In this important new book Rein Raud develops an original theory of culture understood as a loose and internally contradictory system of texts and practices that are shared by intermittent groups of people and used by them to make sense of their life-worlds. This theory views culture simultaneously in two ways: as a world of texts, tangible and shareable products of signifying acts, and as a space of practices, repeatable activities that produce, disseminate and interpret these clusters of meaning. Both approaches are developed into corresponding models of culture which, used together, are able to provide a rich understanding of any meaning in action. In developing this innovative theory, Raud draws on a wide range of disciplines, from anthropology, sociology and cultural studies to semiotics and philosophy. The theory is illustrated throughout with examples drawn from both 'high' and popular culture, and from Western and Asian traditions, dealing with both contemporary and historical topics. The book concludes with two case studies from very different contexts one dealing with Italian poetry in the 13th century, the other dealing with the art scene in Eastern Europe in the 1990s. This timely and original work makes a major new contribution to the theory of culture and will be welcomed by students and scholars throughout the social sciences and humanities.

In this important new book Rein Raud develops an original theory of culture understood as a loose and internally contradictory system of texts and practices that are shared by intermittent groups of people and used by them to make sense of their life-worlds. This theory views culture simultaneously in two ways: as a world of texts, tangible and shareable products of signifying acts, and as a space of practices, repeatable activities that produce, disseminate and interpret these clusters of meaning. Both approaches are developed into corresponding models of culture which, used together, are able to provide a rich understanding of any meaning in action.In developing this innovative theory, Raud draws on a wide range of disciplines, from anthropology, sociology and cultural studies to semiotics and philosophy. The theory is illustrated throughout with examples drawn from both high and popular culture, and from Western and Asian traditions, dealing with both contemporary and historical topics. The book concludes with two case studies from very different contexts one dealing with Italian poetry in the 13th century, the other dealing with the art scene in Eastern Europe in the 1990s.This timely and original work makes a major new contribution to the theory of culture and will be welcomed by students and scholars throughout the social sciences and humanities.

AcknowledgementsIntroductionAn outline of the theory and the book1 Looking for culture, looking at thingsSocial/culturalCultural communitiesThe cultural subjectSummary2 Meaning and significationThe problem of referenceTwo kinds of conceptsThe internalisation of meaningClaims and bidsSummary3 Culture as textualityBase-texts and result-textsThe operational memoryOrganisation of knowledgeStandards and codesSummary4 Culture as a network of practicesThe cultural role: functions and goals of a practiceThe social position: the carrier and status of a practiceMaterials and rulesCultural institutionsSummary5 Case Study I: The metaphysics of love and the beginnings of Italian vernacular poetryItalian political landscape in the 13th century: the bidding spaceThe poetic contextThe carriers of the practiceThe science of love as privileged knowledgeVulgare, the mediumInstitutions and textualitySummary6 Case Study II: Art and politics in Eastern Europe in the 1990sThe institutionsThe carriersTextuality, codes and languagesSummary7 Concluding remarksA few final wordsReferencesIndex