Representation of race
Race, like sex, is a set of genetically defined biological characteristics: Eye colour, skin colour, hair texture and facial features. However like gender it is also a set of culturally defined characteristics.
colonialism: The control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.
imperialism: The policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies. British- The policy of so uniting the separate parts of an empire with separate governments as to secure for certain purposes a single state.
ethnocentrism: The belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture.
colonialism: The control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.
imperialism: The policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies. British- The policy of so uniting the separate parts of an empire with separate governments as to secure for certain purposes a single state.
ethnocentrism: The belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture.
Citizen Khan
The BBC has been accused of stereotyping Muslims in its new sitcom Citizen Khan.
The broadcaster has received 185 complaints since the first episode aired on BBC One on Monday, with some claiming it was a "tasteless depiction of Islam".
Key quotes that show both criticism and praise for the way race has been represented:
"Insulting"
"ridiculed" Islam.
"We feel though as if this show has crossed the line and we expected a comedy show but now we have witnessed a mocking show," said the viewer. jokes went "a bit too far".Another wrote that the content was "bigoted" and "offensive".
Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty's race row reached a global scale when Jade Goody called Shilpa Shetty a popadom a the heat of an arguement. Being boardcasteed on Channel 4 caused a big up raw with the indian community and claimed Channel 4 was rasict. However, the fact that Channel 4 still aired this footage and said it wasn't racist thats how it got into the news around the country.
The dolmio adverts benefit the advertisers as it gives the viewers a false sense of who they really are by representing themselves as a friendly, italian company that sells top quality food. However, dolmio is a swedish company that represents themselves as an italian company by using racial representations of italians to help their company be more successful.
The broadcaster has received 185 complaints since the first episode aired on BBC One on Monday, with some claiming it was a "tasteless depiction of Islam".
Key quotes that show both criticism and praise for the way race has been represented:
"Insulting"
"ridiculed" Islam.
"We feel though as if this show has crossed the line and we expected a comedy show but now we have witnessed a mocking show," said the viewer. jokes went "a bit too far".Another wrote that the content was "bigoted" and "offensive".
Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty's race row reached a global scale when Jade Goody called Shilpa Shetty a popadom a the heat of an arguement. Being boardcasteed on Channel 4 caused a big up raw with the indian community and claimed Channel 4 was rasict. However, the fact that Channel 4 still aired this footage and said it wasn't racist thats how it got into the news around the country.
The dolmio adverts benefit the advertisers as it gives the viewers a false sense of who they really are by representing themselves as a friendly, italian company that sells top quality food. However, dolmio is a swedish company that represents themselves as an italian company by using racial representations of italians to help their company be more successful.
Consider how these can influence the collective consciousness of audiences.
Angelina Jolie was selected to play the role of Lara Croft because she's seen in the media to be a dominant powerful character. The low angle shot portrays the character to be the main role in the film and also making her a main part of the ad. The lighting of the picture lightens up her face and gives her a heavenly glow suggesting shes a godness, this also makes her stand out from the abstract background. However as well as being a sex symbol for the male audiences her props (guns) give her a gritty, adventurous look which is perfect for the role of Lara Croft.
Napoleon Dynamite is represented here as geeky, care free kind of guy. The arm across the sofa suggesting he's relaxed and some what lazy or the way his chest is pushed out so what confident. He is wearing as he is wearing a 'vote for Pedro' top educating the viewer that he may be American due to American schools voting for class president etc This top also tells us the he's not very individual, follows the crowd and not wanting to be centre attention by running himself (not confident being a connotation of a geeky character). Other features such as his glasses educate us on his age or the time period the show may be set, the big bulky glasses dominating his face really gives him a sense a of personality, giving him his own identidy in the programme. The mise en scene of the old fashioned sofa and horrific wallpaper again showing time period or suggesting his class, the run down walls and cheap sofas could tell us that he is lower class.
