Cardiff School of English Communication and Philosophy

Centre for Critical and Cultural Theory

Welcome to the Centre for Critical and Cultural Theory

Situated in the Cardiff School of English, Communication and Philosophy, the Centre for Critical and Cultural Theory offers excellent opportunities for both discipline based and interdisciplinary research in cultural and media studies, critical theory, philosophy, and literary studies. Since opening in 1989 the Centre has played a pioneering role in establishing the field of critical and cultural theory as an area of teaching and research in the contemporary university and has long had a strong international reputation. The Centre is embedded within a research environment classified by the Research Assessment Exercise 2008 as 'world class'. The range of Current and Recent PhD Topics gives an indication of the vibrant and international research environment we seek to foster and displays the diversity of interests among our postgraduate students. In addition to our workshops, evening seminar programme and reading groups we aim to host or co-host at least one major international conference per year.

The MA Course offered by the Centre introduces the seminal texts that have shaped critical and cultural theory along with the key questions and concerns that have informed the development of the discipline. The Core Modules familiarise students with some of the theoretical approaches, such as psychoanalysis, Marxism and deconstruction, which have become touchstones in the field while outlining some of the central topics engaged by theory, such as postcolonialism, discourse, power and technology. Optional modules will allow for a more in depth consideration of issues ranging from the later thought of Jacques Derrida, the cultural politics of race and gender, and the concept of modernity. In order to stay current, our modules are subject to change to include the latest developments in critical and cultural theory.