What are the social implications of different media representations of groups of people?

1. What are the social implications of different media representations of groups of people?

2. To what extent is human identity increasingly “mediated”? Explore in relation to at least two media.

3. Understand the question! To mediate is to “form a connecting link between”

4. Understand the question! It suggests that our perception of other people’s identity is “mediated” by the media

5. Plan your answer • Have an argument to discuss and introduce essay: • “Media is becoming an increasingly powerful means through which our understanding of collective human identity is developed and, arguably, manipulated. This is dangerous because we can come to accept as a truth representations we are seeing second, not first, hand – these representations, if they were not true before, become self-fulfilling and real because the media makes them appear real. I want to explore British-Asian representation as a powerful example of how collective identity is mediated, focusing particularly on Yasmin and the effects of 9/11”

6. Plan your answer • Introduction/argument • Discuss Yasmin: • Her representation before 9/11: cultural hybrid who feels more at ease with western world with which she is quite well integrated (although racism still exists: graffiti, pub, police) • Her representation after 9/11: she returns to her Muslim roots because she comes to feel alienated by her British friends (e.g. John) and colleagues

7. Plan your answer • Introduction/argument • Discuss Yasmin • Discuss another film (pre 9/11?: East is East or Bhaji on the Beach): • Conflicts between young and old Asians (discuss Asian stereotypes) • Young Asians often well integrated into western society (e.g. Children in East is East) with some racism, especially from older generation (“Jim”) but not stereotyped as being terrorists

8. Plan your answer • Introduction/argument • Discuss Yasmin • Discuss another film (pre 9/11?: East is East or Bhaji on the Beach) • Discuss musical artists (Jay Sean and M.I.A): • Why were there not more “political” and provocative Asian music artists after 9/11? Discuss stereotype of parents wanting kids to have high status jobs/Asians being conservative. • M.I.A as very unusual example of a political music artist who divides opinion (discuss Galang or Born Free – lyrics and video) – also mention Shifty as film character who subverts expectations (de-racialisation) and, possibly, the character the actor who plays him, Riz Ahmed, plays in Four Lions • Jay Sean as contrast who is very successful – he is not provocative and has arguably had to move away from his Asian roots to become successful (appropriating black R n’ B – discuss video to “Down” – his mise-en-scene especially). Why is he more successful in US than UK (they have less stereotypes of Asians – he is less judged there?)?

9. Plan your answer • Introduction/argument • Discuss Yasmin • Discuss another film (pre 9/11?: East is East or Bhaji on the Beach) • Discuss musical artists - Jay Sean • and M.I.A • Conclusion: • Summary and “killer point” • “Collective identity, as I have discussed, is very often mediated. Representations of British-Asians in mainstream media have helped to construct the stereotypes of them I have discussed – as terrorists, as status obsessed, as religious etc – which are reductive and deny the richness and variety of the individual identities of Asians, such as those in the media I have explored. Niche social realist style films like Yasmin do demonstrate cultural authenticity, but to achieve success Asians often, like Jay Sean, have to position themselves away from their culture or enter less risky media professions, like broadcast news, where they are relatively well represented, unlike in media or film (you could reference the small number of British-Asian actors who seem to appear in many films/soaps etc – e.g. Archie Panjabi, Riz Ahmed). Indeed, there is a line of thought that Asians are sometimes segregated in the media – rather than give Asian music mass exposure on mainstream Radio stations like Radio 1, for example, the BBC created their Asian Network Radio station, which is I think a station playing Asian music to an Asian only audience.”

10. Plan your answer • Introduction/argument • Discuss Yasmin • Discuss another film (pre 9/11?: East is East or Bhaji on the Beach) • Discuss musical artists - Jay Sean • and M.I.A • Conclusion