Bits of Theory
Throughout the school year, i have been struggling with writing cohesive and properly structured papers that deal with issues, that at times, feel 10 feet above my head.
I brought my political science paper to my contemporary social theory professor, who has pretty much been my mentor this year, for commentary and criticism. The final feedback was positive overall, as i was told that this theoretical work was all mine - that the contemporary course gave me the space to read, learn and absorb contemporary theory- but the theoretical connections i made in this paper were all mine. It was a great academic moment.
Here is the section of the paper i am talking about. There are still some glitches, but for the most part, im pretty happy with it.
Socio-Political Narratives
Social narratives, simply defined, are the generalized stories that are created by ‘ideology’, which in turn creates social ‘norms’. Norms, loosely defined, are the standards of behavior that are deemed socially acceptable and are expected to be adhered to within the social context. These norms construct the collective belief structure that is ideology. For many individuals, these social norms appear to be pre-determined, be they through the social class to which they belong, through the schools that they attend or even through the community in which they live. These pre-defined norms seem to be built automatically into the fabric of contemporary life. Social as well as political norms are not inherent in human nature, but are created by state agencies, media, and any other form of authority that governs an individual’s life. In turn, social narrative, ideology and norms work in a cyclical fashion, all seeming to act on each other in a cause and effect way through the above-mentioned social institutions.
Of these institutions, one off the most predominant narrators of western society is the media and entertainment industry. Social narratives are created through the information that is filtered and delivered to the general population through various forms of communication; television, newspapers, radios, and more recently direct access via the internet. The primary topics tend to surround issues concerning politics, current affairs, and global issues.
At its most basic, the medium of the media appears to reflect commonly held public values and norms. Each reported story seems to be ‘nothing but the news’, not filtered through any particular ideological perspective. It would seem to carry an unbiased voice – fair and equitable to each party involved. However, one must look beyond appearances and the “seeming” of things, and instead consider the facilitators of the voice. In particular, one must ponder where the money behind the media comes from, since contemporary western society is essentially capitalist [albeit moving into what is known as ‘late-capitalism’ [Barney, 2000]. At its most dangerous, then, economic and political interests govern this media.
In theorist L. Althusser’s work, “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses”, the reporting of information through an ideological perspective is necessary for what he calls the ‘ideological state apparatus’ [Althusser, 1971, 94]. An ideological state apparatus is “a certain number of realities which present themselves to the immediate observer in the form of distinct and specialized institutions” [110]. Althusser lists such institutions as ‘religious affiliations, public and private schools, the family, the legal system, the political system through each of its parties as well as through cultural institutions (such as literature, the Arts and sports etc)’ [110-111] as the institutions that form individual ideological perspectives or the structures and norms to which we are born.
Continuing this examination, T. Adorno and M. Horkheimer tackle this issue in their work titled “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception” [Horkheimer, Adorno, 1972]. The idea in this work is that culture and its industry is essentially put in place via political strategy in the name of ideology. By creating false needs through the culture industry coupled with ideology, the system perpetrates a necessary cycle of work and leisure with a capitalist or even a Fordist slant. This process is essential in order to keep the flow of authority and subjects
H. Arendt also mentions a similar diagnosis of the function of what she calls “mass culture” in her article “The Crisis in Culture” [Arendt, 1977]. Similar to Adorno’s culture industry, Arendt writes, “the products needed for entertainment serve the life process of society…” [P. 205]. Arendt goes on to explain that culture is, historically speaking, inherently political in terms of Greek definition. [214 – 215] Thus, considering the historical marriage between culture and politics, is it any wonder that culture, and in turn, the media (which serves to entertain the masses) is propagated by politics?
Throughout the school year, i have been struggling with writing cohesive and properly structured papers that deal with issues, that at times, feel 10 feet above my head.
I brought my political science paper to my contemporary social theory professor, who has pretty much been my mentor this year, for commentary and criticism. The final feedback was positive overall, as i was told that this theoretical work was all mine - that the contemporary course gave me the space to read, learn and absorb contemporary theory- but the theoretical connections i made in this paper were all mine. It was a great academic moment.
Here is the section of the paper i am talking about. There are still some glitches, but for the most part, im pretty happy with it.
Socio-Political Narratives
Social narratives, simply defined, are the generalized stories that are created by ‘ideology’, which in turn creates social ‘norms’. Norms, loosely defined, are the standards of behavior that are deemed socially acceptable and are expected to be adhered to within the social context. These norms construct the collective belief structure that is ideology. For many individuals, these social norms appear to be pre-determined, be they through the social class to which they belong, through the schools that they attend or even through the community in which they live. These pre-defined norms seem to be built automatically into the fabric of contemporary life. Social as well as political norms are not inherent in human nature, but are created by state agencies, media, and any other form of authority that governs an individual’s life. In turn, social narrative, ideology and norms work in a cyclical fashion, all seeming to act on each other in a cause and effect way through the above-mentioned social institutions.
Of these institutions, one off the most predominant narrators of western society is the media and entertainment industry. Social narratives are created through the information that is filtered and delivered to the general population through various forms of communication; television, newspapers, radios, and more recently direct access via the internet. The primary topics tend to surround issues concerning politics, current affairs, and global issues.
At its most basic, the medium of the media appears to reflect commonly held public values and norms. Each reported story seems to be ‘nothing but the news’, not filtered through any particular ideological perspective. It would seem to carry an unbiased voice – fair and equitable to each party involved. However, one must look beyond appearances and the “seeming” of things, and instead consider the facilitators of the voice. In particular, one must ponder where the money behind the media comes from, since contemporary western society is essentially capitalist [albeit moving into what is known as ‘late-capitalism’ [Barney, 2000]. At its most dangerous, then, economic and political interests govern this media.
In theorist L. Althusser’s work, “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses”, the reporting of information through an ideological perspective is necessary for what he calls the ‘ideological state apparatus’ [Althusser, 1971, 94]. An ideological state apparatus is “a certain number of realities which present themselves to the immediate observer in the form of distinct and specialized institutions” [110]. Althusser lists such institutions as ‘religious affiliations, public and private schools, the family, the legal system, the political system through each of its parties as well as through cultural institutions (such as literature, the Arts and sports etc)’ [110-111] as the institutions that form individual ideological perspectives or the structures and norms to which we are born.
Continuing this examination, T. Adorno and M. Horkheimer tackle this issue in their work titled “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception” [Horkheimer, Adorno, 1972]. The idea in this work is that culture and its industry is essentially put in place via political strategy in the name of ideology. By creating false needs through the culture industry coupled with ideology, the system perpetrates a necessary cycle of work and leisure with a capitalist or even a Fordist slant. This process is essential in order to keep the flow of authority and subjects
H. Arendt also mentions a similar diagnosis of the function of what she calls “mass culture” in her article “The Crisis in Culture” [Arendt, 1977]. Similar to Adorno’s culture industry, Arendt writes, “the products needed for entertainment serve the life process of society…” [P. 205]. Arendt goes on to explain that culture is, historically speaking, inherently political in terms of Greek definition. [214 – 215] Thus, considering the historical marriage between culture and politics, is it any wonder that culture, and in turn, the media (which serves to entertain the masses) is propagated by politics?
posted by Kelly at
17:24
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