Class 4: race, ethnicity and diaspora

terms

case study- Charlotte Adigery: music as political art

belgian- caribbean artist, working with Boris Pupul.

Fuses dance music with political commentary, particularly on racism, sexism, diaspora and identity

key themes and songs:

diaspora and identity.

• “Blenda” critiques assimilation pressure and asks where do I belong

• reflects postcolonial identity struggles

• questions fixed notions of belonging toed to geography or race

race and structural racism

• challenges both scientific and structural racism

• highlights everyday racism and micro aggressions

• exposes how racial inequality is embedded in systems, beauty norms, and cultural expectations

cultural appropriation and representation

• “High Light” critiques beauty standards and celebrates Black hair culture

• references Kobena Mercer’s idea of hair as an ethnic signifier

• uses mating to root visuals in diasporic space

• shows how wigs can reflect both resistance and self- expression

intersectionality and gender

• music explores misogynoir: the intersection of racism and sexism faced by black women

• lyrics empower female agency and align with drag culture as a form of gender resistance

• celebrates black women hood outside of white- centric standards

conclusion

• Adigery and Pupil use humour, irony and dance music yo deliver sharp cultural critique

• their work addresses intersectionality, post-colonialism, and identity politics

• songs do not only entertain but educate and resist, adding powerful voices to discussions on race, gender, and belonging in contemporary Western culture

race

originally used to describe cultural distinctions, the concept pf race became biologically framed by the 19th century.

social Darwinism and scientific racism used physical traits to justify imperialism, slavery and segregation, claiming European superiority as neutral

this view was debunked in the 20th c- especially post- WWII- by biological science and anti- racist scholarship

race as a social construction

Omi and Winant: race is real in its social effects, produced through racial formtion and reflects power dynamics and historical context

Paul Gilroy: race is phenotypical difference politicised to maintain inequality; its meaning is fluid and historically shifting

Stuart Hall: even without scientific grounding, racial discourses persist- media and institutions reproduce new forms of racialisation

racialisation- Paul Gilroy

race affects non- white people trough institutional discrimination

it is not real biologically but has very real social consequences

key concepts and thinkers:

• W. E. B. Du Bois – Double Consciousness (1903): Black individuals live with asplit identity, shaped by seeing themselves through white societal norms.

• Frantz Fanon – Internalised Racism (1952):Colonised people absorb the coloniser’s gaze, leading to psychological alienation; he called for dismantling racial hierarchies.

• Hall (2021): Despite shifts, racial discourses remain embedded in social and cultural systems—especially in media (explored in later sections).

Ethnicity as a constructed category

like race, ethnicity is socially and historically constructed, but focuses in cultural features rather than physical traits

often perceived as stable and inherited, but actually shaped by discursive and historical processes

ethnicity, identity and hierarchies

ethnicity is directly linked to a sense of origin and belonging, expressed through cultural markers

western societies often use ‘ethnicity’ to other non- white groups, reinforcing ethnic hierarchies (e.g. calling global south music ‘ethnic’ or ‘world music’)

Endeguena Mulu critiques such labels for framing western misc as the universal norms

Stuart Hall: deconstructing ethnicity

• emphasised that ethnicity should be seen as dynamic, not essentialist

• we are all ethnically located

• promoted the concept of new ethnicities- identities shaped by diaspora, hybridity and cultural mixing

• wanted against limiting artists to ethnic roles based on their background

diaspora transnatioanlism

diaspora: the historical and ongoing dispersion if people, often due to colonisation or conflict

modern technologies facilitate transnational connections, allowing communities to stay linked across borders (Karim, 2018)

these links influence both shared global identities and local adaptations (Georgiou, 2005)

case study- Tamino

transnational identities in practice:

• Tamino, a belgian artist of Egyptian- Lebanese descent, blends Middle Eastern music traditions with western indie- pop

• performs in English- reflecting a hybrid, diasporic identity

• rejects tokenism, insisting that diversity should not overshadow artistic merit

reaching racial and ethnic diversity in popular media culture

context- specific approach

• racial, ethnic and diasporic identities are shaped by historical, spatial and local/ national context

