In the first part of the lecture, bell hooks explains the theoretical foundations of her work and the hidden motives that may underlie various forms of representation, and the power they exert on our cultural and social lives. In the second part, she provides several examples to illustrate her ideas. To her, pop culture is important as a place where our image of the world is formed, and how the images we are served conceal intentional manipulation. According to hooks, cultural analysis can help create awareness of this underlying process, and therefore build an audience that has the knowledge and preparation necessary to view popular culture.

The recordings are introduced by cultural historian and author Nancy Jouwe. Jouwe studies racism and intersectionality, and is strongly influenced by bell hooks, as she attended hooks’ lectures at Utrecht University.

The film is 66 minutes long. The films are in English, without subtitles. The introduction is in Dutch.