Cultural Studies

It provides an examination of the main historical concepts in Western culture such as ideology, power, class, identity, race, nation, subjectivity, representation, and memory and how these are challenged by scholars working in non-Western cultures of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The aim is to explore the different and plural cultural histories and memories of these contexts to which Cultural Studies must adapt.

Theoretical paradigms covered will reflect on issues of class, ‘race’, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, representation and religion. The course will investigate central questions of epistemology and methodology in relation to the application of Cultural Studies theories in non-Western contexts. The programme is theory and practice based and therefore, it draws on case studies from a diversity of cultural practices, genres and contexts to elucidate complex theoretical concepts and challenge their limitations and/or validity in the context of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The MA Cultural Studies programme aims to equip students with sufficient knowledge to understand and evaluate the way in which Cultural Studies theories and methods are used in cross-cultural contexts and hence develop analytic skills for undertaking their own research projects.

Why study MA Cultural Studies at SOAS?

• SOAS is a specialist in the studies of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia.
• SOAS is ranked 1st in London and 9th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023 for Middle Eastern and African Studies.
• We are ranked 6th in the UK for employability (QS World University Rankings 2023).
• Top 10 in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2023 for African and Middle Eastern Studies.
• Modern Languages and Linguistics at SOAS has been ranked 10th in the UK in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.
• 4th for research environment - with 100% of our research ranked as 'internationally excellent' and 85% as 'world-leading' - and 8th for research outputs in the REF 2021.
• SOAS is a specialist in the studies of Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia.
• Access comprehensive cross-regional expertise and gain an understanding of the interconnectedness of these regions in an increasingly globalised world.
• You will be eligible to apply for internships