Napoleon Dynamite is represented here as geeky, care free kind of guy. The arm across the sofa suggesting he's relaxed and some what lazy or the way his chest is pushed out so what confident. He is wearing as he is wearing a 'vote for Pedro' top educating the viewer that he may be American due to American schools voting for class president etc This top also tells us the he's not very individual, follows the crowd and not wanting to be centre attention by running himself (not confident being a connotation of a geeky character). Other features such as his glasses educate us on his age or the time period the show may be set, the big bulky glasses dominating his face really gives him a sense a of personality, giving him his own identidy in the programme. The mise en scene of the old fashioned sofa and horrific wallpaper again showing time period or suggesting his class, the run down walls and cheap sofas could tell us that he is lower class.
Gender: Other representations
The first thing I notice about this advert is the amazed expression of the womans face. The suprised facial features e.g. wide eyes and open mouth sugguests to the viewer that the woman can open the bottle with ease which then tells us that the bottle can be used by anyone, even a women can open it.
The text 'You mean a woman can open it' backs up this point.
The practical hair do and the feminie hand pose makes sure the viewer knows that she is a typical women, this educates the audience.
The text 'You mean a woman can open it' backs up this point.
The practical hair do and the feminie hand pose makes sure the viewer knows that she is a typical women, this educates the audience.
International Representations of Class
What does Britishness mean to Americans?
American's think we are all the same, drink tea all the time, know the queen personally, have big facial features, and have constant upright postures and stuck up names. From the clip of 'Family Guy' the american writers really over exaggerate this and bascially take the mick out of everything 'British'. The clip where the 3 englishmen were coughing suggests that we are competitive and like to do one better than everyone else. The scenary (mise en scene) of having pots of tea, english flags and scones everywhere false educates the audience that we are all very similar and do not have our own personalities.
The USA have their own mediation of life in Britain through the films produced. For example in the film ‘Bridget Jones’ the female character is portrayed as a quite ditzy unsure individual. The American institutions have come away from the normal stereotype of all English people being posh and stuck up and now have given us a dumbed down approach
Key term: Social Realism
- art (e.g. films) which decipt social and racial injustice, economic hardship, through unvarnished picturees of Life's struggles; often depicting working class activities as heroic.
American's think we are all the same, drink tea all the time, know the queen personally, have big facial features, and have constant upright postures and stuck up names. From the clip of 'Family Guy' the american writers really over exaggerate this and bascially take the mick out of everything 'British'. The clip where the 3 englishmen were coughing suggests that we are competitive and like to do one better than everyone else. The scenary (mise en scene) of having pots of tea, english flags and scones everywhere false educates the audience that we are all very similar and do not have our own personalities.
The USA have their own mediation of life in Britain through the films produced. For example in the film ‘Bridget Jones’ the female character is portrayed as a quite ditzy unsure individual. The American institutions have come away from the normal stereotype of all English people being posh and stuck up and now have given us a dumbed down approach
Key term: Social Realism
- art (e.g. films) which decipt social and racial injustice, economic hardship, through unvarnished picturees of Life's struggles; often depicting working class activities as heroic.
How do historical media representations contribute to our understanding of class identidy?
Comparsion between The Family and Trouble in the Estate and if the representation of working class has changed over the years
The representation over the years haven't really changed over the years, there is still a lot of similarites that exsisted in 1974 to 2012. For example they both had poor living conditions whether is was due to money or the way they've been brought up. Education was an issue in both periods, un educated or poorly educated children were dominant throughout both documentaries.
1947- The Family
Documentary- serial
Representation of working class: working class, you can tell this through speech e.g. slang and common accent (poorly educated, can't spell). There living conditions are poor, cramped, dull and dirty.
The participants want the working class to represented accurately, and fairly.
