Open up MM58 from our Media Magazine archive. Go to page 66 and readSocial Media and Black Identity then complete the following tasks:
1) List three theorists discussed in the article and what they believe regarding black identity.
Aisha Harris- Harris states that social media is a negative role in constructing the identity of black people and this is a somewhat an unconscious reflection of an in grained "deep-rooted desire" for black people to be entertaining and preformative. This increase in the usage of social media has allowed a culture to be made where black people have become subject to "memeification" (content including black people are used as internet memes)
Giddens- Giddens argues against Harris stating that social media can be used as a platform to construct positive black identities. Shown through the 'The Blackout' a concept used by those on Tumblr and Twitter celebrating blackness(black looks). So, Giddens states that black people have been able to use social media as a way to go against these misconstruction identities of black people by the media.
Henry Jenkins- Jankins states that social media is a place where "participatory cultures" are established; where users can come together creatively and make a platform for political activism for marginalised people. Shown through the concept of "Black Twitter" which has evolved into a community of users that actively go against these negative representations of black people in the mass media while also reinforcing positive identities and views of black people through art, activism, humour and education. Jenkins states this has lead to the power to influence politics such as the social campaign of #Blacklivesmatter'.
2) In your opinion, is social media a positive or negative force when it comes to issues of black identity?
I think social media is able to be used as a tool to reinforce black positive identities as the audiences have been actively campaigning to empower themselves (Jenkins). However, social media has been unsuccessful in empowering and doesn't help construct positive images but negative images of black people due to the stereotypes which surround black people. Also, like Harris stated, platforms like social media is a negative force fuelling negative identities of black people.
3) How could you apply the post-colonial theories we have learned in class to the issue of social media and black identity?
Alvarado's representation theory can be applied, "dangerous" and "pitied", as on the news black people are shown to be dangerous by their dressing, speech and mannerisms but also impoverished by their environment. Also, "humour" as in social media black people are used as the butt of jokes in the "meme" culture linking to Harris' idea of "memefication". Fanon's racial representation can apply to social media as black representations hold themes of "decivilised" with audiences shown as dangerous and backwards.
A Hustle for Life: Refugees in the Media
1) What examples of different representations of refugees in the media are offered in the article?
The language and imagery used represents refugees as threats dehumanising them in this representation. This is like the writings of Ktie Hopkins who continuously called refugees "feral" and "cockroaches" also dehumanising.This can be seen in documentary "Exodus:Our journey to europe" also portraying them as 'pities' and helpless. Also, the article highlights refugees being presented as 'migrants' than 'refugees' creating the idea they come willingly rather than away from terror in their countries.
2) In your opinion, is the documentary genre more or less biased than the news media? What examples can you provide from the article to support your view?
Though documentaries are used as a tool to educate, I believe that they are also able to be biased themselves like news stories; producers portray issues through their own view so this means their documentary can be biased from them. Though, Exodus shows how programmes can change negative portrayals of refugees which were constructed by the media. Such as Exodus and "A refugee camp " one gave smartphones to them to film their own life and the second gave a neutral representations of refugees, showing the audience the refugees want for peace and safety; altering dominant ideologies of refugees as "scroungers". So documentaries can be used as tool for positive representations and not biased.
3) How could you apply the post-colonial theories we have learned in class to the representation of refugees in the media?
Alvarado's representation theory is shown as the theme of "pitied" continuously represented in refugees in the media and may be "dangerous" when people find a way to compare the terrors of their countries as the refugees doing and bringing it with them. Said's theory can be used to represented in refugees in the media as the difference between the west and east as the refugees from the "impoverished" east are seen as "uncivilised" and coming to the "civilised" west.
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