Implications for media education of debates about popular culture in the field of Cultural Studies?

8/6/2019 Implications for media education of debates about popular culture in the field of Cultural Studies?

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MCTEAssignmentMarch2010MichelleCannon 1

MediaCulturalTheoryandEducation

Autumn2009

MICHELLECANNON

Whataretheimplicationsformediaeducationofdebates

aboutpopularcultureinthefieldofCulturalStudies?

FINAL

IconfirmthatIhavereadandunderstoodtheInstitutesCodeonCitingSourcesand

AvoidanceofPlagiarism.

IconfirmthatthisassignmentisallmyownworkandconformstothisCode.

Wordcount(numberofwords): 5324

Studentevaluationsubmitted: No

CopypostedonBlackboard: N/A

NameofTutor:DAVIDBUCKINGHAM

MA in Media, Culture & CommunicationInstitute of Education, University of London


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Whataretheimplicationsformediaeducationofdebatesaboutpopular

cultureinthefieldofCulturalStudies?

Itwouldntbetoofarfromthetruthtoclaimthatwithinamoderndemocraticsociety,

anyparticularhistoricalconjunctureistransitionalinnaturebutthatsomearemore

transitionalthanothers.Itismybeliefthatweareexperiencingonesuchextraordinary

transition:onethatmeritscloseanalysisofitsexistingsocial,historicconstructs,the

precedingtheoreticalassumptionsthatledtosuchconstructsandtheproposednew

directionstowhichsuchaparadigmshiftinvariablygivesrise.Ialludetothe

pervasivenessofdigitalmediaoverthepasttwodecades,withparticularreferenceto

thepasttenyears:theincreasingsophisticationandrapidityofcommunication,the

mutabilityofrepresentationandtheconfluenceoftechnologiesintheproductionand

disseminationofmeaning.

MyaimistoexamineourculturalconjuncturefromaCulturalStudiesperspectiveand

therolethatmediatedpopularculturemightplayintheeducationofyoungpeoplein

lightoftheabovechanges.Itishopedthatcreatinganeducationalenvironmentmore

favourabletothenurturingofinformedsocialactors,duringwhatmightbecalleda

processofprolongedsocietalchangemanagement,willleadtodeeperunderstandingbetweensocialgroupsandultimatelyafairer,moreevendistributionofempowered

individualsinsociety.Indeedameasureofbalancedjudgementiswhatisneededinthe

hereandnowtosteerasensiblecoursethroughthesomewhatturbulentandpolarised

discoursesofacademics,teachers,lobbyists,commentatorsandpolicymakersas

regardsmediaeducationthoseontheonehandwhoharkbacktoanunsulliedgolden

ageofculturalandeducationalpracticeandthosewithamoreevangelical,radical

agendasuchasthedispensabilityoftheteacher.

CulturalStudiesdistinguishesitselffromothersocialsciences,suchassociologyor

psychology,byfocussingonshiftingpowerstructuresandtherangeofsocialforcesat

workintheanalysisofthewaythingsareandbysteeringawayfrompositivist,over

determiningprinciples.Itwouldthereforebeausefulexercisetolookatthedecisive

passage(Gramsci)ofmediaeducationfromitsearlyarticulationtothatofthepresent

day:inotherwords,toexaminethehistoricalprocesseswherebycertaininterdependent

momentswithinJohnsonsCircuitofCulture(1985)orBuckinghamssimplified


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triangulartheoreticalmodeltext>audience>production-havebeenprivilegedover

others.

Thetextdominatedearlyculturaltheoryalongwiththesociologicalaspectsofaudience

consumption.Theelitist1930sLeavisiteapproachwasthatofachievinghuman

perfectionthroughthepreservationoftheculturalliterarycanon:thebestthathas

beenthoughtandsaidintheworldasordainedbythehighlyinstructedfew(Arnold).

Althoughnolongerthedominantideology,Storey1observesthatacertainstrandof

Leavisitetraditionnamelytheviewthatminorityhigh-browculturewasunderattack

fromthemasscultureofmasscommercialism-couldstillformakindofrepressed

commonsenseincertainareasofBritishandAmericanacademicandnon-academic

life.Thismightexplainacertainreluctancetoadjustthecentralityoftheliteraryand

printtraditionincontemporaryeducationalpedagogy.

Gramscielaboratesageologicalmetaphorinrelationtothecompositenatureofreality,

alludingtoitsstratifiedlayersandtherelevanceofresidualsedimentsofpastsocial

articulations;thisconceitmightbeusefullyemployedinStoreysaboveobservationto

explainaresidualwhiffofinoculativemediaeducationstillprevalentincertain

educationalsectors.Onesuchwhiffmightbesensedinthewaygamingculture,having

haditsgenesisinwhatmightberegardedbysomeasdownmarketvideoarcadesand


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maintainingitsprimaryfunctionasapopularpastime,isslowertobetakenupasavalid

medialiteracytoolinschools.

RaymondWilliamsandRichardHoggartsimpactonculturaltheorycannotbe

overestimatedandtheirdefinitionofculturesignalledadeparturefromtheenclosed,

hallowedwisdomofLeavisandThompson,byespousingamorecelebratoryand

inclusivenotionofculture:Culturalism,thenotionthatthenationscultureisinfactall

aroundusintheformofeverydaylivedexperience.Williamssoughtnottodenounce

theselectivetraditionaltogetherbutwidenedtheconcepttoembrace:theselective

tradition,documentaryaccountsofaparticularwayoflife3,andcrucially,ananalysis

ofthewaysocialformations,institutionsandmodesofproductionevolve.Thus,a

broader,moreroundedconceptofculturecanbearrivedat:

bystudying(socialformations)modesofchangetodiscovercertainlawsor

trends,bywhichsocialandculturaldevelopmentsasawholecanbebetter

understood.3

Thisinturncouldonlybeachieved,Williamsclaimed,throughastudyofthecomplex

interrelations,ratherthancomparisons,betweentheshiftingagendasofsocial

phenomena,their:elementsofpersistence,adjustment,unconsciousassimilation,

activeresistance,alternativeeffort3andthepatternsofactivitythatcanbetraced

therein.HedrawsonBenedictsanthropologicallyinspiredpatternofcultureto

elaboratewhathefinallyphrasedsocietysstructureoffeeling:atermthatembodies

boththerigidityofinstitutionalisedcodesandbehaviours,aswellasthemore

indefinable,delicateandintangible3socialnormsinwhichoneisalmost

imperceptiblyimmersed.Thisseismicshiftwastopresentaproblemtoeducationalists

andkeepersoftheculturalflame.

Forallhispioneeringcelebrationoftheordinaryandhisrejectionofsurrendertothe

mysticismofthegreatvaluer,Time3,Williamscontinuedtovaluethecanonofhigh

artwithabeliefinitsenhancedenrichingcapacity,therebyimplyingthattherewas

indeedascaleofculturalvalue.Hall&WhannelinThePopularArtspositedan

alternativeviewpredicatedonadifferentandcontroversialsetofvalues.What

interestedthemwasthecontentandformsofmasscommunicationandthepopular


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artsratherthanthesociologyofaudiences4.Theyexaminedthepostwarboomin

mediaandtheconcurrentriseandnurturingofteensubculture.Marketeershad

isolatedtheteensasaseparateandhighlymarketablesocialgroup,who,bybecominga

separateobjectofstudy,wereinturntoberegardedalmostasaseparatesocialclass

(HallcitingPaulGoodman).HallandWhannelhadunleashedatwo-hornedbeast:by

proposingthatpopularrepresentationswereworthyofscholarlystudy,whatwas

regardedbysomeasademocratisinginfluenceovertheconstitutionofculture,

representedforothersanopportunitytounveilwhattheyunderstoodtobedeeply

divisivepoliticalprocesses.Althoughheisassociatedwiththeinnovativechampioningof

youthsubcultureguidedbyMarxistprinciples,Hallsteeredclearofglamorizingtheone

andsetaboutrenovatingtheother;likeWilliamshesawbinary,exclusivelyover-

determiningapproachesasunhelpfulinananalysisofsocialarticulations.Thiseven-

handedperspectiveduringHallstenureasDirectoroftheCentreforContemporary

CulturalStudieswasatemperinginfluenceamidwhatwasbecomingsomethingofa

turbulent,side-takingepochwithinCulturalStudies.

