Representations - Power and Ethnicity

LI: understand how representations are used to reinforce power and

project ethnic identities.

Read these articles

Discuss in your groups:• How are they representing Islam?• Do they deal with the incidents as stand alone

events or part of a wider culture?• What influence does this have upon the

reader?

Message Trajectory

1. The media institutions and the message formulation stage.

2. The media message content: the nature of the ‘text’.

3. The audience: behaviour and reception.4. The effects or impact of the message.

Ethnicity and the media

• Use the laptops and research the BBC News website.

• How many ethnic groups are represented in the presenting team and correspondents?

What impact does this have? Are editorial decisions influenced by the ‘whiteness’ of the BBC?

Power and ethnicity

Benson (2005) in the USA studied the proportion of ethnic minorities between 1978 and 2000 increased to 30%. In the same period the proportion of ethnic newspaper journalists rose only to 12% and TV journalists 20%.

Does this result in the symbolic annihilation of ethnic minorities?

How are ethnic minority groups represented in the media?

• Discuss with your partner and think of some examples.

Have media depictions of minority groups become more positive in recent years?

Changes in media portrayals of minority ethnics

Hall (1989) argues that, in the past, the three basic representations of blacks in the cinema and TV were as natives, entertainers and slaves. Minority ethnics are presented as inferior or subordinate, whites as dominant or superior. But in recent years appreciation of ethnic culture has grown.

However, in news and current affairs programmes ethnic criminality remains a major concern.

TheoriesFUNCTIONALISTS PLURALISTS MARXISTS

Media presentations of minority ethnics reflect their position in society. Depictions change to reflect integration; e.g portrayal of the successful Asian business man.

Media reflects mainstream opinions and values in its portrayal of ethnic minorities. But the increasing plurality of the media can only seek to diversify and extend ethnic minority coverage.

Emphasise how the media uses racism to promote the interests of the powerful. Moral panics about immigrants and asylum seekers help to divide the working class on racial grounds. Blame for unemployment on ethnic minorities.

Exam Question

‘Media representations both of gender and of sexuality tend to portray well-worn stereotypes.’

To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence support this view?

• AO1: Knowledge & understanding

Assessment objectives

What you know?(studies, concepts,

theories)

• AO2a: Interpretation and application

Assessment objectives

Use relevant examples that link

to the question.

Avoid writing a: “here’s everything

I know” answer

Can you use what you know to answer the question?

• AO2a: Interpretation and application

Assessment objectives

Use relevant examples that link

to the question.

Avoid writing a: “here’s everything

I know” answer

Can you use what you know to answer the question?

The PEEE system:How to structure your paragraphs

PEEE Description Assessment Objective

Point make a clear point that supports one side of the argument

Evidence back up the point with a study, concept, statistic or theory

Explanation explain further and show how the point relates to the question

Evaluation give a criticism of the point or an alternative point of view

Which Assessment Objective does each of the PEEEs relate to?

Exam Question

‘Media representations both of gender and of sexuality tend to portray well-worn stereotypes.’

To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence support this view?