• media systems are contextually regulated, affecting how diversity is represented

• researching media must include how policies, laws, and cultural norms influence belonging, exclusion, and hierarchy

• aims to empirically assess racism and contribute to social change

critical theories on representation

postcolonial studies

• Franz Fanon: critiqued colonial legacies and their psychological impact

• Edward Said’s Orientalism: western discourse portrays the “orient” as exotic/inferior; used in media to justify dominance

• orientalist in aesthetics: repeats stereotypes through tropes

• hybridity

  • coloniser/colonised interactions produces hybrid identities, challenging static cultural norms

media and cultural studies

• emphasises the politics of representation (Stuart Hall)

• investigates how stereotypes are constructed and maintained

• American/British focus: black Diaspora identities

• continental Europe: WANA and postcolonial communities

communication science approaches

• cultivation theory

  • studies how repeated exposure to media shapes audiences beliefs about reality

  • example: viewers may internalise racial stereotypes shown on TV

• framing theory

  • news media frames minorities identities as either victims or perpetuators

  • example: Romani people in European news media

• production of popular culture

  • cultural production is shaped by capitalism and policy, affecting who gets represented and how

  • focus on racialisation U.S. black music, showing how minorities navigate and resist dominant narratives in media industries

racial and ethnic diversity in the production of popular media culture

focus on media production (Anamik Saha)

• investigates how race is constructed within media production processes, not just how it is represented on screen.

the politics of production

• racial and ethnic representation is shaped by: institutional decision- making, structural inequalities, economic motives tied to profitability

influence of capitalism

• western media industries operate within capitalism systems

• market logic prioritises representations that appeal ti profitable audiences

• this often results in stereotyping or underrepresentation of minoritised groups

diversity policies and their limits

• government regulations aim to prevent hate speech and promote inclusion

• diversity initiatives in media industries focus on visibility

• but these efforts often fail to address deeper power imbalances or changes gatekeeping structures

role of technology and daily practices

• technologies influence what gets produced

• editorial choices and hiring practices affect which voices are included or excluded

• gatekeepers determine which narratives are prioritised

new research trends

• shift from just studying representation to analysing: production routines, workplace culture, financial incentives

• aim: understand the systemic forces behind racial and ethnic media portrayals

capitalism, media and cultural industries and racial and ethnic diversity

racial inequality in U.S media production

• film and television have historically been dominated by white professionals

• there is a need to track progress toward diversity and using data- driven assessments

UCLA Hollywood diversity report (2021)

• longitudinal study of diversity in Hollywood since 2011

• evaluates: race and gender of lead actors. diversity among directors, workers and creators

• uses categories like: white, black, Latino, asian, MENA, multiracial

• in 2020: 42,7% of American were people of colour: representation of people of colour increased in acting and behind- the - scenes roles, still, minority professionals remain underrepresented overall

impact of streaming and demographics

• old model (broadcast TV) prioritised white audiences and advertisers

• new model (streaming services) uses narrowcasting to serve diverse, niche audiences, enabled more diverse shows by creators of colour and women, recognises that people of colour watch more TV and prefer diverse content

the double edge of commodification (Saha, 2018)

enabling aspects

• diversity becomes marketable and profitable

• can challenge racism and support diasporic solidarity

constraining aspects

• diversity driven inly by market logic lacks genuine inclusion

• leads to stereotypical representation- e.g. focus in black athletes but ignoring black political voices

• groups seen as unprofitable, like native Americans are neglected

conclusion

• while diversity is increasing, media industries often commodify race

• without addressing underlying power structures, diversity may restrain surface- level, reinforcing stereotypes rather than transforming presentation

diversity initiatives and policies - industry- level initiatives

media industries use inclusive language and written commitments to attract ethnic minority applicants

mentoring, training and diversity policies help raise workplace awareness and reduce exclusion

professional unions also advocate for proportional racial and ethnic across roles

academic and advocacy resources offer practical tools for improving inclusivity

example: Aminata Demba’s represent campaign with a reflexive company assessment questionnaire

shift from surface level diversity to deeper inclusivity since the late 2010s

severity initiatives and policies- governmental measures

cultural subsidies now tied to demonstrate diversity efforts

public broadcasters operate under management agreements with clear inclusivity Key Performance indicators (KPIs)

case study- VRT (flemish public broadcaster)

management agreement (2021-2025)

• audience KPIs: weekly reach of 75% across gender, age, education, and migration backgrounds.