TheFrankfurtSchoolsworldview,forexample,wasunderpinnedbyanprofounddistrust

ofmassmediamotives,suggestingthatwe,asconsumersofmassculturalproducts,weresubjectsinaprogrammetoachievehomogeneous,passivesocialconformity.The

FrankfurtSchoolsrolewastoexposethepoliticalandideologicalchicaneryattheheart

oftheculturalindustry(AdornoandHorkheimer):thecynicaldrivetoguarantee

capitalismssafepassageandprosperousonwardjourney.Theybemoanedwhatthey

sawasthedeliberatede-politicizationoftheworkingclassesandindoingsodevalued

theirleisurepracticesandpopularrepresentations.Thishadtheeffectofshoringupthe

cultureandcivilisationtraditionofpreviousdecadessuchthatonlyauthenticculture

wasinoculatedagainstthescleroticadvanceofmassmedia,anunstoppablemalignant

forcethatmaintained:obediencetotherhythmoftheironsystemtheabsolutepower

ofcapitalism1(Storeyp.56quotes

AdornoandHorkheimer1979).

Itseemsuntenablethatcapitalismeverberegardedasabsolute,relyingasitdoesonits

elasticandshape-shiftingcapacitytosustainitself:massmediahasallthepermanence

ofsocialblue-tackratherthansocialcement.Inshort,itseemsthatthe

promulgationofoverarchingprinciplesisastuntedintellectualexercise,onethat


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encouragespolariseddebateandpartisanfactions.Ontheotherhand,suddensurgesor

radicallurchesinacademicthoughtonthenatureofsocialformationarepartofthe

democraticprocess;allthatisnecessarytosteeranevenkeelistheoccasionalappliance

ofabrake,amomentofreflection,theactionofpullingback,inordertofullyassessthe

historicalmomentbeforemakinganyhastypolicydecisionsbasedoneitherpotentially

spuriousfashionablecommentaryormoralpanics.

Contingencywastoplayasignificantroleinthedevelopmentofpopularculture:

burgeoningmarketforcescombinedwithadvancesincommunicationtechnologywasto

feedculturalproductionandconsumptionandlikesometruculentbutbeguilingchild,

popularculturecamecrashingintoeverylivingroomintheformofTV,filmand

advertising.Theleisuretimeoftheemergingmiddleclasseswaslushgrazingfor

commercialorganisationskeenonsoakinguptheirsparecash.However,itdoesseemto

beoneoftheimmutabletruthsthattheforcespropellingpopularcultureareinvariably

atoddswithprevailingacademicandeducationalvaluesandprinciples,principlesthat

were,andarguablystillare,inherentlytop-downinnature.

ItwasStuartHallwhooncemorewastoexertalevellinginfluenceonthistendency,

reshapingMediaStudiesandthedirectionitwastotakewithinthedisciplineofBritish

CulturalStudies.Hewasparticularlymilitantinhiscondemnationoftheinherentelitism

oftheculturalgate-keepers,advancingthetheorythatpopularculturalrepresentations

werelargelymediatedmanifestationsorsymbolsofexistingpowerstructures;inother

words,thepolitical,economic,socialandculturalvaluesofthedominantgroupwere

offeredtoaudienceswithanencodedorpreferredmeaning.Thisbeingthecase,

culturaltextsnotonlymeritedscholarlyresearchbutdemandedpublicscrutiny.Media

Studies,asinformedbyMarxistideology,finallyearneditsplaceasadiscreetsubjectof

studyatuniversitylevelinthe80s,initsmorerounded,contextualisedform.Having

saidallthat,itmustbenotedthatevenHallwasntimmunetotheseductivecharmof

elitism:itwaslessDirtyDancingandRickAstley,andmorethemeritsofKrzysztof

KieslowskiandJanGarbarekthathewaskeentopromote.Itisalsoworthnotingthat

althoughcinemawaselevatedinthestilldiscernablescaleofculturalvalue,TVremained

thelowestcommondenominator.


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Sowheredidthisleaveteachingaboutmedia?Howtoteachthethornyissueofcultural

representationwithinthesesingularlyunpristineandaccumulatingmediatedrealities?

Onethingremainstrue,if,asSilverstoneconteststhemediaarenowatthecoreof

experience,attheheartofourcapacityorincapacitytomakesenseoftheworldin

whichwelive5,wehavearesponsibilitytoencouragemorepracticaldiscernmentin

themindsofouryoungpeopleasregardstheanatomyofthemoment.Itmaybe

somethingofanunderstatementtoapplyWalterBenjamins1936observationtothe

internet:Everyfundamentallynew,pioneeringcreationofdemands,willcarrybeyond

itsgoals8,butthisstatementstillhascurrencyintermsoftheresponsibilitythathasto

betakentonavigatethosewatersbeyond.Benjaminsinfluentialpieceonthedemise

oftheauthenticworkofartwiththeadventofmechanicalreproductionleadshimto

reflectmoregenerallyonaudienceperception:Theadjustmentofrealitytothemasses

andofthemassestorealityisaprocessofunlimitedscope,asmuchforthinkingasfor

perception8.Inotherwords,heisinferringthatwehaveacollectiveresponsibilityto

studyandlearnfromthearticulationanddisarticulationofaspectsofrealityand

nowhereisthistruerthaninthesphereofyoungpeopleseducation.

