美国史学界对流行文化与其受众关系的研究

流行文化研究,是当今美国的热门学术领域;对流行文化与其受众关系的探讨,则是其中的一个重要课题。美国史学界关于这一课题的研究,不仅涉及到对某些历史事实的叙述,更是透视美国史学理论发展的一个重要窗口。综述“无权”与“有权”两种观点的主要著作,勾勒美国史学界流行文化受众研究的发展历程,或许有助于把握美国当代文化史研究的发展方向,有利于进一步深入理解流行文化研究在史学界的发展脉络。此外,西方马克思主义的一支———法兰克福学派对流行文化问题的探讨对美国史学界关于受众研究也产生了重大影响。

American Historians' Research on Popular Culture and Its Audiences

Popular Culture Studies has been a "popular" academic field in today's United Sates,and the relationship between popular culture and its audiences is an important topic in that field.American historians' research on this topic is not only about the narratives of some historical facts,but it is also an important window through which people trace the development of American historical theories.This article thus introduces and summarizes the major historical works holding contrasting views on the power of audiences,and gives a brief account of the development of American historians' research on popular culture and its audiences.By so doing,it helps us understand American historians'recent studies on popular culture in particular and on American culture in general.In addition,one branch of Western Marxism-Frankfurt School's view toward popular culture has a tremendous impact on American historians' research on audiences.