A Basic Reader on Western Social Science Knowledge: Cultural Re-creation of Social Sciences

Author: (British) Target
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Culture, on one hand, has attracted the attention of almost all fields of modern social sciences, as if it has become an unchanging backdrop in most stages. On the other hand, in the context of the "cultural turn," the re-cognition of culture has become a brand-new journey, as if we never truly understood culture. Indeed, in the contemporary context, there is probably no social science concept more popular, more variable, and more puzzling than "culture." If we rely solely on the over 100-page book titled "Culture," it would be difficult to believe that our confusion about culture could be resolved so swiftly. Although constrained by its length, the author cannot provide a grand analysis of culture, yet his mastery and synthesis of various complex and intricate materials, along with his clear argumentation of viewpoints, still leave us in awe of his scholarly expertise. Whether the author's post-disciplinary approach can effectively explain cultural transformation or what he refers to as the "cultural backlash" is a matter to be discussed later. He skillfully employs theoretical symbols from figures like Foucault and Althusser to subvert orthodox cultural concepts, offers his own insights into the democratization of culture, and refutes the elite's accusation that the massification of modern culture is a low-level assimilation. He also emphasizes the importance of the relationship between cultural studies and social science practices. These perspectives are highly enlightening for us. Of course, it should be noted that the author discusses cultural issues from the perspective of Western scholars, and his understanding is highly limited. Additionally, many of his viewpoints bear very obvious traces of postmodern theory, which may unduly lean toward bias.