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Theories
of Culture, Theories of Cultural Production defend them. Throughout much cultural studies writing, there is a relentless probing of authority in culture. Anthropologists working in cultural stud- ies, for example, have scrutinised the apparent objectivity of the traditional ethnographer who observes
the culture of indigenous, ‘primitive’ peoples from a relatively privileged position (see Clifford, 1988). In some respects, this echoes the questioning of positivism and objectivism in the ‘interpreta- tive turn’ in social thought since the 1960s.
At its worst, it involves a naïve constructivism and suspicion of anyone’s right to say anything at all about any less powerful social group. Other fields of enquiry, such as black stud- ies, queer studies and women’s studies, have brought new voices into cul- tural studies and raised serious and important questions about the politics of speaking from one particular subject position (for example, white,
private school-educated, male) about the cultural practices of others.
Fourth,
cultural studies has forefronted issues of subjectivity, identity, Share with your friends: