The `Cultural Turn' in Social Theory: Towards a Theory of Cultural Politics

Abstract

There has been a well-documented `cultural turn' in social theory. This takes two forms: the `epistemological' case in which culture is seen as universally constitutive of social relations and identities; and the `historical' case in which culture is seen as playing an unprecedented role in constituting social relations and identities in contemporary society. In this paper I take it that both cases overlap in studies of contemporary society and that the stronger case is justified. I argue that a model of cultural politics is necessary to fully develop the impetus of the `cultural turn' away from structural determinism, and that relations between the state and society should no longer be taken as the central focus of political sociology. I propose that the understanding of politics developed by Foucault in his later work on power and domination can provide the basis of a `cultural turn' in political sociology. Finally, I offer some suggestions about how those working in the field of political sociology are already beginning to develop the theme of cultural politics - albeit without naming it as such - and how this might be extended.