InCulture&Environment(1933)LeavisandThompsonsuggestwaysofteachingthemediathatnowseemcomicallyprescriptiveandarchaic;considerthedefensivemanner

inwhichitwassuggestedthatteachersmightanalyseanadvert:

theconstantrepetitionofanamehasabrain-wearyingeffect-almosthypnosis

Distinguishbrieflybetweentheoperationofadvertisingasdescribedhereandthatof

greatliteratureandart6

Alongthesamelines,LenMastermansreadingofTopofthePopsinTeachingabout

Television(1980)isanunapologeticallyone-sidedinterpretation,concentratingonthe

pernicious,mind-bendingeffectsofthemedia.Notethedidactictoneadoptedinhis

examinationofwhatitmeanstobeyounginthe80s:

Here-and-nowcelebratedbecauseitis,becomesemptiedofmeaningtheattitude

lockswonderfullywellintotheinterestsofcapitalismTopofthePopsholdsoutthe

promiseofeternalyouththroughthepromiseofeternalconsumption.7


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Bothmethodologiesarecomplicitintheessentialistandprotectionistviewthathidden

meaningsbehindthetextmustberevealedtotheunknowingaudience.Infact

throughoutmyaccountthusfarofthedevelopmentofmediaeducation,theaudience

havebeenviewedasemptyvessels,aspassiverecipientsofinformation,liberatedfrom

theirignoranceonlybytheirculturallysuperiororpoliticallyenlightenedmentors.

Mastermansassertionsmayhavearingoftruthbutwhatisquestionableintermsof

teachingthemediaisideologicalpositioning;onceagain,wearewitnesstotheexclusive

overarchingprincipleoftheconspiratorialcapitalistagendatodupethemassesinto

falseconsciousness.

Inconsiderationofwhatistoconstitutecontemporarymediaeducation,itwouldbe

beneficialformediaeducatorstoberemindedofthemessy,almostintractable,in

solution3natureoftheirobjectofstudyasidentifiedbyWilliams,thebettertoavoid

essentialist,allencompassingexplanationsanddeterministicpointsofdeparture.These

arereductioniststandpoints,therepercussionsofwhichruntheriskofcharting

progressthroughaskewedlens,lendingunduesignificancetocertainmomentsofor

mechanismswithintheculturalcycleasmightbeevidencedintheprevailinginvigorated

agencyofthemaninthestreetortalismanicqualitiesofnewtechnologies.

PerhapsthemostthatwecancurrentlyexpectofaMediaStudiesteacherwithlimited

resourcesandwhosetaskis,forexample,todeconstructarealityTVshow,isa

perspectiveimbuedwithanalreadyreceived,resigned,subversivecynicismassociated

withthemechanicsofexploitation,stereotyping,moreTVeffect-ologyandthemedias

panderingtocelebrity.Teachingcynicismcantbeaneasytaskandissomethingofa

self-defeatingdead-endstreetintermsofdebateandthedevelopmentofcritical

acumen.IfoneweretoassessTopofthePopsfromaCulturalStudiesperspective

now,itcouldbesaidtoofferarichseamofretroculturaltreasurewiththeexploration

ofthemessuchas:celebrity,fashion,taste,pleasure,identity,gender,race,politics,

commercialismandaudienceinterpretation.However,theseanalysesoftenremainat

thelevelofdiscussion,whichalthoughvalidinandofitselfmayfallshortofprovidinga

coherentframeworkforfuturesocialengagement.Popularculturehasalwaysbeena

sitewhereyoungpeoplefeelatlibertytorehearsetheiridentities;allthemorereason

toequipthemwiththeskillsandawarenesstobeabletointerrogateandnavigatethis


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complexsocialnexusinordertoactivelyparticipateinsociety.Howmuchbetterfor

themtobeabletocriticallydeconstructatext,extrapolatewhatintereststhemand

engagereflexivelywiththeirowndigitalcreationratherthanexaminingapre-digested

programmefromwithinapre-digestedcriticalframework?

