In this chapter, Hall discusses the notion of 'popular' when applied to culture, and raises the issues and problems with the different definitions of the term.

Hall argues that culture is structured into the domains of 'popular' and 'non-popular' and "from period to period the contents of each category change. Popular forms become enhanced in cultural value and move up the cultural escalator - and find themselves on the opposite side. Other things cease to have high cultural value, and are appropriated into the popular, becoming transformed in the process".

An example used by Hall is "Today's rebel folk singer ends up, tomorrow, on the cover of the Observer's colour magazine". Here Hall shows how sub-cultures and high cultures can through time be absorbed into popular culture.

The dividing lines of these categories, Hall argues, are maintained by institutions such as education, and scholars. A very Marxist approach.

Hall call's popular culture a 'battleground' where cultural power and domination has "real effects, despite being neither all powerful or all inclusive".

Due to Hall's view that cultural power and domination is never all powerful or inclusive, despite having an effect on popular culture, I tend to agree with his writings in this chapter. I believe that culture is something that is born of what we as individuals in society do on a ground level, and these sub cultures then grow and evolve as they are absorbed into the mainstream.

Radical movements in art, media or politics always begin in niche forms before becoming popularised. This is why Hall's idea of contents of cultural categories constantly changing holds so much weight.