Information Package / Course Catalogue
Cultural Studies
Course Code: RTS340
Course Type: Required
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 3
Prt.: 0
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 4
Objectives of the Course

The aim of this course is to enable students to examine the phenomenon of culture within its social, historical, and ideological contexts, and to critically analyze topics such as media, identity, gender, class, race, and representation through the lens of cultural studies theories. The course also aims to equip students with the ability to interpret cultural texts and media products, and to evaluate processes of cultural production and consumption.

Course Content

This course examines the emergence of the discipline of cultural studies, its core theoretical approaches, and the complex relationship between media and culture. Key topics include the definition of culture, popular culture, identity, representation, gender, class, race, ideology, hegemony, and the processes of cultural production and consumption. The course also explores how media products, everyday life practices, and social norms can be analyzed through the lens of cultural studies. Students will learn to critically interpret cultural texts and develop the ability to evaluate the multifaceted interaction between media and culture.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.Can explain the concept of culture in historical and social contexts.
2.Can critically analyze media products using cultural studies theories.
3.Can discuss concepts such as representation, identity, ideology, and hegemony through media texts.
4.Can interpret popular culture and cultural production processes.
5.Can evaluate the relationship between globalization, digitalization, and cultural transformation.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Storey, J. (Çev. İsmail Türkmen) (2018). Kültürel Kuram ve Popüler Kültür: Bir Giriş. (8. Baskı) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları.
2.Hall, S. (Ed.) (1997). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London: Sage.
3.Mutlu Binark & Meltem Sancak (Ed.) (2006). Kültür ve İletişim: Kuramlar ve Yaklaşımlar. Ankara: Ütopya Yayınları.
4.Bourse, M.; Yücel, H. (2017). Kültürel Çalışmaları Anlamak. Ankara: İletişim.
5.Berman, M. (2004). Katı Olan Her Şey Buharlaşıyor: Modernite Deneyimi. İstanbul: İletişim.
6.Lyotard, J-F (2013). Postmodern Durum. Ankara: BilgeSu.
7.Harvey, D. (2014). Postmodernliğin Durumu: Kültürel Değişimin Kökenleri. İstanbul: Metis.
8.Assmann, J. (2001). Kültürel Bellek. İstanbul: Ayrıntı.
9.Williams, R. (1993). Kültür. Ankara: İmge.
10.Bağce, H. E. (2006). Frankfurt Okulu. Ankara: DoğuBatı.
11.Adorno, T. W. (2009). Kültür Endüstrisi. İstanbul: İletişim.
12.Örs, H. B. (2009). 19. Yüzyıldan 20. Yüzyıla Modern Siyasal İdeolojiler. İstanbul: İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi.
13.Kandiyoti, D.; Saktanber, A. Kültür Fragmanları: Türkiye’de Gündelik Hayat. İstanbul: Metis.
14.Oktay, A. (2000). Türkiye’de Popüler Kültür. İstanbul: Everest.
15.Keyder, Ç. (2006). İstanbul: Küresel ile Yerel Arasında. İstanbul: Metis.
16.Kandiyoti, D. (2015). Cariyeler, Bacılar, Yurttaşlar: Kimlikler ve Toplumsal Dönüşümler. İstanbul: Metis.
17.Kırel, S. (2010). Kültürel Çalışmalar ve Sinema. İstanbul: KırmızıKedi
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Introduction to Cultural Studies: Origins and Historical Development
Week 2 - Theoretical
The Concept of Culture: High, Mass, and Popular Culture
Week 3 - Theoretical
Ideology, Hegemony, and Meaning-Making
Week 4 - Theoretical
Theories of Representation and Media Representation
Week 5 - Theoretical
Identity: Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Class
Week 6 - Theoretical
Stuart Hall and the Encoding/Decoding Model
Week 7 - Theoretical
Subcultures and Resistance: Dick Hebdige
Week 8 - Theoretical
Midterm-Consumer Culture and Cultural Production
Week 9 - Theoretical
Consumer Culture and Cultural Production
Week 10 - Theoretical
Critique of Popular Culture: Analyzing Cultural Products
Week 11 - Theoretical
Critical Reading of Media Texts
Week 12 - Theoretical
Culture Industry: Frankfurt School Perspective
Week 13 - Theoretical
Everyday Life and Cultural Practices
Week 14 - Theoretical
Digital Culture and New Media
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Attending Lectures5%5
Quiz1%10
Midterm Examination1%25
Final Examination4%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory141356
Reading100110
Quiz1000
Midterm Examination110111
Final Examination120121
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)98
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
PÇ-12
PÇ-13
PÇ-14
PÇ-15
PÇ-16
OÇ-1
4
4
3
5
OÇ-2
5
2
5
5
OÇ-3
5
5
2
5
OÇ-4
4
4
2
5
2
OÇ-5
4
4
3
5
3
2
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026