Marxism Ideology:
This literature review will discuss Karl Marxs approach to ideology and will understand his methodologies by reviewing his school of thought to find out if it is relevant to media conditions today. I will research three other academic sources on the topic of Marxist ideology identifying the relationship between the different readings.
Ideology as a theory is a central concept to Marxist beliefs of society and literature. Ideology in its simplest level means the study or knowledge of ideas (Eagleton, 1994:1) especially one that forms into the basis of theories politically. Ideology refers to a political doctrine the concept that ideology is some sort of false thinking or subconscious opinions something that all people in different cultures can do. Hence, Marx perceived the term ideology as distortions of reality (false consciousness) in the interest of a particular social class, usually the ruling class. (Adams, 1993:2). Which is a set of unconscious or conscious beliefs implied by a certain group of people.
Moreover, the concept of ideology is outlined in the chapterThe Ruling Class and the Ruling Ideasin Marx and Engels bookGerman Ideology(1932). In this chapter, Marx argues that current ideas of a certain social class or society are to express the position of the ruling class who have formed these prevailing ideas. As stated by Marx The class which is the ruling material force of society is at the same time its ruling intellectual force. (1974:64). Meaning the society that is in control of the material production is also in control of the mental production (Marx, 2006:9). We can see examples of this in todays media text, films likeAladdin(1992) show the wealthy do not get down and dirty with physical production like the main protagonist of the film. Essentially the ruling class is a sector of the higher class of a society that has the most wealth and resources and has the most influence over the other social classes, as they decide and set. As people in our society are busy with their careers and , they take on the role as thinkers, a group of people who seem to be subject experts who expand and promote those messages and conceptive ideology. (Marx, 2006:10). The ruling class has the power to spread these ideas. In present times, for example, funding blockbuster films reinforces the ideas of the ruling class.
These ideas developed by the ruling class who make the formality of the illusions of the class about itself. (Marx, 2006:10). They are presented, as the universal truth as in a statement that is always right and in favour of the general publics interest. For that reason, the ruling classs position is reinforced by ideas and that their position as though it has just naturally been created inside society. Simply Marx is stating that ideologies people hold onto have been put there by material relations. The class that holds the most power which is usually money can also have the power to shape the ideology of that society.
Similarly, Judith Williamson a journalist who studied cultural studies uses Marxist ideology but expands on the theory with advertisements. She explores the theory that advertising has no meaning but we the consumer create all the meaning. An advertised product initially has no meaning, must be given value by a person or object which already has a value to us, i.e., already means. (Williamson, 1978:31). She details the functions and appealing natures of advertisements, seeing their ideological function and how advertisements have affected media society in modern times. The first chapter of the book examines a series of different illustrations of advertisements from the 1950s-1970s to find out their ideological function and how it changes individuals ideology and the society they live in. As outlined in her book,Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and Meaning in Advertising(1978). Her argument is that advertisements serve another purpose, that there is an advert behind the actual advertisement, to subconsciously get people ideologies with different messages. Her argument is still relevant today as the advertisements she analysed are not hugely different from today standards. Her idea and model to contemporary advertisements today still fits.
In comparison, Judith Williamsons decoding advertisement book has similarities to MarxsThe Ruling Class and the Ruling Ideas(1932). Both have connections of using ideology as a set of unconscious or conscious beliefs implied by a certain group of people. Judith Williamsons argument reinforces Marxs ruling class argument that the class which is the ruling material force of society is at the same time its ruling intellectual force. (2004:64). Williamsons point is that a group of people which is the ruling class are subconsciously getting peoples ideologies with different messages along with that actual promotion of a product or service. For example one of the print advertisements she analyses is an advert of Catherine Deneuve doing a photo-shoot and adding the perfume bottle while she is trying to look desirable and attractive promotes the idea that the perfume bottle made her look like at that. In reality, it is just the meaning, images and lifestyle that people want through the labels of the product.
In addition, another theorist who advances his idea of ideology is French Marxist Louis Althusser. As outlined in his essayIdeology and Ideological State Apparatuses(1970). Althusser argued his own theory of ideology by elaborating on Marxs original theory of ideology as mainly false consciousness. In his essay, he describes the arrangements of productive forces (Althusser, 2001:33) and production are reproduced and preserved in a society. According to Althusser, the wage-system ensures the reproduction of the productive forces stay where they are by being paid a minimum amount, so the working class will have to work every day but also not raise in status. Althusser has connections to Marxs work by reiterating his theory but ultimately also differs from him by coming up with a theory of his own. Marxs ideology is that a major set of beliefs and values existent within society, which sustained power relations. (Nelmes, 1996:489). Althussers ideology is representations and images which reflect societys view of reality. (Nelmes, 1996:489). Both have similarities to referring to ideology but ultimately differ from one another.