• Representation KPIs: Women: ↑ from 40% → 48% People with non-EU-15 background: ↑ from 7.5% → 9.5% People with disabilities: ↑ from 1.5% → 2%

• Staffing target: At least 7% from outside EU-15 backgrounds.

internal actions

• diversity charter (2003): commitment to equality, accessibility and pluralism

• diversity monitor: independent research tracks progress on diversity metric annually

conclusion

• both media companies and governments are implementing structural strategies to improve diveristy

• public service broadcasters like VRT lead by example, setting measurable target and conducting annual monitoring

• while enforcement remains light, consistent reporting and transparency drive accountability and change

mainstream diversity

definition: including ethnic minorities in mainstream media rather than creating content that acknowledges racial difference

risk: results in post- racial, assimilationist portrayals that ignore issues like racism and microaggressions (Malik, 2013)

outcome: increased visibility of minority professionals, but often without political depth

burden of representation

pressure on minority professionals to ‘speak for’ their entire community

from both sides: communities expect authentic, positive portrayals. white colleagues expect marketable diversity

call to action: all media professionals must take responsibility for fair, critical representation

case study- we are lady parts

premise: follows five British muslim women in a punk band

challenges stereotypes: diverse muslim identities shown, counters passive/ exotic tropes by entering self- expression and complexity

creator nida manzo: aims to show multiplicity, not a single authentic muslim experience, embraces thread culture identity (British- Pakistani- Muslim)

Whiteness in media production

Richard Dyer: whiteness seen as universal and unracialised, while non- white people are marked by race

technical and visual biases: mise- en- scene: white characters dominate screen space, whitewashing: casting white actors in non- white roles, photography/film tech: historically favoured white skin

reform efforts: shows like insecure (HBO) use innovative lighting to better represent black skin. films like Selma an dMoonlight celebrates for accurately portraying darker skin tones

conclusion:

• diversity is increasing, but political and commercial pressures shape its expression

• assimilationist tendencies dominate, often sidelining meaningful cultural difference

• ethnic minority creators bear the emotional and professional burden of representation

• whiteness remains embedded in narrative, casting and technical practices

• ongoing systemic change is needed for equitable and authentic racial and ethnic representation in media

historical outline of black popular music- early 20th century

commercial racialisation of music

• 1920s: black music marketed as race music, separating it from the white mainstream

• music was categorised by race, style and audience reinforcing segregation in the industry

• artists: Mamie Smith, Bessie Smith

historical outline of black popular music: 1940s-60s

rhythm & blues and soul

• R&B replaced race music in name but segregation persisted

• billboard’s separate charts boosted black music civility but later setbacks reduced exposure

• soul (1960s). merged R&B with gospel, expressing black pride and civil rights activism

• Nina Simone: politically charged music like Mississippi Goddam and To be Young, Gifted nd Black tackled systemic racism and empowered black identity

historical outline of black popular music: 1970s- 90s

hip- hop and industry politics

• hip-hop emerged from urban black communities, initially political but also criticised for hyper masculinity and sexism

• Bell Hooks: argued hip- hop masculinity marginalised emotional expression and catered to white audiences’ stereotypes

• industry commodified blackness, often promoting aggressive and sexualised imagery

historical outline of black popular music: 2000s- today

diversity, resistance, and innovation

• new wave of artists challenge racial and gendered genre boundaries

• Solange (F.U.B.U): critiques miroaggressions, promotes black- only cultural spaces

• Frank Ocean: centres queer black masculinity, expanding R&B/hip- hop narratives

• other boundary- breaking artists: Moses Sumner, Sudan Archives, FKA twigs

historical outline of black popular music: key takeaways

• black music has been historically racialised and confined to specific genres for marketing

• contemporary artists resist genre constraints, expand black artistic identities, and address systemic injustice

• black popular music diverse, political and innovative, not monolithic or confined to stereotypes