Although Cultural Studies began at the CCCS in England, its influence on writers, researchers, and theorists in the United States has been profound. The theory has attracted the attention of critical theorists in particular, because it is founded on principles of criticism. Its Marxist influence has also drawn in scholars from philosophy, economics, and social psychology (Surber, 1998), and its emphasis on underrepresented groups in society has enticed writers in sociology and women's studies to take notice (Long, 1989).

In addition, many of the principles and features of Cultural Studies have been investigated. Ideology has been examined (Lewis & Morgan, 2001; Soar, 2000), and the concept of hegemony has been applied to episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Dow, 1990). Research by Janice Radway (1984, 1986) focused on romance novels and the women who read them. She discovered that many women read these books to silently protest male domination in society. Lawrence Grossberg (1986) and Linda Steiner (1988) found oppositional coding with audiences in their research. Grossberg found that punk music was an oppositional response to rock and roll music because rock and roll allowed for "new possibilities" (1986, p. 57) in the music industries. Steiner looked at a decade of the "No Comment" section of Ms. magazine, which is devoted to covert and overt male domination in society. Steiner claimed that the manner in which women read these sections was tantamount to oppositional decoding; they read the comments in a way that suited their own interests and not the superiority of males.

Clearly, the above examples illustrate the heuristic nature of Cultural Studies. In addition, the theory can be considered to be highly useful. James Carey (1989) writes that Cultural Studies "make up a vehicle that can alter our self-image" (p. 94); therefore, it's possible to translate some of the theory into daily life. Its utility can also be found in its dedication to studying the cultural struggles of the underprivileged. According to Hall (1997), these populations have remained subordinate for too long. By concentrating on these marginalized social groups, a number of subfields have emerged, namely ethnic studies and gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered studies (Surber, 1998). Hall and his work in Cultural Studies prompted Carey to conclude that Hall's work is "theoretically, historically, and often, empirically elegant and very much deserves the influence it has acquired" (1989, p. 31).

Despite what appear to be glowing endorsements, Cultural Studies has evoked quite a bit of criticism, even among its own group of advocates. Some of the criticism seems to be more "turf wars" than anything else. For example, we noted that the theory has its beginnings in Britain but has been embraced by researchers in the United States. To this, Stuart Hall (1996) provocatively states, "I don't know what to say about American cultural studies. I am completely dumbfounded by it" (p. 273). He believes comparisons between the two camps can be dangerous because the theory was conceptualized in a British context. U.S. researcher Lawrence Grossberg (1996) responds by noting that as Cultural Studies gains more attention by communication researchers, "its relationship to a specific British body of work disappears" (p. 178). So for Grossberg and others, Cultural Studies belongs to no one, yet Grossberg (who studied in Birmingham, England) has lamented that the theory may have lost some original value due to the haphazard application of its concepts in a diverse array of disciplines, including English, philosophy, and linguistics.

A second criticism of Cultural Studies relates to the audience. Even though some audiences resist the role of dupe, are they able to become interpretive and active resisters? In other words, to what extent can audiences be counter-hegemonic? In fact, Mike Budd, Robert Entman, and Clay Steinman (1990) suggest that some cultural theorists overestimate the ability of the oppressed and marginalized populations to escape their culture. They lack the skills, insight, and networks to be so political in their resistance.

Cultural Studies remains one of the few theoretical traditions that has attracted the attention of scholars from a variety of disciplines outside communication. Researchers interested in understanding the thinking, experiences, and activities of historically oppressed populations usually endorse Cultural Studies. Although some critics have faulted the theory for a number of reasons, Stuart Hall is credited with criticizing the elite and with drawing attention to oppressed voices in society. Hall's commitment to understanding the everyday acts and commonly accepted events is admirable.