Stuart Hall was a British cultural theorist and sociologist, known for his influential work in media studies and cultural studies. Born in 1932 in Jamaica, he moved to the UK in 1951, where he became a prominent figure in the Birmingham School of Cultural Studies. Hall's theories focused on how culture shapes identity and the role of media in society. He is best known for his concept of encoding and decoding, which explains how media messages are created and interpreted by audiences. Hall's work has had a lasting impact on fields such as communication studies, sociology, and cultural theory, making him a key figure in understanding modern media and culture.