To conclude, I think all works connect together using ideology as a list of ideas and
Values which inform any one society or culture, but which are imbued in its social behaviour and representative texts at a level that is not necessarily obvious or conscious. (Nelmes, 1996:489).
I think Marxs ideology is still relevant in todays society and media standards. Society today is divided by class probably even more now than in Marxs time. He was able to predict how capitalism works and ideologies of social classes today by capitalism would eventually be less progressive. He being able to explain ideologies of society pre-capitalism shows his relevance today.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Adams, I. (1993)Political Ideology Today.Manchester University Press.
- Colin, C. (2001)Performance Analysis. Routledge
- Marx, K. (2006)The Ruling Class and Ruling Ideasin Durham, G.M., Kellner, M.D. (eds.) Media and Cultural Studies: Keyworks.Blackwell Publishing.pp. 9-12
- Eagleton, T. (1994) Ideology. Routledge
- Marx, K., Engels, F. (1974) The German ideology. London, Lawrence & Wishart.
- Nelmes, J. (1996) An Introduction to Film Studies. Routledge
- Williamson, J. (1978) Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and Meaning in Advertising.London Marion Boyars
FILMOGRAPHY:
- Aladdin(1992) Directed by Ron Clements & John Musker [Online] Available through Netflix. [Accessed on 17th October 2018]
Foucaults notions of power and governmentality:
This literature review will discuss Michel Foucaults notions of power and governmentality and will understand his methodologies by reviewing his school of thought of the carceral archipelago and to find out if it is relevant to conditions today. I will research three other academic sources on the topic of Foucaults theory of power and discourse, identifying the relationship between the different readings.
Furthermore, inDiscipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison(1975) Foucault argues that power and knowledge in modern society is a disciplinary society (Foucault, 1975:193) implying that the idea of power in present times is widely exercised through disciplinary ways in numerous institutions such as schools, hospitals, armies, prisons which what Foucault discusses in depth and etc. Foucault also focuses on power using Foucauldian discourse analysis where he analyses power relationships in society through language and behaviour as well as the relationships between language and power.
In Foucaults book, he looks at the history of discipline and punishment of the penal system and analyses it in a social context also inspecting how punishment can be affected by changing power relations. He studies situations and cases of punishment before the eighteenth century; he examines how authority and society use power to apply their ability to punish. His book essentially documents the shift from a vindictive society, where being punished was brutal and physical, Premodern punishment violently assaults the criminal body, but is satisfied with retribution through pain (Gutting, 2005:81). Often publicly assaulting the criminals person to a carceral society. Foucault expresses that modern society today takes a more humane approach to punishment rather than violent unfocused physical approach, but this modern control of the soul is itself a means to a more subtle and pervasive control of the body (Gutting, 2005:81). In his chapterThe Carceral(1975) it is described by Gutting the theory of the carceral society is a modern power of control, with non-violent means by hierarchical observation, normalizing judgement and their combination in a procedure that is specific to it, the examination (Foucault, 1975:170). These post-modern techniques introduce for criminals to become the model for other modern sites like schools or factories so that prison discipline pervades all of modern society (Gutting, 2005:81) helping for the criminal to rehabilitate himself to normalization for re-entering society.
In addition, the concept of the carceral archipelago, a prison that has a series of islands. Practising social control and discipline over the institutes population in all areas of social life. Foucault argued that although at times of history extreme punishment is called for such as public execution you could also serve justice and punishment through non-violent means. These ways could include the daily structure of a criminal giving those tasks or jobs, having physical boundaries for no freedom, constantly observing and checking the criminal giving him time to reflect upon himself etc. This will give the person a better chance of rehabilitation and to come back to society. As an example, in Mettray they have Mettray Penal Colony groups using a punitive model. Mettray utilised the structures of school, work and army as models where minor acts defiance were punished to subdue or prevent increasing offences. Punishments such as, solitary confinement, using isolation to let the criminal self-reflect upon himself and basic prison rules that people know todays culture. At the time,
It was the most famous of a whole series of institutions which, well beyond the frontiers of criminal law, constituted what one might call the carceral archipelago. (Foucault, 1975:297)
As an example, one might see punishment like this in films such asPapillon(1973) where the main protagonist is a prisoner to the penal colony of Cayenne commonly known as Devils Island. When the protagonist is thrown in isolation, a guard explains that they process dangerous people into harmless people.
