Structuralist Theories

Does anyone know what theories in Media Studies class as being Structuralist? I have no idea what it means but I do know that Todorov and Levi-Strauss fall under this bracket. Just curious if there is any others and if anyone can define structuralism in relation to Media?

Reply 1

emelianiloufar

todorov's narrative theory + levi strauss' structuralism theory is all you need to know.

narrative theory: all narratives follow the same pattern - equilibrium>disruption>restoration or new equilibrium

- narratives move from one state of equilibrium to another, majority of narrative focused on conflict/imbalance

structuralism theory: all media products have an underlying structure + knowledge of this structure helps us to analyse them

- one of the main ways we make sense of media products + our lives is through binary opposites (two opposed concepts that define each other)
- examples: good/evil black/white humans/robots
- binary oppositions + the way they're used by producers in narratives demonstrate their ideological significance