Teenage pregnancy
1990- Keeping up appearances
Sitcom
1998- The Royal Family
Sitcom
2012- Panorama (Trouble on the Estate)
emotional about their lives, poor living conditions, bullying, anti social behaviour, young people worried about their future
"Is this a picture of broken britain"
Residants are fighting for better conditions like in 'The Family'
Police, drugs, alcohol are dominant features of their lives
Poor language due to not being well educated.
The representation over the years haven't really changed over the years, there is still a lot of similarites that exsisted in 1974 to 2012. For example they both had poor living conditions whether is was due to money or the way they've been brought up. Education was an issue in both periods, un educated or poorly educated children were dominant throughout both documentaries.
1947- The Family
Documentary- serial
Representation of working class: working class, you can tell this through speech e.g. slang and common accent (poorly educated, can't spell). There living conditions are poor, cramped, dull and dirty.
The participants want the working class to represented accurately, and fairly.
Teenage pregnancy
1990- Keeping up appearances
Sitcom
1998- The Royal Family
Sitcom
2012- Panorama (Trouble on the Estate)
emotional about their lives, poor living conditions, bullying, anti social behaviour, young people worried about their future
"Is this a picture of broken britain"
Residants are fighting for better conditions like in 'The Family'
Police, drugs, alcohol are dominant features of their lives
Poor language due to not being well educated.
How do audiences identify with media portrayals of class?
Is Posh being the same as upper class? No, being upper class is the way you've been brought up rather than the way you act. You can act upper class yet still be middle or lower class.
What does it mean to be classy?
Do we look up to and respect the Royals or mock their class? I think we get the idea of what an upper class person should act and look like from them. However, we do mock their ways (especially working class) as they speak and act so different to other classes.
What are the reasons for toff's?
What does it mean to be classy?
Do we look up to and respect the Royals or mock their class? I think we get the idea of what an upper class person should act and look like from them. However, we do mock their ways (especially working class) as they speak and act so different to other classes.
What are the reasons for toff's?
How do audiences identify with media portrayals of class in Eastenders?
In EastEnders the audience can identify different types of class through many concepts. For example Billy Mitchell could be identified as lower class due to their living conditions (cramped), living on benefits, having a granddaughter with a teen age pregnancy and also the way they are dressed is a always casual dress down look or 'cheap'. A middle class to higher class audience can be educated on how lower class would live and look this, this attracts this type of audience as they can escape and be informed on how other class may live and act. Another example how an audience can portray class is through language. For example, a character like Tamwar would be portrayed to be posh due to accent and the fact he half owns a business.
Also mise en scene can heavily influence the way an audience can portray class in any programme. Particularly in Eastenders the pub 'The Queen Vic' is a dominant feature of set through the whole time the programme has aired. Connotations of pubs would be drunks, fights, social, men, binge. With audiences identifying these connotations of a pub they automatically assume that the types of characters shown in the pub are associated with words like 'binge' and therefore are branded straight away; normally as working class.
Also mise en scene can heavily influence the way an audience can portray class in any programme. Particularly in Eastenders the pub 'The Queen Vic' is a dominant feature of set through the whole time the programme has aired. Connotations of pubs would be drunks, fights, social, men, binge. With audiences identifying these connotations of a pub they automatically assume that the types of characters shown in the pub are associated with words like 'binge' and therefore are branded straight away; normally as working class.
How is Social Class represented through advertisements?
Aspirational: Something you want to do, what your goal is. You 'aspire' to be something or do.
Consumer Creation: A company that creates their own consumer through a product being advertised. It creates the need to buy something at we didn't we want.
Strategies of persuasion: The tactics the company you to persuade the consumer to buy the product.
Consumer Creation: A company that creates their own consumer through a product being advertised. It creates the need to buy something at we didn't we want.
Strategies of persuasion: The tactics the company you to persuade the consumer to buy the product.
