Stuart Hall Theories of representation 3

Contesting a racialized regime of representation

1. Theories of representation Stuart Hall: Theories of representation 3

2. Stuart Hall: Contesting a racialized regime of representation Read the pages 269-277 of text provided: Hall, Stuart. Contesting a racialized regime of representation  from Representation:  Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London, Thousand Oaks : Sage Publications Inc., 1997 Extract the main ideas : Definitions: Type (archetype) vs. stereotype Three strategies to contest stereotyping. Provide at least one example for each of them.

3. Stuart Hall: Contesting a racialized regime of representation Since the 1960’s, many strategies have been implemented in order to contest what Stuart Hall calls a racialized regime of representation. Three of this strategies are presented by him: Reversal of stereotypes Substitution of negative images by positive ones . Attempting to make stereotypes work against themselves .

4. Reversal of stereotypes Reversing the evaluation of popular stereotypes is not necessarily to overturn or subvert it. Escaping the grip of one stereotypical extreme may simply mean being trapped in its stereotypical “other” (or oppositional stereotype: women assuming male stereotypes, black people assuming white stereotypes, etc.)

5. Substitution of negative images by positive ones Celebration of difference/diversity and racial or gender hybridity. Based on positive identification , rather than negative identification. Expand the range of gender or racial representations and the complexity of what it means “to be black in a white world” or “to be a woman in a man’s world” challenging the reductionism of earlier stereotypes .

6. Substitution of negative images by positive ones Do these images evade difficult questions , dissolving the harsh realities of gender discrimination or racism into a liberal mishmash of difference ? Do these images appropriate difference into a spectacle in order to sell a product? Do these positive images displace/replace the negative ones ? Is this actually positive or effective when the intention is highlighting and reporting on these issues?

7. Attempting to make stereotypes work against themselves This strategy makes elaborate play with ‘looking’, hoping to de-familiarise the audience with the stereotype , and so make explicit what is often hidden . It is not afraid to deploy humour to highlight the exaggerations and oversimplifications of the stereotypes that challenges and contests.

8. Bring your own examples Can you find at least two examples of each one of these representation strategies with regards representation of women in the media (past and present)?

9. Bethany James

10. Millie Newton

11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozgUJrIrl6U&feature=youtu.be Alice Armitage

12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu_m5diSk4k Archie Zealey

13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYIhL08erRE Rebecca Howard