Xmas; Task #5 - Essay Plan

Essay Plan:
1. Introduction - A brief description of my research and discuss the representations in series
Critical investigation is going to focus on the representations of ethnic minorities and how television series like TopBoy address the stereotypes of them being criminals. I will investigate whether they actually address the stereotypes or challenge them. (R)
I will include a brief discussion on how stereotypes can develop using my independent research and historical texts to support this discussion. Also using some textual examples besides TopBoy such as ‘Notting Hill race riots’, ‘four lions’ (H, R)


2. Media addressing stereotypes of ethnic minorities
Discussion on how media texts are reinforcing stereotypes of ethnic minorities and using my research, discuss why it happens using evidence (R)
Using text such as ‘TopBoy’ where stereotypes are reinforced and different ways in which they have represented them.


3. The development in how the stereotypes perpetuate criminality within the texts

By representing a specific social group in a particular way, I will discuss how these representations involve crime. ““Media stereotyping occurs when the roles and behaviour on personal characteristics of a particular group are portrayed in a limited fashion” - Williams, K. (2003). p. 131.”-  I will link this quote with ‘TopBoy’ and discuss how the representations of black people as criminals is addressed through this series, and concentrate on whether it may cause moral panic. (S, P)

“An individual cannot personally experience the vast majority of events in which they might be interested and thus must rely on their own mental maps in order to make sense of what is going on” page 130 – this quote could say how the representations are being misrepresented and addressing stereotypes is not accurate. Also how from historical events ethnic minorities are being targeted by the police (S, R)

4. The gender and ethnicity being address to criminality

“When it comes to imagery surrounding black people; I’m used to relentlessly negative - knife crime, underachievement representations” – This could link to TopBoy as it shows both genders in crime and uneducated because of the English spoken is informal.

 “Nearly nine out of ten African-American females were victims of violence (twice the rate of white females)...79 per cent of African-American males were shown as verbally and physically aggressive, compared to 57 per cent of white males”- how percentages of the stereotypes show Black people are more likely to be involved in crime- relate back to TopBoy but go against by the Notting hill race riots 1958 white people started the fight between a black couple.

5. by TopBoy address stereotypes, do they wish to educate us? + Audience theories are included. (Maybe split into two paragraphs)

“Minorities realize — supported by research — that the media influence not only how others view them, but even how they view themselves. So minorities and other ethnic groups have long attempted to convince industry decision-makers to seek better balance in news coverage of minorities and to reduce the widespread negativism in the fictional treatment of minorities by the entertainment media.”

Hypodermic syringe model:  individual is passive receiver of media messages

– This will link to how black people’s stereotypes educate everyone watching even themselves. Could suggest theta black people are self-fulfilling prophecy (Labelling theory derived from this), what they see is what they tend to lead to. The stereotypes changes perspectives of a social group - “Black students were the heaviest TV watchers and were also the group most likely to use television as a learning tool. Of these students, over half said they learn a lot from TV and one-third said it teaches them things they don't learn in school. In light of these findings, it is perhaps not surpris­ing that blacks were also the group most likely to see television as a reflection of real life.”

“Whether intentionally or unintentionally, both the news and the entertainment media 'teach" the public about minorities, other ethnic groups and societal groups, such as women, gays, and the elderly”

This shows that the media does not address stereotypical views of ethnic minorities because the media theory of ‘Copycat’ is happening, where the youth (the audience) uses the media’s information as a guide of how their live should be and get influenced easily. (Behaviourism)

 Include: Marxism, Critical criminology - ‘New Criminology’ (Media as hegemony model/dominant ideology model); Media is owned by ruling elite and operates in interest of this class, deregulation, concentration of ownership

Hegemony:  process by which the ruling classes dominate by consent rather than coercion, domination of institutions of education, law, family and mass media. False consciousness:  members of lower classes adopt and accept the values of ruling classes, thinking these to be their own and in their better interest. 

6.  Moral panic involving ethnic minorities and how has stereotypes changed

 “A moral panics refers to the reaction of a group of people based on the false belief that another sub-culture or a group poses danger to the society” & “The major impetus for these panics is provided by the media”


Talk about the 9/11 and Arab spring, significant moment – ever since then people have been frighten – changed views on Muslims and over all Asian people. Where the stereotypes such as Brits try to show but also bring the alternative view of a black and Muslim girls relationship. Four lions a bit of a mockery of the stereotypes being addressed.  “Asians were 6.3 times more likely to be stopped than whites” Fighting for their fights- a decrease in moral panics – by the Arab spring. Representing one group and stereotyping the whole Islamic countries
  

“Media stereotyping occurs when the roles and behaviour on personal characteristics of a particular group are portrayed in a limited fashion” – one ideology throughout, mainly Islamic fundamentalist.

 “An individual cannot personally experience the vast majority of events in which they might be interested and thus must rely on their own mental maps in order to make sense of what is going on”

Notting Hill Race riots (1958) was a significant time for black people as ever since then the stereotypes of black people standing around corners and being seen as ‘troublemakers’ have continued as they continuously fight for their rights.

7. Conclude- summary of the key points, relate back to the question

Within television series and films representations of ethnic minorities are being portrayed as criminals, and discuss how these stereotypes of ethnic minorities have changed over time and if they have not, comparing back to the historical text.

Social change and puts into context that there is now greater equality for ethnic minorities now that we live in a more multi-cultural society.