Exhibits: Magazine ad images: Representations

Exhibits: Magazine ad images: Representations

Categories: each table: 1) femininity 2) masculinity, 3) class, 4), age, 5) vacation/entertainment/entertainment 6) otherIdentity patterns: create subcategories, including interactions across categoriesNote patterns/themes on post-itsReflect on how images influence your identity constructionReflect on limitations of categories

Categories: each table: 1) femininity 2) masculinity, 3) class, 4), age, 5) vacation/entertainment/entertainment 6) otherIdentity patterns: create subcategories, including interactions across categoriesNote patterns/themes on post-itsReflect on how images influence your identity constructionReflect on limitations of categories

Representation as Re-presentRepresentation as Re-present

Media do not simply reflect/mirror “reality”Media create or re-present a new reality

“Reality” shows as a television “reality” drama

Media “mediate” how we construct our lives

Fashion magazine models mediate how they define their identities based on feminity

Media do not simply reflect/mirror “reality”Media create or re-present a new reality

“Reality” shows as a television “reality” drama

Media “mediate” how we construct our lives

Fashion magazine models mediate how they define their identities based on feminity

Stereotyping: Fixes/limits Meaning (Hall)

Stereotyping: Fixes/limits Meaning (Hall)

Stereotypes limits meanings assigned to groupsShapes perceptions of that groupLeaves out/over-generalizes meaning“Scientists as nerds”/ “Native Americans as alcoholics”

Contesting stereotypes by increasing diversity of images that open up new possibilities of identity

“Where do images come from?”“Who produces images?”“How is meaning closed down in representation?”“Who is silenced in the production of images?”

Stereotypes limits meanings assigned to groupsShapes perceptions of that groupLeaves out/over-generalizes meaning“Scientists as nerds”/ “Native Americans as alcoholics”

Contesting stereotypes by increasing diversity of images that open up new possibilities of identity

“Where do images come from?”“Who produces images?”“How is meaning closed down in representation?”“Who is silenced in the production of images?”

Problem of Essentializing GroupsProblem of Essentializing Groups

Essentializing differences in terms of gender, class, and race reflects stereotypes

“Boys always do X/girls do Y”“Working-class people are like X.”

Essentializing fails to consider variations in identities, contexts, and cultures

It is based on biological/behaviorist perspectives, rather than cultural perspectives

Essentializing differences in terms of gender, class, and race reflects stereotypes

“Boys always do X/girls do Y”“Working-class people are like X.”

Essentializing fails to consider variations in identities, contexts, and cultures

It is based on biological/behaviorist perspectives, rather than cultural perspectives

Gender as Performance vs. Essentialist CategoriesGender as Performance vs. Essentialist Categories

Problem of essentializing “male” versus “females” as biological conceptsGender as a cultural construction manifested through performance

Madonna as conflicted parody of gender stereotypes

Social contexts as constituted by gender Sports events as display of masculine performanceAfternoon talk shows as display of female agency

Problem of essentializing “male” versus “females” as biological conceptsGender as a cultural construction manifested through performance

Madonna as conflicted parody of gender stereotypes

Social contexts as constituted by gender Sports events as display of masculine performanceAfternoon talk shows as display of female agency

Construction of MasculinityConstruction of Masculinity

1780-1850: middle-class social practicesSeparation of work and “home” as distinct gendered realmsMen’s clubs/Christian community: moral commitment to serviceAustere dress vs.aristocratic dressFemales: associated with home

1780-1850: middle-class social practicesSeparation of work and “home” as distinct gendered realmsMen’s clubs/Christian community: moral commitment to serviceAustere dress vs.aristocratic dressFemales: associated with home

Representations of RaceRepresentations of Race

Power of white hegemony in film/mediaPredominating control/portrayal of whitesPeople of color not shown as subservient and not engaging in “human”/complex practicesBlaxploitation films perpetuated stereotypesBlacks still portrayed as criminals/ “sex slaves” as deviating from a white moral code system

Power of white hegemony in film/mediaPredominating control/portrayal of whitesPeople of color not shown as subservient and not engaging in “human”/complex practicesBlaxploitation films perpetuated stereotypesBlacks still portrayed as criminals/ “sex slaves” as deviating from a white moral code system

Representations of “the Other”Representations of “the Other”

Representations of the Other reflect the operations of powerSaid, “Orientalism”: representations of the Orient from a European perspective

Orient as backward, mysterious, deviantPresupposes European superiority

Media representations of gays as “different”

Representations of the Other reflect the operations of powerSaid, “Orientalism”: representations of the Orient from a European perspective

Orient as backward, mysterious, deviantPresupposes European superiority

Media representations of gays as “different”

Representation and ageRepresentation and age

Representations of elderly as out-of-touch and dependent

Example: Grandpa on The Simpsons

Representations of adolescents as self-indulgent and irresponsible

Example: the “Goonies”

