John Fiske And Popular Cultural Studies

Although cultural studies is coming to be or has already been one of the most important issues in Chinese academic circles, nearly all the articles are scattered and perceptual commentaries on some given theoretical points. In this dissertation, the author tries to stand out the successor of Birmingham School and also the important representative of American cultural studies John Fiske's significance in academic history and to present the phylogeny of cultural studies through the historical description of John Fiske's theory and practice in cultural studies.Four parts can be found in this dissertation. In the first part 'Fiske and the Birmingham School', the author simply introduces John Fiske first, and then presents an analysis in detail on the relationship between him and the Birmingham School. The author believes that as well as the European theorists, the Birmingham School has a far-reaching influence on John Fiske. At last, the author introduces simply the acceptance and evaluation of John Fiske both in abroad and in China.The second and third part gives much prominence to John Fiske's popular cultural studies. Telling 'mass' from 'popular' presents the outstanding difference in cultural politics between him and other cultural theorists. And then a question of translation is raised up: the author believes that for the purpose of emphasizing political resistance, popular cultural studies or at least John Fiske's cultural studies would be better translated into Shu Min Wen Hua Yan Jiu ( ) but not so called Da Zhong Wen Hua Yan Jiu ( ) in Chinese. By taking this as the standpoint and Fiske's many a concept as the outline the author detailed fiske's popular cultural theory and then introduces Fiske's most important hypothesis of 'popular economy'. And on the basis of this, the author presents some defensive interpretations for John Fiske to answer some of the criticisms. The author believes that Fiske's optimism should be regarded as political faith first and then as a kind of scholarship attitude.The last part of this dissertation presents the relationship between postmodernism and the popular cultural consumption. The author thinks that there is a deep-rooted relationship between these two, and although this can be certified through the perspective of the aestheticization of everyday life in Fiske's cultural studies practice. But what Fiske believes in is constructive postmodernism but not the excessive liberal pluralism and thus the nihilism.