post-colonialism bonus readings

MM58: Social Media and Black Identity

1) List three theorists discussed in the article and what they believe regarding black identity.

Aisha Harris - Harris argues that social media plays a negative role in the construction of black identities, and that this process is an unconscious reflection of of a "deep-rooted desire" to see black people perform and entertain. Ultimately, the rise of social media has created a culture where black people have become subject to "memeification", where content which includes black people becomes a decontextualised internet meme.

Giddens - Giddens view contracts Harris', and instead argues that social media can alternatively be a platform for the construction of positive black identities.This is represented through ‘The Blackout’ concept which is a campaign that originated on the social network ‘Tumblr’ to celebrate of blackness. As a result, Giddens argues that black people have used social media as a tool to inspire, and to construct an image of black identity that is often misrepresented by the mass media.

Henry Jenkins - Jenkins believes that social media is a platform where "participatory cultures" can be established in which members can creatively channel the skills they gain online into political activism and the voicing of marginalised viewpoints. This is represented through "Black Twitter" which is evolved to become a socially-constructed community that actively challenges negative representations of black identity in the mass media and wider society while also reinforcing positive views of black identity through humour, art, activism, and education. Jenkins suggests that this has the power to influence politics and to positively shape the world around them such as social campaign BlackLivesMatter had done.

2) In your opinion, is social media a positive or negative force when it comes to issues of black identity

I believe that social media is to an extent a positive force when it comes to issues of black identity, as audiences have been seen partaking in campaigns to empower themselves, as represented through Jenkins viewpoint. Despite this, social media can be argued to only be an echo chamber, therefore it isn't actually solving the problems that black people face due to the negative stereotypes that surround their identity. Furthermore, as Harris suggested, social media can also be a negative force as it does fuel the process on the negative constructions of black identities as audiences.

3) How could you apply the post-colonial theories we have learned in class to the issue of social media and black identity?

Fanons theory on racial representations can be applied to the issue of social media and black identity through the theme of decivilise, as audiences are represented as dangerous and "backwards", furthermore these representations essantalise them,grouping them into one representation. Similarly, Alvarados theory on representation can also be applied through the theme of dangerous and also pitied, as black individuals are often represented as dangerous or either coming from an impoverished background, especially on the news. 

A Hustle for Life: Refugees in the Media

1) What examples of different representations of refugees in the media are offered in the article?

The article suggests that refugees are being represented as migrants rather than refugees, as a result creating an impression that they are travelling by choice rather than fleeing from war zones. Furthermore, the use of language and imagery portrays refugees as a threat, essentially dehumanising them. This can be represented through the columnist Katie Hopkins, who repeatedly referred to refugees as "feral" and "cockroaches". In other cases, refugees are represented as helpless and pitied, which is portrayed through the documentary Exodus: Our journey to Europe.  

2) In your opinion, is the documentary genre more or less biased than the news media? What examples can you provide from the article to support your view?

I believe that although documentaries all have aims to educate, they can be as equally biased as news stories as the producer is essentially portraying the issue through their view point so one should be wary. Nevertheless, programmes such as Exodus highlight the ability of documentaries to alter the negative impression of refugees given elsewhere in the media, as some do give a personal viewpoint of the suffering such as Exodus which gave smartphones to refugees to film their journey, and similarly A Refugee Camp also gave an impartial yet alternative representation of refugees, as audience came in contact with their desires to go back to their homes and peace. This alters the dominant impression of refugees being "scroungers". Therefore documentaries can be argued to be a positive force, and that they are not always essentially biased.

3) How could you apply the post-colonial theories we have learned in class to the representation of refugees in the media?  

Saids theory can be applied to the representation of refugees in the media as there is a clear division between the west and the east. As nearly all the refugees come from the eastern world, they are often represented as impoverished and pitied, or in some cases even dangerous. This contrasts the representation of the civil western world. Similarly, Alvarados theory can also be applied, as the theme pitied is recurring in the representation of refugees in the media, and in some cases dangerous.