What Is Cultural Criticism ?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 29, 2020

Cultural criticism is a literary theory that challenges the artificial distinction between high and low culture. This distinction is based on what is believed to be traditional and worthy elements in a particular culture.

Cultural critics don’t believe that culture is defined and static; they believe that culture is a dynamic social construct that is inclusive of all practices and beliefs. Most cultural critics point to the organization of departments within universities for perpetuating the high/low culture distinction because it keeps the study of the arts separate from the study of topics such as television, film, advertising, journalism, gossip, shoptalk, popular photography and folklore.