Thesophisticationofayoung,middleclasspersonsmediatoolkitathome,alongwith

increasingtechnologicalconvergencehasprecipitatedarapidturnoverofnewcontexts

inwhichdigitaltextscanbecreated,usedanddisseminated.Newmediatechnologies

offernewmeansofself-expressionwhileatthesametimewhatiscommonlyreferredto

asthedigitaldivideappearstobewideninginavarietyofdifferentcontexts.Thereis

urgencyformediaeducationtoevolveinschoolsandadulteducation,tomovebeyond

teachingthroughandaboutmediaforitsownsakeandtoestablishacriticalframework

onwhichstudentscanbuildandengagewiththeirowndigitalrepresentations.Itisnot

inconceivablethatnewsocialstratawillemerge,independentofsocialclass,raceor

gender,characterisedbyabinaryoppositionbetweenthetechnologically,creativelyand

criticallyequippeddigitaleliteand,asBuckinghamhaspredicted:aneducational

underclassthatiseffectivelyexcludedfromaccess,notmerelytoeconomiccapitalbut

tosocialandculturalcapitalaswell.

5

Therearesomeinstitutionsmoreresistanttochangethanothers,somewhoinmore

extremecases,mightevenfeelatlibertytocomparethecommentsofBloggers,

TwitterersandFacebooksubscribers,tothemannerinwhichMatthewArnold1(9)s

seething,unrulyworkingclass:longlainhalfhiddenisnowissuingfromitshiding-

placetoassertanEnglishmansheaven-bornprivilegeofdoingashelikesbawlingwhat

itlikes(CultureandAnarchy)-withoutanyformoftop-downregulationorcontrolfrom

ahigherauthority.Sowheredoschoolsfitintothisdebate?Itisundeniablethatschool

cultureremainsdominatedbylevelsofhierarchy,control,targetsandassessmentand

perhapsatbestoffersatwo-lanehighwaywithrespecttocommunication.Someargue

thatitisaone-size-fits-all,homogenisingculturethatjarswiththeperceivedfluid,

autonomousandexploratoryaffordancesofdigitalculturethatyoungpeopleexperience

moreinformallyoutsidetheschoolcontext.


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0

ThusitwaswithnothingshortofanticipatoryzealthatinsomequartersJenkinsWhite

Paper9wasreceived.Inithelaysoutthefuturecontoursoftheeducationallandscape;

thedirectioninwhichweshouldbeheadingnowthatweliveinasocietyofnetworked

publics(danahboyd):

EducatorsmustworktogethertoensurethateveryAmericanyoungpersonhasaccess

totheskillsandexperiencesneededtobecomeafullparticipant,canarticulatetheir

understandingofhowmediashapesperceptions,andhasbeensocialisedintothe

emergingethicalstandardsthatshouldshapetheirpracticesasmediamakersand

participantsinonlinecommunities.9

Thereismuchinthereportthatislaudable.Heiskeentocapitaliseon:whatyoung

peoplearelearninginmoreinformalcontexts;thepositive,participatoryculture

engenderedbyinternetpractices;awholearsenalofnewtechnicalandsocialskills;the

democraticdimensionsofindividualandcollaborativecontentcreation;andthe

relativelyunfetteredandvariednatureofcontentdissemination.FurthermoreJenkins

identifiesthreehurdlestotheadvancementofhisvision:

TheParticipationGapraisingissuesof(in)equalityofaccesstotechnological

skillsandnecessaryculturalrepertoires

TheTransparencyProblemtheneedforadequatemedialiteracyprogramming

TheEthicsChallengeproblemsassociatedwithchangestocurrentethical

standardsandsocialhierarchies

Notwithstandinghisrecognitionofthesepitfallsandhissupportfortraditionalliteracy

skills,headvocateswholesale,revolutionaryinterventionatalllevelsofeducationin

ordertoaccommodateaparadigmshiftinpedagogy.Somemightsaythatthemoment

hascomefortrailblazingthepathofdigitalrighteousness,however,otherssuggesta

moremeasuredresponsepreciselytochecktheassumptionsmadebysuchanadvance

andthetendencytohomogenisethesocialactorstherein.OneisremindedofGramscis

critiqueofaspectsofMarxismandhowHallreclaimsitandputsittoworkinthearena

ofculturaltheory.Gramscioutlinesbenefitsofawarofpositioni.e.onewhichbrings

allsectorsofsocietyintoplaywithnoclaimtovictory,justacontinualstrivingfor


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1

changeforthebetter,asopposedtotheinadequaciesofawarofmanoeuvrei.e.one

unifiedmomentofstruggletoobtainoveralldominationandreplaceoldthought

patternswithnewandpoliticallycorrectones.Jenkins,forexample,makesthefollowing

dubiousgeneralisation:

