Cultural political economy: Discontents and elucidations

Abstract

This paper is aimed at contributing to the necessary elucidations towards the understanding of cultural political economy (CPE). As a dimension of the generic political economy approach to social scientific investigation, CPE remains characterized by discontents. The contribution attempted locating conceptual and empirical linkages between CPE and (critical) policy studies. It highlights the intricate connection of semiosis with the understanding of cultural political economy. The paper collected and analyzed qualitative data which led to the conclusion that despite contrary tendencies, conceptual meaning-making in cultural political economy, cannot be validly divorced from cultural relativism.