlier, she was spiritful, emotional, in her personal benefits rational, but discrete, craving for any kind of power, manipulative, social. All these aspects were lying collectively, somewhere in her mind, with the advent of women favouring laws, those dormant feelings and emotions, started surfacing and as a result we have mixture kind of women. Some have become dominant, some are still there, where they were placed under social canons, some have balanced views, some have inferior views towards men, some staunchly follows "feminism" and always keeps on crying in the name of their considered inferior status.

Conclusively we saw here how women varied; sociologically, psycologically and physiologically, though both men and women both have their abilities and in inabilities, it is up to them and their choices, what they want to be. If one wants to naturalize the concept of feminism in them will remain forever crying for themselves and won't be able to come out of it, who will see outside the window, would perhaps be able to come out of it, but those who influence their position to manipulate society, will turn out to be nowhere in the world, here also the karmical theory works.

Thankyou
Samiya Kagdi
A learner at PG center
First year(semester-1)
Department of English
MKBU

Applied Sources:

https://dilipbarad.blogspot.com/2016/12/ecofeminism-in-mass-media-imagery.html.