An Analysis Of Stuart Hall’s Cultural Representation Theory

As "the father of the contemporary culture studies", Stuart Hall’s theoretical results are extensive and far-reaching influence on the Bermingham school and the whole culture research field. He had written very abundant, made a lot of insightful theoretical ideas. Where his cultural representation theory is even more significant, it brings us not only a theory, but also a methodological intervention. This thesis attempts to sort out its cultural representation theory Hall exceptionally rich source of ideas from the writings, the basic content of the specific practices in order to make the Hall of cultural representation theory more in-depth, comprehensive analysis and evaluation.The first part of the thesis mainly explores the concept of "representation" source and its three major theory of evolution. "Representation" was originally from the Latin verb "repraesentare" and a noun after "represaesentatio" English "representation" development, the meaning of "representation" has experienced a lot of evolution, until the 20 th century it was defined as the images of "precision".After the 1960 s, influenced by structuralism, semiotics and poststructuralism, "reproduction" concept has experienced a "linguistic turn" and "postmodern turn", after the Hall as the representative of the field of cultural studies "reproduction" concept to complete the third turn, the "cultural turn."The second part of the thesis focuses on the connotation of the representation theory of hall. In hall’s view, meaning representation through language, there are two characterization system: one is the process of the internalization of external things, one is the intrinsic concept transformation process. Characterization of meaning there are three ways to form: the reflection way, intentional approach and constructivism way. In the hall, constructivism way more fundamental. Constructivism approach has two kinds: one kind is saussure’s linguistics and semiotics of Roland barthes, is a kind of foucault’s discourse theory. Hall are more inclined to foucault’s discourse theory, to a great extent, but also because its theory is more practical, in line with the theory of hall practice intentions.The third part of the thesis is the core of the full text, mainly including hall will own representation theory in the concrete practice of three aspects: the first is the cycle of representation theory and culture, hall to apply representation theory to the specific economic cases, construct the characterization, identification, the production, consumption and rules for the elements of the culture cycle; Second is representation theory and cultural identity, apply the representation theory in his hall is very concerned about the identity of this issue, exploring the mainstream ideology of the "he" distortion, and try to use representation theory to the "other" to reposition; The third is the representation theory and cultural hegemony, through exploring representation theory, hall to look on the problem of cultural hegemony, then put forward the famous encoding/decoding mode.The fourth part of the thesis mainly discusses the hall summarized the characteristic and the influence of cultural representations theory. Hall’s cultural representation theory, with its interdisciplinary academic consciousness, practicality, openness and the political intervention in the field of cultural studies has distinguishing feature alone. Hall’s cultural representation theory, its influence is extensive and profound, it give us is not only a theory, but a methodology of intervention. Although the hall’s cultural representation theory has some deficiencies in some respects, but the strength of this theory is far outweigh its disadvantages.