Thestepfromwatchingtelevisionnewsandactingpoliticallyseemsgreaterthanthe

transitionfrombeingapoliticalactorinagameworldtoactingpoliticallyinthereal

world9

Isntthisanexampleofhowideologicalenthusiasmcanmuddythewatersofrational

thinking?Althoughitssuperficiallyrewardingtoacknowledgethevirtualpolitical

engagementofthegamer,itisdifficulttoimaginehowmuchclosertopoliticalagency

thelordofthesimulationgameactuallyisafteragamingsession,regardlessofhis

masteryofthegenre.Similarly,claimsaremadetotheoriginalityandenergyof

individual,digitalcontentcreation,thoughitsextentandthequalityassignedtothe

machinima,themixingandthemash-upsmaywellbespurious.

Furthermore,Buckingham10

pointsoutthatalthoughmostoftheseyoungpeopleare

awareofthefunctionalityofvarioustechnologiesattheirdisposal,thosemotivated

enoughtocreateandpublishareinrealityfewandfarbetween.Themajoritysimply

consumeashasalwaysbeenthecase.Furthermore,theyarewhatBuckinghamcalls

theusualsuspects10

(middleclasschildren)producingbanalandrelatively

inconsequentialcontent.EvenJenkinsseemstoconcedeasmuchinhistelling

parenthesisintheintroductiontotheExecutiveSummary:

members(oftheparticipatoryculture)believetheircontributionsmatterandfeel

somedegreeofsocialconnectionwithoneanother(attheleasttheycarewhatother

peoplethinkaboutwhattheyhavecreated)9

(myitalics)

WhatIwouldaskis:whenwasthereatimewhenteenagersdidnotcarewhatother

peoplethoughtoftheircreativeoutput,theirfrontstageself?(Goffman).Albeitthat

JenkinstakesmanyoftheinterestsofCulturalStudiesintoaccount,onecanthelpbutto

diagnoseacaseoftechnologicaldeterminism,onethatfailstogettogripswithgritty


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2

socialrealitiesinfavourofabstractgoodintention.Indeed,Buckinghamgoesasfarasto

saythat:

Ifonlineparticipationisassocially,culturallyandpoliticallyimportantasthe

enthusiastssuggest,itseemslikelythatfarfromliquidatingsocialinequality,itmight

actuallyaccentuateit10

PassingrecognitionofthisisgiveninthefinalsectionofJenkinsreportinthewordsof

BillIveyandStephenTepper:

thosecitizenswhohavefewerresourceslesstime,lessmoneyandlessknowledge

abouthowtonavigatetheculturalsystemwillincreasinglyrelyontheculturalfare

offeredbyconsolidatedmediaandentertainmentconglomeratestrappedonthe

wrongsideoftheculturaldivide9

Thesocialconsequencesofunevenlevelsofmedialiteracyandaccesstothecultural

capitalwithwhichitisassociated,bothwithinandbetweenthesocialclassesandinter-

generationally,mayleadtoafurtherfracturingofoursociety.Itisunfortunatethat

thereisnorealthoughtgiventohowtheparticipationgapcanbeminimisedinJenkins

report,thenetresultbeinganindicationofhowthegapwillinevitablywiden.Afurther

shortcomingofthereportisthechoicetoshowcasescleverandstimulatingusesof

technologyintheclassroom-simplybecauseitspossible.

