Between Gazes

Camelia Elias

Stuart HallStuart Hall

born in Jamaica, born in Jamaica, Kingston, 1932Kingston, 1932

studied at Oxfordstudied at Oxford professor of professor of

sociology at the sociology at the Open University, Open University, UKUK

Race: the Floating Signifier

Main claimMain claim

Mass media are a means by which the Mass media are a means by which the ‘haves’ of society gain the ‘haves’ of society gain the willingwilling support of the ‘have nots’ for the support of the ‘have nots’ for the status quo.status quo.

language in use (discourse) language in use (discourse) determines communicative eventsdetermines communicative events

““the event must become a story the event must become a story before it can become a before it can become a communicative event” communicative event”

(Encoding/Decoding, 164)(Encoding/Decoding, 164)

““Culturalist” marxismCulturalist” marxism

Rejects rigid economic determinismRejects rigid economic determinism Social behavior is overdetermined Social behavior is overdetermined

(has multiple causes such as class, (has multiple causes such as class, gender, race)gender, race)

Marxist theorists tend to emphasize the Marxist theorists tend to emphasize the role of the mass media in the reproduction role of the mass media in the reproduction of the status quo, in contrast to liberal of the status quo, in contrast to liberal pluralists who emphasize the role of the pluralists who emphasize the role of the media in promoting freedom of speech.media in promoting freedom of speech.

For Hall et al. the mass media do tend to For Hall et al. the mass media do tend to reproduce interpretations which serve the reproduce interpretations which serve the interests of the ruling class, but they are interests of the ruling class, but they are also a field of ideological strugglealso a field of ideological struggle

(see D. Chandler: “Marxist Media Theory”(see D. Chandler: “Marxist Media Theory”http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/marxism/http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/marxism/

marxism11.htmlmarxism11.html))

hegemonyhegemony

Preponderant influence or Preponderant influence or domination of ‘haves’ over the ‘have domination of ‘haves’ over the ‘have nots’nots’Not totalNot totalNot based on forceNot based on forceNot a plot or conspiracyNot a plot or conspiracyBased on widespread acceptance of Based on widespread acceptance of

dominant ideologydominant ideology

ideologyideology

Mental frameworks or ‘codes’ widely Mental frameworks or ‘codes’ widely used to understand societyused to understand society

Mass media (esp. TV) usually encode Mass media (esp. TV) usually encode (implicitly assume) the dominant (implicitly assume) the dominant ideologyideology

Encoding/DecodingEncoding/Decoding the dominant ideology is typically inscribed as the the dominant ideology is typically inscribed as the

preferred readingpreferred reading in a media text, but this is not in a media text, but this is not automatically adopted by readers. automatically adopted by readers. The The social situationssocial situations of readers/viewers/listeners may of readers/viewers/listeners may

lead them to adopt different stances. lead them to adopt different stances. DominantDominant readings are produced by those whose readings are produced by those whose

social situation favors the preferred reading; social situation favors the preferred reading; negotiatednegotiated readings are produced by those who inflect readings are produced by those who inflect

the preferred reading to take account of their social the preferred reading to take account of their social position; position;

and and oppositionaloppositional readings are produced by those whose readings are produced by those whose social position puts them into direct conflict with the social position puts them into direct conflict with the preferred readingpreferred reading

(see Hall’s essay: “Encoding/Decoding” (see Hall’s essay: “Encoding/Decoding” and also D. Chandler: “Marxist Media Theory”and also D. Chandler: “Marxist Media Theory”

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/marxism/marxism11.html)http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/marxism/marxism11.html)

Decoding optionsDecoding options

Three ways to decode media (text + sign) messagesThree ways to decode media (text + sign) messages

1.1. operate inside the dominant code (fail to operate inside the dominant code (fail to question the implicit dominant ideology)question the implicit dominant ideology)

2.2. apply a negotiable code (a version of the apply a negotiable code (a version of the dominant ideology that reflects the audience dominant ideology that reflects the audience member’s social position)member’s social position)

3.3. substitute an oppositional code (critical substitute an oppositional code (critical awareness, rejection of the dominant ideology)awareness, rejection of the dominant ideology)

Cultural studies theory promotes oppositional Cultural studies theory promotes oppositional decoding decoding

identityidentity

““Identity is the narrative, the stories Identity is the narrative, the stories which cultures tell themselves about which cultures tell themselves about who they are and where they came who they are and where they came from”from”

(S. Hall, “(S. Hall, “Negotiating Caribbean Negotiating Caribbean IdentityIdentity”).”).

