Representation Theory Flashcards
1
Q
What is Stuart Halls representation theory?
A
- the idea that representation is the production of meaning through language, with
language defined in its broadest sense as a system of signs - the idea that the relationship between concepts and signs is governed by codes
- the idea that stereotyping, as a form of representation, reduces people to a few simple
characteristics or traits - the idea that stereotyping tends to occur where there are inequalities of power, as
subordinate or excluded groups are constructed as different or ‘other’ (e.g. through
ethnocentrism).
2
Q
What is David Gauntlett’s Identity Theory?
A
- the idea that the media provide us with ‘tools’ or resources that we use to construct our
identities - the idea that whilst in the past the media tended to convey singular, straightforward
messages about ideal types of male and female identities, the media today offer us a
more diverse range of stars, icons and characters from whom we may pick and mix
different ideas.
3
Q
What is Liesbet van Zoonen’s feminist theory?
A
- the idea that gender is constructed through discourse, and that its meaning varies
according to cultural and historical context - the idea that the display of women’s bodies as objects to be looked at is a core element
of western patriarchal culture - the idea that in mainstream culture the visual and narrative codes that are used to
construct the male body as spectacle differ from those used to objectify the female body.
4
Q
What is bell hooks’ theory of Intersectionality?
A
- the idea that feminism is a struggle to end sexist/patriarchal oppression and the ideology
of domination - the idea that feminism is a political commitment rather than a lifestyle choice
- the idea that race and class as well as sex determine the extent to which individuals are
exploited, discriminated against or oppressed.