An introduction to Arjun Appadurai

Examining the key works from anthropologist Arjun Appadurai this blog will aim to research some of his key ideas as well as his influence and contributions to the field of media studies. 

Born and educated in Bombay Appadurai then migrated over to America where he studied and held professorial chairs and both Yale university and the university of Chicago. This results in much of Appadurai’ work being heavily focused on American culture as well as that of southern Asia, allowing a broader perspective. Throughout his career Appadurai has achieved many fellowships and scholarships for his contribution to media studies including a fellowship at the ‘centre for advanced study in the Behavioural sciences’ in California.

Now as an American professor of anthropology Appadurai’ work is mainly focused on the theory of globalisation and the ‘imaginary’ (Appadurai. A 1996 p.3). As a group we researched his book ‘Modernity at large’ particularly concentrating  on his essay ‘Disjuncture and difference in the global cultural economy’ were Appadurai’ focuses on ‘the out-of-joint nature of many of the relations among different global flows today’ (Robinson. A 2011). Unlike previous theories Appadurai suggests a more ‘disorganised’ global cultural economy than that addressed before, suggesting it is one of ‘complexity and irregularity’ (Kaya. I 2000). Therefore, Appadurai derived five different landscapes or ‘scapes’ (Appadurai. A 1990 p.33) which represent different global cultural flows. It is these ‘scapes’ that help construct the ‘imagined’ world or ‘imagined communities’ in which people and social groups live within. It is these ‘dimensions of global cultural flows’ (Appadurai 1990 p.33) that I will later explore in depth.

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References:

·         Appadurai, A. 1996. Modernity at Large. Cultural Dimensions of Globalization.

·         AN A-Z of theory Arjun Appadurai: http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/new-in-ceasefire/in-theory-appadurai

·         Kaya, I. 2000. Modernity at Large. Cultural Dimensions of Globalization. The Fountain. 2000. http://www.fountainmagazine.com/article.php?ARTICLEID=195