Studies On Stuart Hall’s Cultural Identity Theory

By way of an in-depth reading and a careful examining of Stuart Hall’s theoretical texts,related interviews and speech documents in relation to identity or cultural identity,released during 1980 s and 2000 s,this thesis seeks to clarify the theoretical composition of Stuart Hall’s Cultural Identity Theory,to explore the theoretical development of this theory and to illustrate his approaches to constructing,deconstructing and reconstructing cultural identity.In this sense,Hall’s identity,position and concern in his practice of Cultural Identity Criticism can be elaborated.Departing from the practical and theoretical contexts,this thesis demonstrates the framework within which Stuart Hall’s Cultural Identity Theory occurred and developeD.Stuart Hall’s subaltern upbringing environment,double-angle identities and diaspora-tic cultures give rise to his concern over identity.His new leftist position,leadership in CCCS in Birmingham University and teaching experience in Open University work together contributing to his thoughts on cultural identity.Stuart Hall’s Cultural Identity Theory is deeply rooted in Western Continental philosophieS.Stuart Hall criticized Marxist Economic Determinism,reflected on Althusser’s Ideological State Apparatus,introduced Gramsci’s Cultural Hegemony,and conducted dialogue with Laclau and Mouffe’s post-Marxism Articulation Theory,which demonstrate his theorizing ability in expounding cultural identity.In short,his sophisticated experiences and diverse identities are the internal conditions,leading to his acute awareness on identity.Extensive theories are the external sources Hall turned to while confronting social problems in Britain.The combination of internal and external factors provide a continuous power for Hall’s insightful and broadening views on cultural identity.Next,the thesis explains culture and identity as two key words in cultural identity.It starts with clarifying the connotation of culture,“one of the two or three most complicated words in English ”,and continues with a profound explanation of identity.Thus,the border of British Cultural Studies can be sketched,and the “privileged point of entry” in cultural studies can be understood,on the basis of which Hall’s critical thinking on this issue,his improvements on these ideas can be talked about.Hall has observed the toughness in defining culture,which in his opinion is mainly attributed to the powerinvolveD.Culture is not only something concerns aesthetics,but a division of people.Hall upgraded culture from “a structure of feeling” and an “ordinary” thing into a“signifying practice”.In this sense,culture involves not only history,social and practices but also people.What’s more,signifying practice can situate people into a social position,which is identity in its real sense.Hall illustrated identity and identification within the context of British cultural studies,which share both similarities and difference S.With such connection and distinction in mind,a better understanding of the demarcation of cultural identity/cultural identification can be made.Clarifying these terms facilitates a profound comprehension of Hall’s de-centered identity concept.One of the focus of this thesis is to make clear the theoretical components of Cultural Identify Theory.Theoretical clarification is of prime importance,which can not be skipped in mentioning a theory.Yet few comprehensive and inclusive references can be found currently.This chapter leaves from the definition and connotation of cultural identity,exploits its traits,proceeds with the approaches to its construction,digs into Hall’s intentions and internal drive on criticizing cultural identity,and finally lands on the tools he employed in his combat against essentialised cultural identity.Only by a clear grasp of the connotation,traits and ways of construction,can Hall’s Cultural Identity Theory be comprehended,whereby the validity of discussing his practice of cultural criticism can be ensured.The other focus of this thesis is to expound the dimensions and approaches of Hall’s Cultural Identity criticism.Hall’s theory is very powerful in analyzing and explaining cultural practiceS.Hall begins with decomposing class as a crucial political identity.He proceeds with his criticism on racial identity and national identity,which are taken as two important dimensions of an essentialised cultural identity.He seeks to explain what cultural identity is,then deconstructs it and finally reconstructs it anew.This chapter involves in important terms,like race,new ethnicity and diaspora,and by a conjectural analysis,their position and function in Hall’s theoretical framework will be elucidateD.Eventually,the map of cultural identity criticism will be drawn,which includes the premises,standing point,concerning point and termination of his criticism.Last but not the least,this thesis will once again reflects on Stuart Hall’s Cultural Identity Theory and its related issues,in particular some unsettled issues in China’sacademia.Besides,the contributions and limitations of Hall’s interpretation on Cultural Identity will be talked about.In his work,Hall goes beyond deconstruction and moves forward with a constructive approach.In addition,it is sensible of him who did not destroy and break identity into unpick-able pieces,which a postmodernist will always do.Admittedly,Hall has his own limitations as well.He presented conflicting ideas in deconstructing and constructing identity and took swinging political positions in his cultural identity criticism practice.