Levis
The advertisement is aimed at working class men, we can tell this through the choice of the model ~(a man) and the props he's holding. The spade symbolises manual labour, probably a blue collar job and the way the camera is looking up at the model shows his clothes to be quite simple, a convention of working class. The advert uses consumer creation, if you want to be a person looked up to like the guy in this print, you would need to buy levis to become this
Versace
Middle-upper class appear to be the target audience for this advertisement. We can tell this through mise en scene (big house, severant in the background, foutain, wine). Also the their clothing: gold chains, classy outfits and a guy half naked.
The advertisement appeals to audience as the audience viewing this would aspire to be like these people in the image (just the front two) and therefore think if they buy from Versace they will become more like them. The company have used consumer creation to make the reader think they need this brand to be have the lifestyle the models in have the ad.
The company have used a medium shot so they have both facial expressions in the shot. The look they're giving is trying to persuade the consumer to by the product almost giving a 'you could be like this look, why not?".
The advertisement appeals to audience as the audience viewing this would aspire to be like these people in the image (just the front two) and therefore think if they buy from Versace they will become more like them. The company have used consumer creation to make the reader think they need this brand to be have the lifestyle the models in have the ad.
The company have used a medium shot so they have both facial expressions in the shot. The look they're giving is trying to persuade the consumer to by the product almost giving a 'you could be like this look, why not?".
Decca Aitkenhead
Decca Aitkenhead is a journalist for the Guardian and the author of The Promised Land: Travels in Search of the Perfect E.
Decca Aitkenhead is a journalist and broadcaster. She studied Politics at Manchester University before moving to London to work for the Independent on Sunday, and then for the Guardian. While writing The Promised Land, she and her husband lived in Jamaica, but they have now returned to London. She writes columns for the Guardian and the London Evening Standard, and is a contributor to BBC Radio 4 and 5.
Decca Aitkenhead is a journalist and broadcaster. She studied Politics at Manchester University before moving to London to work for the Independent on Sunday, and then for the Guardian. While writing The Promised Land, she and her husband lived in Jamaica, but they have now returned to London. She writes columns for the Guardian and the London Evening Standard, and is a contributor to BBC Radio 4 and 5.
Politics and the Media Representation of the Middle Class
Partisan press: It's the way the press influence votes. For example The Sun backed new labours campain by bigging them up and making them look like a good party.
How do political parties represent themselves through party broadcast
New Labour 1997: Overally happy, "things can only get better", bright colourful clothes, well dressed, helpful, warm welcomes. aiming towards middle class, not factual or boring.
New Labour 2011: More serious approach, factual, getting to know the party leader, showing them in action, aiming towards lower class, making points of how they can change what's going on at that time e.g. student fees.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/oct/20/britishidentity.socialexclusion1
How do political parties represent themselves through party broadcast
New Labour 1997: Overally happy, "things can only get better", bright colourful clothes, well dressed, helpful, warm welcomes. aiming towards middle class, not factual or boring.
New Labour 2011: More serious approach, factual, getting to know the party leader, showing them in action, aiming towards lower class, making points of how they can change what's going on at that time e.g. student fees.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/oct/20/britishidentity.socialexclusion1
Social Class in Eastenders
Phil Mitchel: Seen wearing casual clothes, never dressed up for example in suit, his clothes represent his class and his job. The dress down look shows that he's lower to middle class but higher towards the middle class end as he owns two businesses (white collar job). However, he's quite violent which is a convention of lower class and also his east end accent plus the place he lives in also suggests that he's lower class.
Michael Moon: Michael is always shown in a suit suggesting power, class and authority other other characters. His half ownage of a business also suggest that Michael is higher class and the way he is also quite well spoken. His house is modern and stylish which also suggests he's a higher class.
Class in Eastenders in general: Eastenders has a wide range of class going from lower class e.g. Phil Mitchel to someone higher class like Michael Moon. The class can be distinguished those accent, speech, clothes, the place they work and the house they live in..The Eastend is quite a poor place anyway and Eastenders represent this through their choice of Mise en Scene for example, having a train station running straight through the square, the market stools and the concrete scenary.
