Representation through society and media

• Representation through society and media 

Media shows us things about society but this is through careful meditation 

• Tim 'o Sullivan et al (1998) - For representations to work there has to be a shared recognition of people and places, All representations therefore have ideologies behind them. Ideology refers to a set of ideas which produces a partial selective view of reality.

Value of belief system of Australia 

Wanting to create a good belief system to promote their tourist industry in their promotion of the county they include;

• Koalas
• Beaches 
• Sydney opera house
• Great Barrier reef 
• Weather

However they leave out negative aspects of Australia due to that not benefitting Australia, like things such as ;

• Snakes 
• Barren deserts
• Sharks

• Richard Dyer (1983) - Audiences should question the representations they see in media texts, What does the representation imply?, Is it typical of the world or deviant?, Is it stereotypical or atypical?

INDEPENDANCE DAY

- Will Smith was the main protagonist, The first black protagonist, therefore challenging the norm.

• Laura Mulvey (1975) - Male gaze is an idea that women are objectified in media texts and passive objects, Audiences are positioned to view women from the point from the point of view from a heterosexual male 

Dunkirk showing male gaze

Only women shown in the film were nurses and were only shown as objects to help the men as they weren't powerful enough to fight as soldiers.

• Stuart Hall (1995), Alvarado (1987) - Western/white cultures to misrepresent ethnic minorities as in the media due to underlying racist tendencies, e.g non-white as 'the other', evil, barbaric, pitied, humoured.

Dunkirk showing racism 

Only English soldiers were allowed to board leaving all the French soldiers who fought for the British on the beach stranded 

• Earp and Katz (1999) - Men are often represented as having tendencies of pathological control and violence

Dunkirk showing hypermasculine 

The British general who isn in charge of all the soldiers getting home is seen as very hyper masculine and tough.

• JOHN BERGER & EDWARD SAID

- John Berger is a theorist who worked with Mulvey, Berger reflects more into Mulveys theory in the past in historic art and literature 

'Men act, women appear' - John Berger 1972 

-Edward Said was the first theorist who related to Staurt Hall in speaking about non white people being betrayed as villains. 1971