9.2.2
Social Class & Ethnicity
Working Class
Working Class
The media shows each social class in a different light and rarely focuses on the conflicts between them.
The working class
The working class
- The media often represent the working class in a stereotypical context such as on soaps like Eastenders and Coronation Street.
- British soaps show close knit working class communities but in reality, these communities have collapsed.
Working class communities
Working class communities
- Dodd and Dodd argue that instead, these communities are now threatened by criminal and racist forces.
TV news
TV news
- GUMG found that TV news is biased with regard to social class and reflects the interests of powerful groups.
- The coverage of the miners’ strike in the 1980’s illustrates this.
- GUMG argue that the overall impression by the media was that the workers caused the strikes.
- This dominant view shows the working class in a negative way.
Lawler
Lawler
- Lawler argues that the media purposefully stigmatises the working classes as ‘white trash’.
- Images show them wearing tracksuits and taking part in anti social behaviour.
- Lawler argues that this neutralises public concern about the group.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity
There are many racial stereotypes in the media. Ethnic minorities are portrayed as a “problem” and they are reported as the cause of crime and social disorder.
Minorities
Minorities
- In the media ethnic minorities are portrayed as a “problem” and they are reported as the cause of crime and social disorder.
- Van Dijk looked at the reporting of ethnic minorities between 1985 and 1989 and found that:
- White citizens were reported positively.
- Non-whites were reported negatively.
Van Dijk
Van Dijk
- Van Dijk also showed that the voice of the British press was predominately white, meaning that the majority of media owners, editors and journalists were from white backgrounds.
Racial stereotypes
Racial stereotypes
- There are many racial stereotypes in the media.
- Ethnic minorities are often portrayed in a negative way, such as:
- Criminals.
- Sufferers of AIDS in Africa.
- Underachievers in school.
Moral panics
Moral panics
- There have been many moral panics about ethnic minorities including Muslims, immigrants and refugees.
Tokenism
Tokenism
- Some sociologists discuss the use of tokenism in the media.
- This is when a TV programme for example, will over represent ethnic minority groups.
- This is regardless of whether or not the ethnic minority authentically fits into the story being told.
Muslims
Muslims
- Muslims are often portrayed as the enemy within the press.
- Poole argues that Muslims are demonised in the news and presented as a threat to society.
- The group are often associated in the news with fundamentalism.
1Theory & Methods
1.1Sociological Theories
1.2Sociological Methods
2Education with Methods in Context
2.1Role & Function of the Education System
2.2Educational Achievement
2.3Relationships & Processes Within Schools
3Option 1: Culture & Identity
3.1Conceptions of Culture
3.2Identity & Socialisation
3.3Social Identity
3.4Production, Consumption & Globalisation
4Option 1: Families & Households
4.1Families & Households
4.2Changing Patterns
4.3The Symmetrical Family
4.4Children & Childhood
5Option 1: Health
5.1Social Constructions
5.2Social Distribution of Healthcare
5.3Provision & Access to Healthcare
5.4Mental Health
6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare
6.1Poverty & Wealth
7Option 2: Beliefs in Society
7.1Ideology, Science & Religion
7.2Religious Movements
7.3Society & Religion
8Option 2: Global Development
8.1Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality
8.2Globalisation & Global Organisations
8.3Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation
9Option 2: The Media
9.1Contemporary Media
9.2Media Representations
10Crime & Deviance
10.1Crime & Society
10.2Social Distribution of Crime
Jump to other topics
1Theory & Methods
1.1Sociological Theories
1.2Sociological Methods
2Education with Methods in Context
2.1Role & Function of the Education System
2.2Educational Achievement
2.3Relationships & Processes Within Schools
3Option 1: Culture & Identity
3.1Conceptions of Culture
3.2Identity & Socialisation
3.3Social Identity
3.4Production, Consumption & Globalisation
4Option 1: Families & Households
4.1Families & Households
4.2Changing Patterns
4.3The Symmetrical Family
4.4Children & Childhood
5Option 1: Health
5.1Social Constructions
5.2Social Distribution of Healthcare
5.3Provision & Access to Healthcare
5.4Mental Health
6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare
6.1Poverty & Wealth
7Option 2: Beliefs in Society
7.1Ideology, Science & Religion
7.2Religious Movements
7.3Society & Religion
8Option 2: Global Development
8.1Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality
8.2Globalisation & Global Organisations
8.3Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation
9Option 2: The Media
9.1Contemporary Media
9.2Media Representations
10Crime & Deviance
10.1Crime & Society
10.2Social Distribution of Crime
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