Free Cultural Studies Essay Examples & Topics

Free Cultural Studies Essay Examples & Topics

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568 samples

There is a field in academia that analyzes the interactions between anthropological, political, aesthetic, and socioeconomic institutions. It is referred to as cultural studies. This area is interdisciplinary, meaning that it combines and examines several departments. First brought up by British scientists in the 1950s, it is now studied all over the world.

The scope of cultural studies is vast. From history and politics to literature and art, this field looks at how culture is shaped and formed. It also examines the complex interactions of race and gender and how they shape a person’s identity.

In this article, our team has listed some tips and tricks on how to write a cultural studies essay. You will encounter many fascinating aspects in this field that will be exciting to study. That is the reason why we have prepared a list of cultural studies essay topics. You can choose one that catches your eye right here! Finally, you will also find free sample essays that you can use as a source of inspiration for your work.

15 Top Cultural Studies Essay Topics

The work process on an essay begins with a tough choice. After all, there are thousands of things that you can explore. In the list below, you will find cultural studies topics for your analytical paper.

  1. The role of human agency in cultural studies and how research techniques are chosen.
  2. Examining generational changes through evolution in music and musical taste in young adults.
  3. Does popular culture have the power to influence global intercultural and political relationships?
  4. Different approaches to self-analysis and self-reflection examined through the lens of philosophy.
  5. Who decides what constitutes a “cultural artifact”?
  6. The difference in religious and cultural practices between Japanese and Chinese Buddhists.
  7. Exploring the symbiotic relationship between culture and tradition in the UK.
  8. Do people understand culture nowadays the same way they understood it a century ago?
  9. Which factors do we have to take into account when conducting arts and culture research of ancient civilizations?
  10. Día de Los Muertos: a commentary on an entirely different perspective on death.
  11. American society as represented in popular graphic novels.
  12. An analysis of the different approaches to visual culture from the perspective of a corporate logo graphic designer.
  13. What can French cinema of the 20th century tell us about the culture of the time?
  14. Narrative storytelling in different forms of media: novels, television, and video games.
  15. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the direction of pop culture.

In case you haven’t found your perfect idea in the list, feel free to try our title generator. It will compose a new topic for your cultural studies essay from scratch.

How to Write a Cultural Studies Essay

With an ideal topic for your research, you start working on your cultural analysis essay. Below you will find all the necessary steps that will lead you to write a flawless paper.

  1. Pick a focus. You cannot write an entire essay on the prospect of culture alone. Thus, you need to narrow down your field and the scope of your research. Spend some time reading relevant materials to decide what you want your paper to say.
  2. Formulate your thesis. As the backbone of your assignment, it will carry you through the entire process. Writing a thesis statement brings you one step closer to nailing the whole essay down. Think “What is my paper about?” and come up with a single sentence answer – this will be your statement.
  3. Provide context for your intro. The introduction is the place for setting the scene for the rest of your paper. Take time to define the terminology. Plus, you should outline what you will talk about in the rest of the essay. Make sure to keep it brief – the introduction shouldn’t take up longer than a paragraph.
  4. Develop your ideas in the body. It is the place for you to explore the points you’re trying to make. Examine both sides of the argument and provide ample evidence to support your claims. Don’t forget to cite your sources!
  5. Conclude the paper effectively. The final part is usually the hardest, but you don’t need to make it too complicated. Summarize your findings and restate your thesis statement for the conclusion. Make sure you don’t bring in any new points or arguments at this stage.
  6. Add references. To show that you’re not pulling your ideas out of thin air, cite your sources. Add a bibliography at the end to prove you’ve done your research. You will need to put them in alphabetical order. So, ensure you do that correctly.

Thank you for reading! Now, you can proceed to read through the examples of essays about cultural studies that we provided below.

568 Best Essay Examples on Cultural Studies

“Never Marry a Mexican”: Theme Analysis & Summary

She then went on to the University of Iowa's Writers' Workshop and got a Master of Fine Arts degree, followed by the 1991 publication of short stories, including "Never Marry a Mexican," in Woman Hollering [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 2244

UAE and Culture

UAE’s society is multicultural. UAE culture has been defined by the Islamic religion as it is the most dominant in the region.
  • 1
  • Pages: 20
  • Words: 1210

Indian Custom and Culture Community

For example, there were various activities used to illustrate this marking, and these would include invitation and welcoming of the bridegroom, exchange of flower garlands, presentation of the would-be wife, the ceremony of the sacred [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2207

Nok Culture’s Main Characteristic Features

One of the most significant pieces of art is the Nok art, a testament of the Nok culture. Discovery of the sculptures in 1943 indicate the use of iron, the practice of smelting for tools [...]
  • 3.6
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1483

