Theorist-Representation Flashcards
Stuart Hall-Representation theory
Representations are constructed through media language and reflect the ideological perspective of the producer
Stereotyping
A form of representation which reduces people to a few simple characteristics or traits
Can also be useful as it allows producers to easily construct media products, and audiences to easily decode them.
Tends to occur where there are inequalities of power, as excluded groups are constructed as different or ‘other’
David Gauntlett-Identity theory
Audiences are not passive, and media products allow the audience to construct their own identities
Audiences can pick and mix which ideologies suit them, and completely ignore the elements of the product which they do not agree with in a process of negotiation
Van zoonen-Feminist theory
Gender is constructed through codes and conventions of media products, and the idea of what is male and what is female changes over time
Women’s bodies are used in media products as a spectacle for heterosexual male audiences, which reinforces patriarchal hegemony
Bell Hooks-Feminist theory
Feminism is a struggle to end patriarchal hegemony
Feminism is not a lifestyle choice: it is a political commitment
“Feminism is for everybody”, and certainly not just for those that identify as women
Race, class and gender all determine the extent to which individuals are exploited and oppressed
Judith Butler-gender performativity
Identity is a performance, and it is constructed through a series of acts and ‘expressions’ that we perform every day
While there are biological differences dictated by sex, our gender is defined through this series of acts. These may include the ways we walk, talk, dress, and so on
Therefore, there is no gender identity behind these expressions of gender
Gender performativity is not a singular act, but a repetition. It is outlined through dominant patriarchal ideologies
Paul Gilory-Ethnicity and post-colonial
The study of the impact that being under direct rule has had on former colonies
These ideas and attitudes continue to shape contemporary attitudes to race, ethnicity and racial hierarchies in the postcolonial era
