MIND MAP
The study of contemporary culture is
an interdisciplinary arena for
examining the relationship between
culture and power in relation to all
practices, institutions embedded in
people's routines and behavior.
The structure of institutions which
express or govern social
relationships, the characteristic
forms through which members of
the society communicate.
.
A major concept is sign.it has 3 basic
characteristics:
It has a concrete form
It refers to something other than itself
It can be recognized by most people as a sign
New historicism is a method based on the
parallel reading of literary and non-
literary texts, usually of the same
historical period.”
Cultural materialism is an
anthropological of thought that
says that the best way to
understand human culture is to
examine material conditions
many theoretical premises on cultural
criticism, for the two fields share much of the
same theoretical foundation
New historicism involves
Literary Theory The Basics Paralles study of literary text
Paralles studyof literary text of non-
Cultural Studies : literary text
British Marxist academics in the Faucoult’s work :
late 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s State Punishment, Prison Medical
profession, Legislation about sexuality
Base / Lens New Historicists:
Background
Juxtapose literary and non-literary text
Defamiliarise the conical literary text
Focus attention on state power
Use post structuralist
Cultural Materialism:
Cultural Studies: Historical context, Theoretical method,
Political comment, Textual analysis
New Historicism and
Cultural materialists:
Cultural Materialism 1.Read literary text to ‘Recovers its
Histories’
2.Forground transmission and
contextuatising
3.Combine Marxist and Feminist approach
4.Use the technique of textual analysis
5.Work mainly within traditional notion
Theory Application
Often found in the study of historical
new historicism was first used by works
Stephen Greenblatt in an introductory
issue of the journal Genre in 1982
Cultural materialism is an
anthropological research orientation
first introduced by Marvin Harris in his
1968 book The Rise of Anthropological
Theory
Baskhoro Edo P
392019071
Title of the text: Introduction: Cultural Studies : New Historicism and Cultural matrealism
Source :
Tyson.Lois.1950. critical theory today A User-Friendly Guide Second edition.Pdf
Summary / Mindmap of the text:
Cultural studies is the theory which refers to history a lot is generally known as Cultural Studies, in which two major points will be discussed,
namely new historicism and cultural materialism. Cultural studies itself examines various cultures and cultural practices and their relation to power.
Its purpose is to reveal power relations and examine how these relationships affect various forms of culture (socio-politics, economics, science,
law and others). In entering the sub-chapter, it is found that the theory of new historicism emphasizes a new perspective in renaissance studies,
emphasizing the relationship between literary texts and various social, economic and political forces that surround them. Meanwhile, cultural
materialism is closely related to Marxist studies, focusing on property or more precisely is a theoretical framework and research method for
examining the relationships between the physical and economic aspects of production.

My Question
1. Can this theory be used in the search for the structure of society like in myths or legends?
2. Is the viewpoint of the theory of new historicism made more narrow or subjective?
3. Are diachronic and synchronic techniques of history in the theory of new historicism no longer used?
My comments (what I think, what I agree, what I disagree):
(5 - 10 sentences)
The theory this time has a close relationship with the historical background, where history itself helps in understanding the text that will be
presented later. Historical linkages are indeed so closely related to culture, social, economy and politics. So it's no wonder the theory this time
includes a lot of discussion about culture, social, economy, and politics. I strongly agree with several statements on new historicism which state
that the relevance of literary works as social documents is useful in preserving the authenticity of these literary works.
Other source(s) that I read:
K. M. Newton (ed.). 1988. Twentieth-Century Literary Theory. Macmillan Pdf.