This week I read the article Racist Ideologies and the Media by Stuart Hall. Hall argues that
the media’s main function is the meditation and construction of ideologies in
culture. Hall illustrates the
three important factors of ideology. Firstly ideologies are not separate
concepts, secondly ideologies are not the product of an individual and thirdly ideologies
tend to be unconsciously blended into a culture as a commonsense view (272).
Hall argues that ideologies work in a certain way that
ideologies have to be practiced (273).
Hall also asserts that ideologies are “generated, produced and reproduced in specific settings” (273).
Indeed Hall asserts that the media play a role in constructing ideologies about
race. The media is also a site where ideologies about race are created,
produced and reproduced (273).
Hall continues by distinguishing between overt racism
and inferential racism in the media. Overt racism is when particular emphasis
is given to arguments that are of are openly racist views. Inferential racism
is when ideologies about race have become naturalised in a culture wether they
are based on fact or not (273). Inferential racism is when racism has become the
accepted norm in a culture. Hall argues that Inferential racism an unconscious
racism is the most dangerous as it spreads quickly and quietly without peoples
awareness.
Indeed Hall argues that racism is so deeply imbedded
in colonial conquest countries of British and European culture. That over time
unconscious racism has saturated their media and literature. That even in today’s popular culture there
is reference to the savage the native that was rampant in colonial times (274).
References:
Hall S. 2000. Racist Ideologies and the Media. In P Marris and S
Thornham, Eds., Media Studies: A Reader. 2nd Edn., New York, New York
University Press. Ch. 22, 271-282.
Images:
No comments:
Post a Comment