Abstract
In the last 30 years, cultural criticism emerged in studies of literature and art thanks to changes in social and cultural context. Some scholars are appealed to interpretative criticism as a result of epistemological interest in the rising popular culture. Some are stimulated to practice cultural criticism by the anxiety about the change of intellectual identity. Some are dedicated to cultural criticism in order to break through disciplinary restraints or to fulfil intellectuals’ role of responding to public concerns. These forms of cultural criticism can be respectively dubbed as “cultural criticism as popular literary criticism,” “cultural criticism as cultural research,” “cultural criticism as cultural debate” and “cultural criticism as literary criticism.” Despite their differences, for example, in research object and conceptualization of publicness—either on the conscious or unconscious level—these forms of cultural criticism share a vision of interdisciplinarity, a spirit of publicly addressing social-cultural issues, and an awareness of maintaining effective knowledge production. A continuation of the 30-year tradition of cultural criticism is significant to the development of literature, art, culture, and society.
First Page
195
Last Page
206
Recommended Citation
Xiao, Minghua. 2021. "On the Four Forms of Contemporary Cultural Criticism." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 41, (5): pp.195-206. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol41/iss5/12