Comparing the US and Italian Cultures

This dimension refers to the degree to which the people operating in that culture wish to work as individuals overworking as part of a team Masculinity vs.femininity. This dimensions refers to the extent to which [...]
  • Pages: 12
  • Words: 2217

Similarities of Asian Countries

Thus, the earliest form of civilization in Asia provided a system of interaction prompting harmonization of culture in the Asian society.
  • 4
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2356

Kazakhstani Culture Through Hofstede’s Theory

The purpose of the research paper is to discuss cultural similarities and dissimilarities, challenges of acculturation, helpful patterns of behavior, and look at the featured culture through the prism of Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1480

The United States of America’s Culture

These are however just general views on what the American culture really is, the next section of this paper will go to the specifics, and zero in into the following factors that determine the true [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1367

Pashtun Culture: Cultural Presentation

This presentation will overview one of such groups – the Pashtun culture and the challenges a nurse may face working with its representatives.
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 1083

Culture and Development in Nigeria

The following are some of the organizations that are concerned with cultural developments in Nigeria:- The African development bank is involved in major activities in the water sector and in sanitation projects across Nigeria.
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 2718

Chinese Manhua History Development

Explaining the Decline in Popularity of Chinese Manhua Wong explains the decline in the popularity of Chinese manhua by explaining that as the popularity of manhua based in Hong Kong grew, this meant that the [...]
  • Pages: 17
  • Words: 5401

Culture, Subculture, and Their Differences

The different activities that people across the world engage in lead to the existence of different. When people develop negative impressions of the activities that their society undertakes they are said to be in a [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1157

Impact of Globalization on the Maasai Peoples` Culture

This essay will therefore focus on the roles the aforementioned forces have played in changing the culture of the Maasai. Moreover, tourism has resulted in environmental degradation which is putting the Maasai on the brink [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1736

The Jarawa People and Their Culture

One of the most interesting areas of study not only to the anthropologists but also to the modern and contemporary human race is culture.
  • 5
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1438

Chinese Traditional Festivals and Culture

Of all the Chinese festivals, the Spring Festival has the greatest value to the Chinese people with its value equated to the value of the Westerners attachment to Christmas.
  • 5
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 2763

Filial Piety

In trying to understand the reasoning behind the concept of Filial Piety, it is necessary to see the inherent divergence between the Western nuclear family and the Chinese extended family.
  • 4
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1120

The Luo Culture of Kenya

The Luo people are the indigenous people of Kenya living around lake Victoria, which lies in the western part of the country.
  • Pages: 22
  • Words: 3544

Culture of the Dominican Republic

In the end, we attempt to relate the relationship between each aspect and the developments in politics, economics and social lives of the Dominicans.
  • 5
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2229

American Culture Pros & Cons

In fact, every corner of the globe feels the influence of the American culture. This positively contributes to easy transmission and friendly reception of the American culture.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 577

Ballads and Their Social Functions

Ballads revolved around the deeds of the community, description and ridicule or appreciation of the daily activities that occupied their lives.
  • Pages: 12
  • Words: 3314

Society, Culture, and Civilization

Thus, culture is a flexible feature of non-animal communities that penetrates their subsistence and helps to adjust to the surroundings. The last concept, civilization, is the consequence of the constant changes of the first two [...]
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 402

Bedouin Tent : Review and Analysis

As regards air circulation, it should be pointed out that Bedouins often made a vent-hole at the top of the tent; naturally, the major effect is achieved through the fabric, but this vent-hole serves some [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 601

Saudi Traditional Clothing

Over the years, the age-old designs of the traditional attires have been modified to reflect the changing tastes and preference in the contemporary society.
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1815

Discussion: Cultural Roots and Routes

My neighbors and the numerous friends I have grown up with have affected my life significantly. At the time, I did not understand why I was being penalized, but looking back, I can see that [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1469

The Phenomenon of Queer Customs

Culture is the center of a person's life and marks as a blueprint of all practices and behaviors in society. Customs and beliefs affect actions and behaviors of the infants in the society; therefore, this [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 871

Culture and Health Correlation

People's culture influences the type of food they purchase and the way they prepare it, which is a vital determinant of health.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 342

Hells Angels as a Motorcycle Subculture

This group is famously known as the hells angels motorcycle club operating in Canada and the United States of America although its members claim that they are innocent and they are just a group of [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 939

Cultural Appropriation: Christina Aguilera in Braids

The utilization of elements and objects of non-dominant groups in a way that depicts a lack of respect for the original meaning, and lack of acknowledgment reinforces stereotyping and results in oppression.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 606

