David Harris examines the rise of cultural studies and evaluates its strengths and weaknesses. In doing so he raises searching questions about its originality and political motivation.

David Harris is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the College of St Mark and St John, Plymouth.

Chapter 1 The Context; Chapter 2 Floating Signifiers; Chapter 3 Struggle and Education; Chapter 4 Youth and symbolic Politics; Chapter 5 The Crisis and its Consequences; Chapter 6 The Mass Media; Chapter 7 Positioning, Pleasure, and the Media Audience; Chapter 8 Leisure, Pleasure, Sport and Tourism; Chapter 9 Gramscian Politics; Chapter 10 Conclusion;