In his essay, "What is Cultural Studies Anyway?" Richard Johnson goes into detail describing critique. "Critique involves stealing away the more useful elements and rejecting the rest."(pg. 575). By comparison, Johnson defines cultural studies as a process of finding useful knowledge about different analysis of culture. Johnson explains how anglicizing of old Marxism is a good example of critique in cultural studies. By explaining how old Marxism has a significant role in forming cultural studies, Johnson implies how history of economics has a major role in forming "culture". Johnson believes that there are three main premises where old Marxism has influenced cultural study. The first is that social relations influence culture. I agree with Johnson. Different class, sex, race, and age create different relationshi

James Clifford wrote "On Collecting Art and Culture". Clifford starts by explaining about universality and non-universality of collecting. "Some sort of 'gathering' around the self and the group - the assemblage of a material 'world,' the marking-off of a subjective domain that is now 'other' - is probably universal." (no pg.#). This explains how human nature embodies hierarchies of value. "But the notion that this gathering involves the accumulation of possessions, the idea that identity is a kind of wealth...is surely not universal." (no pg.3). This non-universal way of collecting has been around in the Western culture for a long time. Clifford then goes on to explain the different concepts of "collecting" and "fetishizing". Clifford describes fetishism as a collection kept more in secrecy. It is hard to say if a fetish has more value than a collection. I believe that fetish has a much more personal value than a regular collection. A regular collection is put out into display because the object has value to others as well. A fetish is valuable to the individual. The difference between "collecting" and "fetishizing" brings out the question of how different objects are distinguished. Clifford distinguishes objects in the diagram call the "semiotic square". Clifford explains how the value of an object proceeds from bottom to top and

ps. The second premise is that each individual and social group has different limits of power defining different needs. For example, homeless people have different needs than the rich. This is an example of money being defined as power. The third premise is that culture is influenced by social struggles and differences. I don't know any culture where every individual is truly equal. There is always a struggle for power. Critique in cultural studies raises several questions for Johnson. "If we have progressed by critique, are there not dangers that codifications will involve systematic closure? If the momentum is to strive for really useful knowledge, will academic codification help this? Is not the priority to become more 'popular' rather than more academic? ...In any case, students, now have lectures, courses and examinations

left to right. I have several

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1503
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)