“…“…identity is not only a story, a narrative which identity is not only a story, a narrative which we tell ourselves about ourselves, it is stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, it is stories which change with historical circumstances. And which change with historical circumstances. And identity shifts with the way in which we think and identity shifts with the way in which we think and hear them and experience them. Far from only hear them and experience them. Far from only coming from the still small point of truth inside coming from the still small point of truth inside us, identities actually come from outside, they are us, identities actually come from outside, they are the way in which we are recognized and then the way in which we are recognized and then come to step into the place of the recognitions come to step into the place of the recognitions which others give us. Without the others there is which others give us. Without the others there is no self, there is no self-recognition”no self, there is no self-recognition”

((Negotiating Caribbean IdentityNegotiating Caribbean Identity, 8)., 8).

The European Encounter with the The European Encounter with the ‘Other’ (Americas, Africa, India)‘Other’ (Americas, Africa, India)

WesternWestern ClothedClothed FashionFashion LabourLabour EthicsEthics MasculineMasculine ReasonReason CultureCulture

The OtherThe Other NakedNaked AdornmentAdornment LeisureLeisure PleasurePleasure FeminineFeminine EmotionEmotion NatureNature

Key points from Hall’s:Key points from Hall’s:“The West and the Rest” in “The West and the Rest” in

Formations of ModernityFormations of Modernity, 1992, 1992 ‘‘West’ and ‘non-West’ are concepts with West’ and ‘non-West’ are concepts with

historieshistories; they are not natural kinds; they are not natural kinds The idea of the ‘West’ emerged because of The idea of the ‘West’ emerged because of

contactcontact with ‘non-West’; therefore these with ‘non-West’; therefore these ideas also have ideas also have geographiesgeographies related to related to real placesreal places

‘‘West’ and ‘non-West’ are ideas that are West’ and ‘non-West’ are ideas that are part of part of discoursesdiscourses

These These geohistoricalgeohistorical discourses inform our discourses inform our everyday thinking todayeveryday thinking today

““Listen Mr Oxford don”Listen Mr Oxford don”

Me not no Oxford don Me not no Oxford don me a simple immigrantme a simple immigrantfrom Clapham Common from Clapham Common I didn't graduate I didn't graduate I immigrate I immigrate

But listen Mr Oxford donBut listen Mr Oxford donI'm a man on de run I'm a man on de run and a man on de run and a man on de run is a dangerous one is a dangerous one

I ent have no gunI ent have no gunI ent have no knife I ent have no knife but mugging de Queen's Englishbut mugging de Queen's Englishis the story of my life is the story of my life

I dont need no axeI dont need no axeto split/ up yu syntax to split/ up yu syntax I dont need no hammerI dont need no hammerto mash up yu grammar to mash up yu grammar

I warning you Mr Oxford don I warning you Mr Oxford don I'm a wanted man I'm a wanted man and a wanted man and a wanted man is a dangerous one is a dangerous one

Dem accuse me of assaultDem accuse me of assaulton de Oxford dictionary/on de Oxford dictionary/imagin a concise peaceful man like me/imagin a concise peaceful man like me/dem want me serve time dem want me serve time for inciting rhyme to riot for inciting rhyme to riot but I tekking it quiet but I tekking it quiet down here in Clapham Commondown here in Clapham Common

I'm not a violent man Mr Oxford donI'm not a violent man Mr Oxford donI only armed wit mih human breath I only armed wit mih human breath but human breath but human breath is a dangerous weapon is a dangerous weapon

So mek dem send one big word after me So mek dem send one big word after me I ent serving no jail sentence I ent serving no jail sentence I slashing suffix in self-defenceI slashing suffix in self-defenceI bashing future wit present tense I bashing future wit present tense and if necessary and if necessary

I making de Queen's English accessory/to my offenceI making de Queen's English accessory/to my offence

John AgardJohn Agard

cultural identitycultural identity

collective collective shared history among individuals affiliated shared history among individuals affiliated

by race or ethnicity is stable or fixedby race or ethnicity is stable or fixed unstable, metamorphic, contradictoryunstable, metamorphic, contradictory

marked by multiple points of similarity and marked by multiple points of similarity and differencedifference

strongest in its hybrid modestrongest in its hybrid mode

East is EastEast is East

cultureculture

The The signifying systemsignifying system through which through which a social order is:a social order is:communicatedcommunicatedreproducedreproducedexperiencedexperiencedexploredexplorednegotiatednegotiated

English Literature and Culture English Literature and Culture coursecourse

insight into the diversity of ‘text and sign’insight into the diversity of ‘text and sign’ texts (novels, plays, poetry) mediated by texts (novels, plays, poetry) mediated by

visual representations that enhance the way visual representations that enhance the way text + sign as a concept circulates by way text + sign as a concept circulates by way of diverse propagationof diverse propagation

text + sign dimension is best uncovered in a text + sign dimension is best uncovered in a cultural text studies approachcultural text studies approach

Culture is read as a text Culture is read as a text culture produces culture produces textstexts

Texts are read as culture Texts are read as culture texts manifest texts manifest cultureculture