Identities: Identity and the wider media

1) The Factsheet discusses how identity is a complex subject. What does it suggest defines our identity?

The factsheet states we can define identity by the way a person thinks they are, who they want to be and what others think we are.

2) Complete the task on page 2: suggest media texts that could reinforce that someone is non-mainstream; edgy; a pleasure seeker; fashionable; witty and fun; cutting-edge.

Non-mainstream- Arthouse films such as It follows fits this title as 

Edgy- Scorpio is a TV show which follows geniuses while they work with the government. doing computer hacking against corrupts. The audience for the show would be a quite niche and not mainstream because not many people watch it.

A pleasure seeker- James Bond would be categorised there because it is a glamorous show, high end where people may watch vicariously through them.

Fashionable- Teen Vogue magazine, bought by those who want to keep up with fashion, shows celebrities and targets youth to making it very popular.

Witty and fun- Brooklyn Nine Nine is a comedy show about the police with witty characters and moments which appeals to many people who watch other shows like Big Bang Theory too. 

Cutting-edge- YouTube a place where people are able to create their own content and share amongst a community on the internet which hasn't been done before.

3) What examples are suggested for a case study on urban youth?

The fact sheet argues that the youth are demonised in media and popular films even in tabloid journalism with examples given like BBC documentaries and Jeremy Kyle show. The films called harry Brown and Eden Lake have villians which were youth suggesting that youth culture is detrimental to society and at the years of '08-'09 there was the growing panic, 'moral panic' of 'hooded teens' and 'chavs'. The riots of 2011 showed journalism and news using the lootings and knowledge of a large amount of teenagers being apart of the riots as a way to demonise the youth and working-class. 

4) What does Hebdige argue with regards to youth culture? 

Hebdige states that youth culture have used media's own stereotypes of them as a way of resisting the norm with their outfits. The youth showing themselves as those not of the 'norm' or 'mainstream' is done with them adapting the negative stereotypes of them by mainstream culture.; which reinforces their own negative images as they see themselves as that and others do. 

5) What other theorists are referenced alongside Hebdige? How do they link to the issue of youth identity?

David Gauntlett links to culture in youth because he states the media has affected the youth by being able to make their identity which gives a representation which others will see those individuals as. Stuart Hall's media messages states that audiences can negotiate, reject or accept meanings or images created for them which connects with the idea of 'youth identity' as the images constructed by the media is accepted by the youth who perpetuate these identities as resistance against the dominant culture.

6) How can we link our Year 12 case study on Ill Manors to youth and identity? What specific examples from the case study could be used to discuss Hebdige’s theory that youth culture challenges mainstream culture and dominant ideologies?

The case study of Illmanors links to youth and identity. Hebdiges theory of youth culture can be applied as challenging the mainstream in the film is evident in the dominate stereotypes portrayed in the film (film shows youth as violent, reckless and dangerous) thus challenging the mainstream conventions and rather them reinforcing negative images of youth showing them as rebellions. 

7) What does theorist David Gauntlett suggest regarding the media’s influence over the construction of identities?

Gauntlett states that the media has it's own influence on making youth culture portryals as they construct these images which audiences will see and stereotype the youth from but also how others see themselves. This is seen when targeted ads at youths as companies are able to get the images of youth from the media , in terms of clothing, and appeal to a wider audience (youths) from the images perpetuated and youth consume to subvert but end up conforming to those stereotypes.

8) Do you agree that Hebdige’s view that youth culture will always seek to resist mainstream culture and challenge dominant ideologies?

I agree with Hebdiges view to an extent as though some youth will seek out to challenge mainstream culture as a form of resistance as some other youths do not identify themselves as one's to challenge stereotypes of themselves but rather conform and not resist shows that youth won't always want to resit these mainstream dominant ideologies. This shows how Hebdiges own theory may seem not as broad but mere small part of youth culture rather than taking on the complexities of people's identities. This is shown in the punk movements which was to go against political uproar in coutries and to fight against oppression, that itself has broken down into different sub-cultures showing the complexity of one identity into different one which may all follow thier own ideologies to resist or something else which shows that Hebdiges theory isn't broad enough to cover a variety of youth identities.