Representations of Social class
- Created by: ecotts
- Created on: 02-01-18 12:52
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- Representations of Social Class
- media representations rarely focus on the social tensions or class conflict that some see as the underling of society
- Upper Class representations
- Representations
- Media celebrates hierarchy and wealth
- Period dramas like 'The King's Speech and Downton Abby show a rosy idealised ruling elite
- Nairn
- Monarchy
- The monarchy has successfully converted much of the mass media
- This was because after WW2, the monarchy reinvented itself as the Royal Family which has a cast of characters
- members of the Royal family were seen to be like us as the Queen is an ordinary mother but with an extraordinary job
- This was because after WW2, the monarchy reinvented itself as the Royal Family which has a cast of characters
- Due to the change, the royal family became a national obsession with the media
- it focussed positively turning them into a narrative e.g focussing on weddings, births
- The Queen is represented as the ultimate symbol of the nation, reinforcing a sense on national identity
- Representations
- Wealthy representations
- Newman
- The media focus positively on the lifestyles of the wealthy and the privileged
- 1. the media focus too much on consumer items that only the wealthy can afford, luxury cars, costly holidays
- Romeo Beckham modelling for burberry
- 2. international news are reported on their impact on the business world and wealthy investors,
- Rather than on ordinary working people
- 3. the media rarely focus on the inequalities of capitalism
- Such as the growing divide between rich and poor
- Pluralist
- The representations on the elites/ wealthy , lifestyles and business world are justified for three reasons
- 1. Uk is a meritocracy and the wealthy are talented and deserving of high rewards
- 2. stories may motive people to work hard in belief that they can attain these rewards
- 3. The focus on finance and shares may reflect the important of these sectors for the economy
- Newman
- Middle class representations
- Some sociologist argue that the middle class and their concerns are overrepresented in the media
- The middle class are overrepresented on T.V
- as middle class families are predominant and newspapers aim at the missile class by focussing on their rates and interest
- Such as The Brockman family in outnumbered
- Car adverts; the perfect family car
- as middle class families are predominant and newspapers aim at the missile class by focussing on their rates and interest
- Newspapers cause the middle class moral panic on issues such as terrorism and asylum seekers
- The M/C then worry about the decline of moral standard in society
- Most people in the media are from the middle class
- This is why news and current affairs are dominated by the middle class
- Working Class representations
- Jones
- The media represents the working class as feckless, promiscuous,foul-mouthed racist who hate minorities and multiculturalism
- Curran & Seaton
- Newspapers assume that the working class are uninterested in serious analysis of political or social events
- Marxist see this as an excuse and they do this to cover up the exploitation
- Newspapers assume that the working class are uninterested in serious analysis of political or social events
- Marxist
- The use of celebrity gossip is to distract them aways from the inequalities of capitalism
- However, pluralist say that this is what tabloid readers want
- The use of celebrity gossip is to distract them aways from the inequalities of capitalism
- Films like "Made in Dagenham' and 'Pride' portray the working class life and problems in a realistic but sympathic way
- They do this by challenging inequality which show the positive and sympathy representations
- Jones
- Poverty and Underclass representations
- McKendrick et al
- The coverage of poverty is marginal
- the causes and consequences of poverty are rarely explored through the media
- The coverage of poverty is marginal
- Cohen
- The media is so concerned about 'trumpeting the good fortune' of british capitalism
- Therefore, it pays less attention to it's casualties
- Journalist, entertainers and artists are hopeless at reporting the difficulty of the poor
- Therefore, it pays less attention to it's casualties
- The media uses discriminatory terms such as chav and shirkers which vilifies and socially stigmatise the poor
- It reinforces the view that the poor are poor because of their own weakness and depravity
- This means the public don't have sympathy for the poor
- The media is so concerned about 'trumpeting the good fortune' of british capitalism
- McKendrick et al
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