MRR Exam Preparation

Question 1

What is a microaggression and how does it relate to the concept of Critical Race Theory?

Answer 1

Microaggressions are subtle, often unconscious acts of racism. Critical Race Theory highlights the cumulative impact of these seemingly small acts, arguing they contribute to systemic racism.

Question 2

Describe two historical race riots that occurred in the UK and explain their significance in the context of media and racism.

Answer 2

The Notting Hill Riots (1958) and the Brixton Riots (1985) were significant events highlighting racial tensions and inequalities in the UK. Media coverage often framed these events through a lens of law and order, neglecting the underlying social and economic concerns.

Question 3

Explain the concept of institutional racism and provide a specific example from the journalism industry.

Answer 3

• Institutional racism refers to policies and practices within organizations that systematically disadvantage non-dominant racial groups.
• An example in journalism is the underrepresentation of people of color in top editorial positions, influencing decision-making and newsroom culture.

Question 4

Define Eurocentrism and discuss one of its biases as identified by Mazuri.

Answer 4

• Eurocentrism prioritizes European perspectives and values at the expense of other cultures.
• One of Mazuri’s biases is Euro-mitigation, where the wrongs committed by the West throughout history are minimized or overlooked in academic literature.

Question 5

What is the difference between direct and indirect discrimination?

Answer 5

Direct discrimination involves treating someone less favorably based explicitly on their race, like denying someone a job due to their ethnicity. Indirect discrimination occurs when seemingly neutral policies disadvantage a particular racial group, such as hair regulations that disproportionately impact Black women.

Question 6

Explain the concept of tokenism and provide an example of how it might manifest in a media organization.

Answer 6

Tokenism involves making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort to be inclusive to members of minority groups. An example in media could be featuring diverse faces in advertising campaigns while the organization’s workforce remains predominantly white.

Question 7

Define overt and inferential racism in the context of media content.

Answer 7

Overt racism in media involves explicitly racist content, while inferential racism occurs when racist assumptions are presented as unquestioned truths, often through subtle language and imagery.

Question 8

What is the main argument of those who support the “decolonization of the curriculum”?

Answer 8

• Proponents of decolonizing the curriculum argue that educational materials are often biased towards Western perspectives, neglecting the contributions and experiences of non-European cultures.
• They advocate for incorporating diverse voices and perspectives to create a more inclusive and representative education system.

Question 9

Three main approaches of the critical race theory.

Answer 9

The three main approaches within Critical Race Theory are
- the idealist approach (focusing on changing racist thoughts and attitudes),
- the realist approach (emphasizing the economic roots of racism), and
- the revisionist history approach (challenging dominant narratives of history from a minority perspective).

Question 10

Whose study examined the representation of Black and Asian journalists in the UK?

Answer 10

Beulah Ainley

Question 11

What did Ainley’s study concur?

Answer 11

• Ainley’s study highlights the lack of diversity within the journalism industry, suggesting that despite a significant readership among Black and Asian communities, their representation in the media workforce is severely lacking.
• This underrepresentation of minority ethnic people and women is particularly noticeable in top positions.

Question 12

Who coined the term intersectionality?

Answer 12

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw

Question 13

Who coined the term tokenism

Answer 13

Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Question 14

Theorists involved with CRT

Answer 14

• Derrick Bell
• Alan Freeman
• Kimberlé Crenshaw
• Richard Delgado
• Cheryl Harris
• Charles R. Lawrence III
• Mari Matsuda
• Patricia J. Williams

Question 15

Criticisms of CRT

Answer 15

• CRT as a theory
• Language use
• Reliance on narrative and storytelling
• Critique of “neutrality” and colour blindness
• Promotes racial inequality
• Affirmative action
• Creation of division

Question 16

CRT: The Idealist

Answer 16

The view that since race is a social construct, and because racism and discrimination are matters of thinking, mental categorisation, attitude and discourse, we can take steps to change such thought patterns.

Question 17

CRT: Realists (Economic Determinists)

Answer 17

Idea that racism “is a means by which society allocates privilege and status.” Political economy has a role to play in racism (e.g. the Ape frame & slave trade)

Question 18

CRT: Revisionist History

Answer 18

Examine historical records that relate to race and replace hegemonic and majoritarian interpretations of events with the ones that they consider more accurate based on the experience of minorities