Michael Moon: Michael is always shown in a suit suggesting power, class and authority other other characters. His half ownage of a business also suggest that Michael is higher class and the way he is also quite well spoken. His house is modern and stylish which also suggests he's a higher class.
Class in Eastenders in general: Eastenders has a wide range of class going from lower class e.g. Phil Mitchel to someone higher class like Michael Moon. The class can be distinguished those accent, speech, clothes, the place they work and the house they live in..The Eastend is quite a poor place anyway and Eastenders represent this through their choice of Mise en Scene for example, having a train station running straight through the square, the market stools and the concrete scenary.
Representation of middle/higher class in James Bond
Suits- smart clothing, never see them dressed down. Always dress to impress
Jet Planes- vechiles that the lower class would not use however, the characters in this film use them on a daily bases.
sports cars- not just normal cars, fast sports cars that lower class would not be able to afford
Big houses (mansions) seen having parties in big houses, never see them in a flat or a normal house
Posh sofisticated accent- not swearing or using slang, they've had a good education
Jet Planes- vechiles that the lower class would not use however, the characters in this film use them on a daily bases.
sports cars- not just normal cars, fast sports cars that lower class would not be able to afford
Big houses (mansions) seen having parties in big houses, never see them in a flat or a normal house
Posh sofisticated accent- not swearing or using slang, they've had a good education
Semiotics and class- Fish Tank
Swearing- doesn't care who what she speaks like and to whom she speaks to
Clothes- hoop earings, cheap bag, fishnet tank top, hoddie, copies the crowd
Place she lives- overlooking her estate, show her bringing up and what kind of area she lives in.
People she associates with- same as her, same clothes, same attitude
Slang- the way she's been brought up, she doesn't know any different
Fighting- starts the fight, doesn't care what she does, doesn't think of the consequences
Caring- wants to save the horse, make up with her friends, the film is trying to protray her in a different way
Cheap lager- symbolises underage. Drinking alone out the the bottle
Clothes- hoop earings, cheap bag, fishnet tank top, hoddie, copies the crowd
Place she lives- overlooking her estate, show her bringing up and what kind of area she lives in.
People she associates with- same as her, same clothes, same attitude
Slang- the way she's been brought up, she doesn't know any different
Fighting- starts the fight, doesn't care what she does, doesn't think of the consequences
Caring- wants to save the horse, make up with her friends, the film is trying to protray her in a different way
Cheap lager- symbolises underage. Drinking alone out the the bottle
Britney 2007
In 2007 Britney went off the rails and was in the public eye around the world. Picture of Britney's bald head was in every newspaper, website and on all the social media websites. Her representation in 2007 was pretty poor as Britney's career was ended and didn't look like it was going anywhere soon. This picture perfectly explains what Britney was being represented like at that time, she was being described as mental, crazy, ill and deluded.
Britney 2012
From the picture above we can now see Britney has changed alot between 2007 to 2012, her representation in the public eye has also changed dramatically too. The picture shown on the left is Britney in her new role as a judge on the American Xfactor, she's come a long way from what she looked like and how she was potrayed in 2007
Working class and comedy- lesson 3
The Beckhams- classy, upper class, posh. They've both changed class through their representation. David Beckham started off as a footballer but has come up the rankings by learing how to act in the public eye. This then resulted in David Beckham having Victoria as a girlfriend which instantly boost his class and popularity due to her being in a popular group the 'spice girls'. Victoria Beckham got put into a band at a young age so she instantly had a representation of being a superstar and therefore allowing her access to the higher class. Now the both of them are a couple their representations of David being a super star footballer and Victoria being a pop star/dress designer have come together to make an ultimate higher class force.
Shannon Matthews and Madaline Mccann (both children) went missing missing in the uk and in portugual. The media coverage of both dissapearences were quite different due to there class. Madaline's parent both had white collar jobs (doctors) whereas shannons mum 'karen' have a blue collar job. Due to this madie could give more money to the media to help get the message out to find her daughter. However, due to the matthews been lower class more people can relate to her story therefore gaining more attention in the media.
