Media and Collective Identity

Theories to relate to our case study films and television shows.

Identity and Labels

• Theorist: Ting-Toomey (1993)

• We interact with others to create an identity, this is called identity negotiation. This develops a consistent set of behaviours that reinforce the identity of the person or group.

• These behaviours then become social expectations.

Briitsh ‘Identities’

Collective consciousness

• Theorist: Emile Durkheim

• a society/group with shared beliefs and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force within the society/group.

Example: Buddhist Monks

• Can you think of any other examples?

Interpellation

• Theorist: Althusser

• The power of the mass media resides in their ability to place a subject in a way that their representations are taken to be reality.

• Interpellation – process of recognition with the ideology at hand (identify with a particular idea)

Example: Su-Bo

Mass Media

• Theorist: Marcuse

• The mass media carry with them prescribed attitudes and habits, certain intellectual and emotional reactions which bind the consumer and reduce them to a mindless mass.

• Resulting in ‘Passive Audience’

Example: Advertising

Asda advert Men Vs Women

Performativity

• Theorist: Judith Butler

• identity is a performance which includes the daily behaviour (or performance) of individuals based on social norms or habits. Butler believes that identity is not a fixed state of being but a free-flowing constantly changing performance; it is about what you do rather than an essential ‘who you are’.

Example – gender performance

Construction Of Identity

Theorist: David Gauntlett• David Gauntlett's Construction of Identity is very useful as it

discusses the power relationship between media and ourselves when it comes to constructing identity.

• 'The power relationship between the media and the audience involves a 'bit of both' or to be more precise, a lot of both. The media sends out a huge number of messages about identity and acceptable forms of self-expression, gender, sexuality, and lifestyle. At the same time the public have their own even more robust set of diverse feelings on the issues. The media's suggestions may be seductive but can never simply overpower contrary feelings in the audience.’

• Resulting in The active audience

Examples of media role models

Construction Of Identity - continued

Theorist: David Gauntlett and Judith Butler

• David Gauntlett agrees with Judith Butler that identity is a fluid concept, one that is forever in a state of altering flux.

Example: Pop stars

Our Case Studies

• Past film/TV that represents Britain of that era.• Passport to Pimlico/Coronation Street and Are You

Being Served• Contemporary film/TV that represents Britain of a past

era.• An Education/Red Riding• Contemporary film/TV that represents contemporary

Britain.• Happy Go Lucky/ My Summer of Love and

Fishtank/Misfits

Blog Task

1. Are there any cultural or fashion movements taking place in Britain now, that you think would be strong enough to form a ‘Collective Identity’.

2. Argue ways that you could relate each theorists argument to one of our case study texts. (Use key scenes to support you answers)