This second edition of "Tools for Cultural Studies", has been revised and updated for a new generation of students taking introductory courses in cultural studies and cultural analysis at a tertiary level. Clear, applied and very easy to follow, it provides a solid grounding in the key terms and theories necessary for the study of popular culture and media texts. Without underestimating the complexity of the social, this text encourages a critical and inventive attitude to cultural theory and, through its practical step by step approach, is very confidence building. References and resources have been revised to include Web addresses, and examples are tailored to appeal to a broad international readership.