The strange case of Shannon Matthews
Chavs
We expect Chavs' to be agressive, common and violent. However the world Chav comes from a gypsie word meaning white people.
there are negative conotations of the working class for example in the extract from lesson two we see a chav couple being represented as slobs, common and violent towards other people. Middle class would be the main audience for these type of show as they can relate to knowing what the lower class is actually like.
there are negative conotations of the working class for example in the extract from lesson two we see a chav couple being represented as slobs, common and violent towards other people. Middle class would be the main audience for these type of show as they can relate to knowing what the lower class is actually like.
How does Ricky Gervais portray blue collar and white collar characters in his film, Cemetery Junction?
Firstly ricky gervais uses camera angles in opening the sequence to set the scene of what condition the blue collars' work in. The long establishing shot shows a cramp dirty work place which would be a normal location for a blue collar worker. however, when we see the white collars' for the first time we have a low shot facing up at them to conote power, prestige and importance over the blue collar workers.
furhtermore mise en scene is used to show the difference between the blue collars' and the white collars'. this can be identified by seeing the white collars in smart expensive suits as aposed to seeing the blue collar's dirty overalls. mise en scene is further used on one of the characters which also shows pastiche. one of the blue collar workers dresses like elton john which suggests he was quite popular in this time period. he's used pastiche to create his own image however with features that elton john would have e.g. his glasses.
sound is also used to show class in cemetery junction. as we see an interview going on with the white collar workers we hear a classical song which sets a high class, sophisticated atmosphere. whereas as the film progesses and we meet the blue collar workers, a elton song plays as we see them getting into trouble after a fight in a bar. This fast paced song compliments the action and excitement going on during the action seen. Also an elton john song would be a popular choice during the 1970's of this generation therefore it also tells us what type of music the blue collar workers would be listening to at that time.
ricky gervais also uses editing to portray his white collar and blue collar characters. a three way spilt screen was used to show each facial expression of the blue collar boys which showed how they acted in the same situation. This editing would've been very popular in the 1970's and gervais has cleverly added this to give the impression its an old film.
furhtermore mise en scene is used to show the difference between the blue collars' and the white collars'. this can be identified by seeing the white collars in smart expensive suits as aposed to seeing the blue collar's dirty overalls. mise en scene is further used on one of the characters which also shows pastiche. one of the blue collar workers dresses like elton john which suggests he was quite popular in this time period. he's used pastiche to create his own image however with features that elton john would have e.g. his glasses.
sound is also used to show class in cemetery junction. as we see an interview going on with the white collar workers we hear a classical song which sets a high class, sophisticated atmosphere. whereas as the film progesses and we meet the blue collar workers, a elton song plays as we see them getting into trouble after a fight in a bar. This fast paced song compliments the action and excitement going on during the action seen. Also an elton john song would be a popular choice during the 1970's of this generation therefore it also tells us what type of music the blue collar workers would be listening to at that time.
ricky gervais also uses editing to portray his white collar and blue collar characters. a three way spilt screen was used to show each facial expression of the blue collar boys which showed how they acted in the same situation. This editing would've been very popular in the 1970's and gervais has cleverly added this to give the impression its an old film.
Class Mediation
keywords: White collar, Blue collar, industrial decline, pastiche
White collar: Someone who has a proffessional, managerial and admistrative work.
Blue collar: Manual labour e.g. mechanic
Industrial decline: When industries don't grow and therefore the outcome could be loss of jobs (social/environmental)
Pastiche: An artfrom that takes styles from else where to create something new
White collar: Someone who has a proffessional, managerial and admistrative work.
Blue collar: Manual labour e.g. mechanic
Industrial decline: When industries don't grow and therefore the outcome could be loss of jobs (social/environmental)
Pastiche: An artfrom that takes styles from else where to create something new