Similarly, Katherine Sender an author who uses Foucaults idea of punishment and power of government. As outlined in her book,The Makeover: Reality Television and Reflexive Audiences(2012) Sender argues that the genre makeover reality television has a long history of self-improvement shown through contemporary media. That the viewer finds a more gradation and reflexive look on makeover shows. They watch these reality shows because they draw self-reflexive themes from the episodes, employing mediated narratives to articulate selves that have interiority, (Sender, 2012:23) seeking a harmony between an inner and outer self that needs to express.
This connects to Foucault because audiences enjoy contempt and pleasure in others misfortune, in reality, shows that deal in shame and humiliation. Foucaults governmentality that is beyond official government, a process where individuals try to shape and guide their own conduct and that of others with certain aims and objectives in mind. Foucault debates that oneself cannot be a pre-existing fact that must be expressed but is, instead, brought into being through the very act of articulation (Sender, 2012:16). It connects with Foucaults new way of punishing after the eighteenth century. That people are being observed by viewers watching a reality show who are seeing certain social expectations and
The norms according to which it is judged, the pleasures and pains that entice and coerce it, the forms of self-inspection inculcated in it (Sender, 2012:16).
Just like Foucaults argument of the Mettray Colony giving prisoners solitary confinement.
In comparison, author Gavin Kendall and Gary Wickman made a guide to Foucaults school of thought for students today. The book is primarily focused on the following themes of history, archaeology, genealogy and mainly discourse using Foucaults methods. It is designed for readers to understand Foucaults addition to social thought can open different prospects for people researching and can be applied to various possibilities. Outlined in their book,Using Foucaults Methods(1999) they discuss the idea of discourse and its history before Foucaltian. In terms of Foucaults theory they talk about a series of different discourse such as medical discourse about folly and unreason produce mentally ill person, penological discourses produce the criminal, discourse on sex produces sexuality (Kendall, Wickman, 1999:43). They talk about before the eighteenth century and how these discourses came out of this century, for example, sex is one that came out of this century and that before this time there was a series of deployments such as religion. But before this era sex obviously existed is just that we as a society are more familiar with it. This relates to Foucaults idea of the eighteenth century and how power relationships in society can change through language and behaviour as well as language and power.
To conclude, I think that all these work in collaboration to Foucault connect with Foucaults idea of power and discourse. I also still think it is relevant in todays society because prisons and institutes today still use the carcel concept and develop it, prisons such Illinois state penitentiary using the panoptic prison design where they can constantly observe every prisoner in the cell, giving the prisoner the feeling of being watched.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Foucault, M. (1975) Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison.Gallimard
- Gutting, G. (2005)Foucault: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press
- Kendall, G. Wickham, G. (1999)Using Foucaults Methods.Sage Publishing
- Sender, K. (2012)The Makeover: Reality Television and Reflexive Audiences.New York University Press
FILMOGRAPHY:
- Papillon(1973) Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner [Online] Available through Netflix. [Accessed on 26thth October 2018]
Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply
Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?
Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.
Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?
- Plagiarism free papers
- Timely delivery
- Any deadline
- Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
- Subject-relevant academic writer
- Adherence to paper instructions
- Ability to tackle bulk assignments
- Reasonable prices
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Get superb grades consistently
Online Academic Help With Different Subjects
Literature
Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.
Finance
Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.
Computer science
Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!
Psychology
While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.
Engineering
Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.
Nursing
In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.
Sociology
Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.
Business
We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!
Statistics
We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.
Law
Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.
What discipline/subjects do you deal in?
We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
What if I don’t like the paper?
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Reasons being:
- When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
- We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.
In the event that you don’t like your paper:
- The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
- We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
- Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.
Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
What if the paper is plagiarized?
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
When will I get my paper?
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
Will anyone find out that I used your services?
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
How our Assignment Help Service Works
1. Place an order
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
2. Pay for the order
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
3. Track the progress
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
4. Download the paper
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!