Somethingwecanremainsureofinanageincreasinglyinfusedwithobsessivewrangling

overpostmodernuncertaintyandtheinfinitelyinterpretableistheneutralityand

inertnessoftechnology.Withquasi-religiousovertonesthepopular,ifalarmist,flippant

andtotallyunsubstantiatedYouTubevideo:DidyouKnow?3.0establishesatimeframe

B.G.(i.e.BeforeGoogleandbyinferenceAfterGoogle),sodistinguishingtheB.G.

generationwhoreify11

technologyfromtheA.G.digitalnativesforwhomthehypeis

irrelevant.ThosewithalargelyB.G.appreciationoftechnologytendtowardsa

celebrationofitsexoticotherness,theymightwanderthehallsofBETTwithreverential

awe.Conversely,whilststillretainingahealthyscepticismofyoungpeoplesso-called

innateconnectionwithallthingstechnical,theA.G.sdojustseemtogetonwithit-

autonomouslyexploringitsusesandpossibilitieswithoutemotion.Thedangerhereisfor


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3

theB.Gstooverloadaperceivedmasteryoftechnologywithmeaningorworse,to

assumethattheA.Gsneednofurtherinstruction.

BuckinghamhastakenparticularexceptiontoTapscottslineofargumentinGrowing

UpDigital:theRiseoftheNetGeneration(1998)andsimilarlytoDavidGauntlettand

WilliamMerrinsoutspokenviews;hesuggeststhattheiressentialistarguments

impoverishtheCulturalStudiesproject.MerrinsblogportendsableakfutureforMedia

Studiesteachersandseemstohaveanexaggeratedvisionofinward-looking,individual

agency:

Itmayalreadybetoolate:manyofourstudentsareoutstrippingtheirlecturersintheir

knowledgeandnavigationofthedigitalecologyandthedisciplineitselfhasn'teven

noticedhowmuchishappening,devotingitselftoendlesssemioticanalysesofthelatest

filmorfashionableTVseriesandgivingquestionnairesoutto'audiences',unawarethat

the'audience'isalreadyacategoryofthepast.13

(accessed25Feb2010)

Surelywherethereisrepresentationandtherebypartiality-therewillbeanaudience

andtherebyinterpretation?Althoughonecouldarguethatachangeinterminologyis

overdue;insomecirclesaudiencemightwellbereplacedwithparticipant.Gauntlett

similarlyfliesinthefaceofthecentraltenetsofCulturalStudies,speciouslyarguingthat:

mediaaudiencesingeneralarealreadyextremelycapableinterpretersofmedia

content,withacriticaleyeandanunderstandingofcontemporarymediatechniques,

thanksinlargeparttothelargeamountofcoverageofthisinpopularmediaitself14

(accessed25Feb2010)

Isthisnotanexampleofcontradictoryself-damnation?Withwhatevidencedoes

Gauntlettblesstheaverageconsumerofpopularculturewithheightenedcritical

acumen?Andsincewhenhasthemediaitselfbeenheldupasthebarometerbywhich

itscontentshouldbejudged?Healsoaccusesthecurrentmediaeducationtrajectoryof

arroganceinitsattemptstoteachdecodingmethods.Sowhatroledoesheultimately

perceivefortheteacher?presumablythesamefateasthatenvisagedbyMerrina

redundantone.Neitherarethereanyprizesforguessingwhichsocialforceswouldrush

intothevacuumleftbyourunworthyteachers.Heseemstodonrose-tintedspectacles


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4

forviewingthecreative,proactive,all-sapientagencyoftheindividualconsumerand

blinkersinconsiderationoftheexcluded,inactive,de-skilledmajority.

BothupholdwhathasbeencalledtheCalifornianideologyorcyber-utopianism10

,

theevangelicalbeliefthattechnologyshouldbethecatalystfordramaticchangeinthe

socialandpoliticallandscape.BuckinghamarguesthatfromTapscottsperspective:

technologyisseenasanautonomousforcethatissomehowindependentofhuman

societyandwhichactsuponitfromoutside.Healsonotesthat:thediscourseofthe

digitalgenerationispreciselyanattempttoconstructtheobjectofwhichitpurportsto

speakwhichissignificantfromthepointofviewofthewide-rangingrepercussionsof

suchacademicpolemics.AswithJenkins,therearespuriousassumptionsthatschools

willseamlesslyincorporatenewtechnologiesandenjoyimmediatebenefitswhereas

personalexperienceininnerLondonprimaryschoolssuggeststhisisemphaticallynot

thecase,unlessprofessionalsareconsistentlyonhandtoresearch,install,train,inspire

theuseof,support,maintain,evaluateandmeasurethesuccessofsaidsoftwareand

associatedtechnologies.Mostschoolresourcesandinfrastructuresaresimplynotthose

ofsuccessfulbusinessesandcorporations,theycannotbefixedwithaninjectionof

cuttingedgecomputercash.