Taiwan and the U.S. Cultural Elements

An evaluation of the cultural differences between Taiwan and the US is conducted in an effort to develop a comprehensive understanding of the cultural variation between the two countries.
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2265

The Nature of People and Culture

The first key point is the understanding that culture is the framework of life and influences the aspects of life for every individual.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 298

Polygamy in Islam

Muslim men in polygamous marriages should be kind to their women. Nonetheless, many Muslim men are unable to comply with the rules of Islamic polygamy.
  • 5
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 806

The Importance of Cultural Values for a Society

It is possible to identify significant differences between the two cultures by comparing and contrasting the cultural values of Americans and Dominicans in religion, risk-taking and egalitarianism, and individual achievement and action.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 863

The History of the Hippie Cultural Movement

It is the evolution of the Hippie culture followed by the formation of the Hippie Subculture. The agitation and opposition to contemporary activities is the one of the main reasons that led to the formation [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1485

Traditional and Nontraditional Cultures of the USA

The essay compares the traditional and nontraditional cultures of the United States. Therefore, the traditional culture and nontraditional cultures of the United States have distinct differences.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 306

Saudi Arabian Culture

In this view, observation of Islamic beliefs, norms, values, and traditions enables people to understand the Saudi Arabian culture and adopt it.
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1486

Islamic Civilization and Culture: The 7th Century

The 7th Century marked the beginning of the implementation of trade and tax measures as defining elements of the Muslim state as the centralized empire began its transformation into a nominal confederation.
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1662

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Subculture

The pioneers of such campaigns disagree with the ideas and behaviors associated with the LGBT Subculture. These celebrations "have also made it easier for different members of the subculture to network and exchange their views".
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2000

Anthropological Approach to Culture

Introduction There is probably no phenomenon or event that has as many focused views of researchers from around the world as a culture. It is this phenomenon that enjoys increased scientific popularity as anthropologists, sociologists, psychologists, and philosophers seek to understand what culture is. The diversity of research positions is justified by many accents that […]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 659

History of Mexican Festival

The experience of attending the Mexican festival stretched my cultural perception as I discovered that Mexicans have a rich culture in terms of food, art, and music.
  • 4.3
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 489

Cultural Intuition of the Gospel Message

It is important to note that the practices of intercultural communication and cultural intelligence provide significant insight and understanding to communicate an unchanging gospel message to people from diverse cultures and contexts.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 406

Indian Culture, Food, Temples, and Clothing

Key Terms: Traditional dresses, Indian fashion, saree, headgear Claim: Despite the inevitable impact of globalization and westernization, India is a country that could preserve its culture by wearing traditional clothes. It is normal to see [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 1035

Perception of Intelligence in Different Cultures

As it was mentioned above, religions and philosophy play an especially important role in the perception of intelligence in the Eastern culture, while technological societies of the Western culture shape the understanding of what it [...]
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1137

What Role Does Food Play in Cultural Identity?

From the point of view of cultural studies, such a model of nutrition speaks more about the absence of global roots, the absence of deep moral guidelines, and not about the convenience of the process.
  • Pages: 4
  • Words: 1199

The Power of a Symbol

The meaning of a symbol is different according to different cultures. In this case, it is a critical tool to the faith of Catholics.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 549

Gothic Lifestyle as a Subculture

The Goths created their own subculture, as they could not accept the extravagant and extroverted lifestyle of the Punks. The evils, sins and pain of the society are a matter of beauty to the Goths.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 851

Anne Allison: Nightwork in Japan

The way that the author described the life inside the nightclubs tell of various descriptions of behavior and conversations inside the nightclub and bar that can enthrall a person who has the interest to find [...]
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1548

Stuart Hall’s Theory of Encoding and Decoding

There are three forms of associating with other people, according to the authors of Stuart Hall's theory of hegemonic reading: dominant-hegemonic reading, negotiated reading, and oppositional reading.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 584

Cultural Identity Case Study

Henceforth, this case study will consider the example of a girl who belongs to the culture of American Indians and Pacific Islanders and at the same time has problems with cultural identity.
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1943

Culture and Early Civilization: Major Forces of a New Culture

Civilization, on the other hand, refers to the transition of these cultural ways over generations to complexity and modernization. Because of the increased population, people developed the art of agriculture to avoid long distances in [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 620

Blue Jeans in the US Culture

The paper at hand is going to examine the idea standing behind the blue jeans and prove that they have become an important component of popular culture in the US as they reflect all core [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 905

