POssible arguments for Media and Collective Identity

You could use some of these as starting points for an exam answer - then go onto back it up with theory and PROVE it through texts you have studied.


• That representations used to be quite racist and offensive but now they are better
• The dominant image of Asians (Muslims) has shifted from obedient close-knit families to threats to society and “Britishness”
• That representations of Black British people has been consistently negative
• That repeated use and reproduction of dominant images is better than no representation at all
• That as long as TV companies play it safe by reproducing dominant images, we will never achieve pluralistic representations of ethnic minority groups
• That institutions aren’t “racist” but they do reinforce the Hegemonic idea that the white middle class are superior
• Representations are more stereotypical not as TV and Film companies want to meet audiences expectations and as a result we are moving further away from pluralistic representations
• That the media we consume as a society affects the way we view ethnic minorities
• That the images constantly reproduced in the media affect the way others see us and we see ourselves – thus identity is “mediated”