Representation and textual analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Representation and textual analysis - Essay Example In fact, in contemporary studies, the ideology receives little headway in terms of historical importance. Much of the recent developments in technology and the consequent implications of mass media are credited with the invention of the celebrity culture as complemented by the metamorphosis of the public sphere, when in reality, the societies of age also exhibited the celebratory mechanisms as far back as the 18th Century. The use of the word celebrity can be traced as far back as then, finding its roots in languages other than English. Celebrite is a French iteration of the word (which when converted into English translates to either fame or celebrity) found numerous usage throughout the late 18th century (Lilti, 2008, p.55). As the usage grew, the notion of celebrity was etched in the minds of the audience as distinct from fame and reputation since the latter two were restricted to the knowledge of one’s presence amongst relatively immediate acquaintances as opposed to compl ete unknowns. Thus, the ideology is not restricted to modern times, granted the contemporary face of celebrity is much more fierce and enveloping in nature due to the presence of mass media and stardom. The growth of notoriety amongst people was only possible on a large scale with the advent of modern publishing and a rise in general literacy (Lilti, 2008). In addition, what is evident is that with each era the altering celebrity culture is reminiscent of the changing social beliefs and values. The concurrent discussion will consider the ideology of modern celebrity in conjunction with semiotics by analyzing the cover of an issue from the acclaimed fashion magazine Vogue. It will be seen that the success of a celebrity in respective audiences requires a textual analyst to address their â€Å"demographics and psychological needs and provide them with products that embody characteristics which match and meet them† (Gamson, 1994, p. 68). Semiotism Semiotism is a study of signs ( Lidov, 1999) which includes analogies, symbols, metaphoric representations etc to relate a text with an object. It is the process of deriving meaning from textual representation which could be understood by utilizing the modern version of the explanation coined by Ferdinand de Saussure. Saussure purported that signs comprised of two individual notions, the signifier which related to any representation made in any language that related to that which was signified (Lidov, 1999, p. 26). This approach was in consonance with Roland Barthes’s theory on semiotics, which also purported the use of signifiers which relate to the signified, but with the added second order sign of connotations (Redmond and Holmes, 2007). According to Barthes, the signifier denotes simple meaning with regards to that which it signifies but may also connote an ideological translation that is based on the prevalent understanding of the signifier in the particular culture (Redmond and Holmes, 2007, p. 16). F or instance, a picture of a bottle of wine for the French as the signifier in essence signified an alcoholic beverage, but for the bourgeoisie also connoted a rejuvenating and relaxing experience. This identifies that the context within which the representation is made is also of critical importance in textual represent

Investigate an aspect of Western Society Term Paper

Investigate an aspect of Western Society - Term Paper Example There is a contradiction and conflict within ‘liberalism’ between those who maintain that less government and more freedom are the correct course of action, against those who think that the government ought to play a stronger role in areas such as the enforcement of equity or affirmative action. Therefore, while Liberalism can be said to be a core value in Western Civilization, it is also responsible for some of the most deeply embedded conflicts in the West too. It will be argued that the central conflict in liberalism, is the role of the state in individuals lives. It is difficult to pinpoint an absolute juncture for the origins for liberalism. However, it can be said that the origins of liberalism are inseparable from the beginning’s of the modern form of British Parliament. By this, what is referred to is the revolution in England in the mid to late sixteen hundred’s which culminated in 1688 [Walsh, 1997: 14]. During this revolution, what was fought ove r, was the fact that there was a growing number of bourgeoisie land owners, who could not gain representation in government. In short, this rising middle class contested to the government that as significant property holders they had a significant stake in the countries politics, and as such, they argued that Parliament should represent those who were not simply aristocrat’s, but any other land owner as well [Dickerson and Flanagan, 1994, p. 94]. Thus, liberalism is coextensive with democratic politics to some extent in its origins, and further, its origins can be found within those who fought for greater representation in the British Parliament in the Seventeenth century [Goodwin, 1992, p. 41]. What is important about the origins, is that it is essentially coextensive with market capitalism itself. The central protagonists in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century of liberalism, were figures such as John Stuart Mill and Adam Smith, and further, the American Fathers of the Constitution [Garry, 1992, p. 49]. Thus, although it can be said that liberals are interested in making changes within the system, and indeed, liberals have been key in various political reforms in almost all Western nations, it can also be said that the history of liberalism is a history that has little part in any attempt to actually change the system itself -- that is, market driven capitalism. This said, more must be said about both the history of liberalism on the one hand, and the central tenets of this political philosophy, or ‘ideology’, depending on whether one agrees with liberalism or not. As mentioned in the introduction, one of the key figures of liberalism is John Stuart Mill, who was a philosopher and also the son of a philosopher named James Mill, who was also a close friend of Jeremy Bentham. Mill’s central works were On Liberty, Utilitarianism and his major treatise on Political Economy. In many respects, Mill might be argued as a good e xemplar of modern or contemporary liberalism. By this, it is implied that he was interested in the following aspects which remain as general concerns. First, he maintained a certain primacy for individual freedom, and in particular, he thought that aspects like the absolute right to free speech was an unquestionable cornerstone of liberalism. At the same time that he expressed a concern for the lack of government restraint on the individual, he was also a champion of