Representations of elderly as out-of-touch and dependent

Example: Grandpa on The Simpsons

Representations of adolescents as self-indulgent and irresponsible

Example: the “Goonies”

Representation of urban vs. suburban worldsRepresentation of urban vs. suburban worlds

Representations of urban worlds as dangerous, crime-ridden, poorRepresentations of suburbia as bucolic, safe escape from urban worldOr, representation of suburbia as shallow, conformist, uniform “cooker cutter” world

Representations of urban worlds as dangerous, crime-ridden, poorRepresentations of suburbia as bucolic, safe escape from urban worldOr, representation of suburbia as shallow, conformist, uniform “cooker cutter” world

Race: Create sitcom script (Bird, 2003)Race: Create sitcom script (Bird, 2003)

White group: largely white characters

Stereotypical portrayals of IndiansMediated by media representationsLimited cultural tool-kit for

Indian group: aware of outside roleRejection of stereotypes of IndiansWhite characters based on lived-world experiences

White group: largely white characters

Stereotypical portrayals of IndiansMediated by media representationsLimited cultural tool-kit for

Indian group: aware of outside roleRejection of stereotypes of IndiansWhite characters based on lived-world experiences

Worlds: DiscoursesWorlds: Discourses

Discourses: ways of knowing/thinking; serves to limit/restrain ways of talking

Foucault: “madness”/hysteria

Rules for talking/defining knowledge

Subjects--represent discourse “mad” people

Social practices for dealing with people

Discourses: ways of knowing/thinking; serves to limit/restrain ways of talking

Foucault: “madness”/hysteria

Rules for talking/defining knowledge

Subjects--represent discourse “mad” people

Social practices for dealing with people

Gee: discoursesGee: discourses

Primary discourses: acquired in childhood

Secondary Discourses: more specialized, specific discourses

Academic, community, knowledge-based

Discourses as “identity tool-kits”

Primary discourses: acquired in childhood

Secondary Discourses: more specialized, specific discourses

Academic, community, knowledge-based

Discourses as “identity tool-kits”

Discourse of race: “Color-Blind Racism”Discourse of race: “Color-Blind Racism”

Collective understandings/representationsUse of “racetalk” to avoid racist label

“Everyone is equal, but….”“I am not prejudice, but…”

Denial of structural nature of discriminationCriticism of government race-based programs

Use of storylines“I didn’t own slaves”“The past is past”

Collective understandings/representationsUse of “racetalk” to avoid racist label

“Everyone is equal, but….”“I am not prejudice, but…”

Denial of structural nature of discriminationCriticism of government race-based programs

Use of storylines“I didn’t own slaves”“The past is past”

Discourses of classDiscourses of class

Position: everyone is “middle class”Social/power relations: “us” vs. “them”Work/workplace: post-Fordist economy

“Second class” status: adjunct instructorsCultural heritage: value/everyday lifeAcademia alienates working-class students

Lack of spaces for working-class students to demonstrate expertise/agency

Position: everyone is “middle class”Social/power relations: “us” vs. “them”Work/workplace: post-Fordist economy

“Second class” status: adjunct instructorsCultural heritage: value/everyday lifeAcademia alienates working-class students

Lack of spaces for working-class students to demonstrate expertise/agency

Bettie: Performing classBettie: Performing class

Performance: habitus: learned dispositions

Passing and agency reflecting access to cultural capital

Performativity: effects of social structures on class inequality

Performance: habitus: learned dispositions

Passing and agency reflecting access to cultural capital

Performativity: effects of social structures on class inequality

Gee: SES and adolescents’ identitiesGee: SES and adolescents’ identities

Upper middle class: focus on “portfolio-shape shifting”: acquire “experiences”

Competition/achievement/cognitionMore expository, distanced

Working class: focus on everyday interaction

Expression of feelingsConcerns with fairness

Upper middle class: focus on “portfolio-shape shifting”: acquire “experiences”

Competition/achievement/cognitionMore expository, distanced

Working class: focus on everyday interaction

Expression of feelingsConcerns with fairness

Discourse of “business manageralism”Discourse of “business manageralism”

Distanced, technocratic stances “which disallows the speaking of concern, of welfare, of collective experience” (Norman Fairclough, 2003)Teachers as part of a larger corporate structure

Emphasizes productivity and efficiency

Disallows teachers from expressing alternative voices or perspectives

Need for “measurable” standards Statistical measures as objective representations of learning

Distanced, technocratic stances “which disallows the speaking of concern, of welfare, of collective experience” (Norman Fairclough, 2003)Teachers as part of a larger corporate structure

Emphasizes productivity and efficiency

Disallows teachers from expressing alternative voices or perspectives

Need for “measurable” standards Statistical measures as objective representations of learning