You can't discuss cultural studies or cultural phenomena without thinking about the word "culture" itself, and that's where Williams comes in. Williams makes sure you know that it's not like "culture" has ever been just one thing—even within specific time periods and settings, folks disagreed on what could and should be classed as culture, and what the role of culture was or should be.
This being the case, Williams sketches out a history of the concept of culture, as well as four other key words of similar cultural clout and debatable meaning—these being "art," "democracy," "class," and "industry."
If, as Williams shows, the meaning of "culture" has changed so much over centuries, how does his analysis change when we think about what culture means beyond 1958 (the year the book was published)?
If culture can mean different things, the same goes for mass culture. So, what's the difference between those guys?
Plus, Williams notes that mass culture developed as a result of universal education and literacy. Does this interpretation put a more positive spin on mass culture? Should mass literacy be seen as a step toward the ability to independently analyze the world around you, or does it become a tool for the manipulators of that "mass culture" thing?