Moreimportantly,nomatterwhatresourcesareavailable,studentsneeda)solid

traditionalliteracyskillstofullyengagewithnewmediapotentialandb)theinsightful

inputofinspiredteacherstosteeracriticalcoursethroughthedynamicpanoplyof

symbolstowhichstudentsareexposed.Triteasitmightsound,letsnotbeseducedinto

thinkingthattechnicalwizardry(theveryexpressionofwhichencapsulatestheB.G

outlook)andsavvy(ditto)newmediaskillsareanyreplacementforbasicliteracyskills

andlifeexperience.

ThemethodologicalanalysisofmediaeducationinBurn&DurransMediaLiteracyin

Schools(2007)understandsthisandexperimentswithnewwaystointerrogatetexts,

poachingelementsfromthestructuralistschoolofsocialanalysisandemployingamore

semiologicalapproach.Itisananalysisthatisfreefromoverdeterminingdogmasor

polariseddebatebutwhichencouragescriticalthinkinganddoing.Theiraim,asJenkins

alsoproposes,istocapitaliseonwidelyavailabledigitalauthoringtechnologies


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6

researchpractices,thenperhapsasimilarlyholisticapproachmightbeappliedtothe

conditionsinwhichchildrenlearnaboutthemedia.

CultureisneverstaticandMediaStudiesisnodifferentfromanyotherdisciplineinthe

struggletoarticulateitselfbutMerrinandGauntlettsadherencetotheMediaStudies

2.0articlesoffaith,forexample,isaconsiderablesetbackintermsoftheneedto

createacoherentsetoffuturepracticesformediaeducationespeciallyinlightofBISs

DigitalBritain.The2009milestonereport,whosepurposeistoensureahealthy

pipelineoftalent13

,makesnosecretofitsaimtoguaranteeaneffective,digitallyskilled

workforceratherthantopromoteengaged,informedcitizensequippedwithacritical

senseofhowtheirworldisconstructed.Lipservicehasbeenpaidtoe-inclusioninthe

formofHomeAccess;itishowever,inherentlyunsustainableandshort-sightedinits

ambitionsandmayultimatelyfertilisesocialimmobility.Furthermore,thedevelopment

ofDigitalparticipationisamuchmorevisibleandmeasurablepursuitthanthemore

discursiveandqualitativenatureofmedialiteracy,whichforthelattermeansless

politicaltraction,lessfundingandadiminishedprofile.

Ourhistoricalconfigurationisbuoyantwithopportunityandinnovativecultural

endeavour,butitisalsoonewherethetyrannyofmarket-driventechno-fetishism10

threatenstodetermineratherthanframe(Livingstone)oureducationaltrajectory.

CulturalStudies,asadiscipline,needstomonitorourhypedmomentwithevenmore

scrutinylestitfallvictimtothevagariesoffashionablethought,lestitbecomejust

anotherobsoletemodeofthinkinginanenvironmentwhereConventionalconcerns

withpowerandpoliticsarereworked14

Inmattersofmonopoliesonmeaningand

regimesoftruth(Foucault),historyandhumannaturedictatethatwedispensewith

constantsandmomentsofreflectionatourperil.

_____________________________________________________________________

1Storey:CulturalTheoryandPopularCulture:AReader(4

thedition2009)

2Burn&Durran:MediaLiteracyinSchools(2007)

3Williams:TheLongRevolution(1961)

4Hall&Whannel:ThePopularArts(1964)


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5Buckingham:MediaEducation(2003)

6Leavis&Thompson:Culture&Environment(1933)

7Masterman:TeachingTelevision(1980)

8WalterBenjamin:TheWorkofArtintheageofMechanicalReproduction(1936)

9Jenkins:ConfrontingtheChallengeofParticipatoryCulture:MediaEducationforthe21

st

Century(2006)

10

Buckingham:DoWeReallyNeedMediaEducation2.0?:TeachingintheAgeof

ParticipatoryCulture(2010)

11

Buckingham:BeyondTechnology(2007)

12

Gray:ResearchPracticeinCulturalStudies(2003)13

http://mediastudies2point0.blogspot.com/#Merrin:%20Media%20Studies%202.0

14

http://www.theory.org.uk/mediastudies2.htm

15

DepartmentforBusiness,Innovation&Skills:DigitalBritain(2009)

Documents

Implications for media education of debates about popular culture in the field of Cultural Studies?