QUESTIONS TO SHARPEN YOUR FOCUS

1		Hegemony is not a household word in the United States. How would you explain what the term means to your roommate? Can you think of a metaphor or analogy that would clarify this critical concept?
2		What is the nature of Hall's complaint about American media scholarship?
3		Hall articulates the position that the media encode the dominant ideology of our culture. If you do not now agree with his thesis, what evidence could he muster that would convince you that he's right? What evidence would you provide to counter his argument?
4		In what way is Roland Barthes' semiotic perspective similar to Hall's cultural studies? (see Chapter 25). How do they differ?