Ugandan Culture, Traditions, Holidays

During the days of mourning, the neighbors and relatives are not allowed to engage in any form of manual work: this is meant to be a consolation signal to the deceased's relatives.
  • 1
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 577

Folklore of Nova Scotia: Traditions and Culture

They are mostly related or associated with the traditions behind the day to day lives of the members of the community. The Acadians and Micmac Indians were some of the earliest inhabitants of the land.
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2287

Cultural Humility: Experience and Reflection

It is also about being open to learning from different perspectives and believing in the inherent worth of all people regardless of background or identity. This attitude allows us to engage in meaningful dialogue with [...]
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 280

Non-Material and Material Culture

Material and non-material aspects of culture differ primarily based on the focus of the two approaches. In the case of religion, the existence of non-physical languages, values, norms, and symbols is especially significant.
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 314

A Scarf as a Cultural Metaphor

During the rule of the Chinese Emperor Cheng, the scarves were a part of the military uniform and were worn to demonstrate the rank of the military personnel in Croatia in the 17th century.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 605

Spanish Culture and Cultural Engagement

Spanish culture seems to me to be such a diverse and inexhaustible topic that it is difficult to find some main points of contact with my identity since, to one degree or another, all of [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 545

Dairy Products Impact on Human Health in Saudi Arabia

The report will tell us about the different nomadic groups in the country, what are the food customs of the country that affect the consumption of dairy products and how the population demographics react towards [...]
  • Pages: 19
  • Words: 6593

Civilization and Barbarism in Modern Culture

But even he failed to foresee the tragic consequences of the development of these institutions1."There is no document of civilization which is not also a document of barbarism".
  • Pages: 5
  • Words: 1146

“High” and “Low” Culture in Design

It will defend the view according to which the distinctions between popular culture and 'low' culture are no longer relevant since the emergence of amiddle culture'.'High' culture can be defined from the perspective of those [...]
  • Pages: 10
  • Words: 2560

Cosplay Subculture Definition

Thus, within the cosplay subculture, there are a number of activities for the participants to choose from. A set of values and norms is also present in the cosplay subculture.
  • 5
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 867

Islamic Modernism and Its Culture

Modernists reforms aimed to deal with aspects relating to the law of evidence, modern education, the status of women in the society, right of Muslim to have independent thinking and rationality, constitutional reforms, the nature [...]
  • Pages: 8
  • Words: 2204

Chile’s Geography and Culture

In Chile, education and wealth are the main determinants of one's ability to belong to a particular social class. Chileans use Spanish to conduct business since it is the dominant language in their country.
  • Pages: 7
  • Words: 1677

Cultures of the Middle East

It is observable that the ongoing intervention of external powers and the creation of the state of "Israel" in 1948 have harmfully contributed to the unsteadiness situation in the Middle East on many fronts. The [...]
  • 5
  • Pages: 9
  • Words: 2353

Chino’s Journey in Bodega Dreams

At the beginning of the story, Chino the narrator thinks he knows exactly how to live his life and what role he has to play in society to be the most useful asset.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 564

Globalization: Deeply Rooted in The Present by Kenny

The influence of globalization on culture and the problem of preserving cultural diversity is a phenomenon due to which the experience of everyday life, affecting the dissemination of goods and ideas, reflects the standardization of [...]
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 907

Haitian Culture, Its Components, and Significance

The traditional Haitian beliefs and practices include the deep dedication to their initial habits and the concept of communities. Religion is also an integral aspect of the Haitian residents, in addition to family and community [...]
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 630

Cultural Change: Mechanisms and Examples

Their interactions led to a massive change in the norms and traditions of the African communities. This is where a weaker society adapts to the culture of another community that is powerful.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 595

Aspects of Anime and Manga

The specifics of it lie in a distinct drawing style which is only seen in anime, and the characteristics of the genre in terms of how different things are depicted in scenes.
  • Pages: 2
  • Words: 628

Discussion of Cultural Blending Tendency

In conclusion, the Muslim community encouraged the mixing of cultures as their own culture grew more substantial and developed. In addition, representatives of different cultures had the opportunity to draw knowledge and adopt each other's [...]
  • Pages: 1
  • Words: 336

Cultural Studies: Ideology, Representation

It is very important to understand the order and the needs of the society of nowadays. Within the society in particular the representation is a term that is used to denote 'the use of language [...]
  • Pages: 6
  • Words: 1704

The Essence of Cultural Ecology: The Main Tenets

The material needs of the human society thus were predicated on the natural habitat in which they lived and this led to formulation of practices or culture that has often been termed as Cultural Materialism.
  • Pages: 3
  • Words: 807
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