The concept of experience in the work of Jesús Martín-Barbero: toward a positive theory of the popular

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article aims to review the concept of experience, linked to the popular, proposed by Jesús Martín-Barbero. The author’s production is inscribed in the intersection between philosophy, cultural studies, and mass media. From the deductive method, we delve into the development of a theoretical journey that dialogues from the Frankfurt School and British Cultural Studies to contemporary French sociology. In the conclusions, we highlight the relational aspects of experience and its possibilities for generating changes in culture. The work of Jesús Martín-Barbero is a starting point for thinking about ourselves from the present that, nevertheless, opens a pertinent discussion: what are the limits in the experiences of popular cultures to imagine emancipation.