Representation theories

Stuart Hall’s representation theory:

• Representation of an event has no real meaning until it has been represented in the media and then the presentation of it from different sources might change or distort the meaning.

• Representations aren’t reflections of things that already have meaning, they are the meaning makers of things that happen in reality. 

• Hall argues that much of society’s understanding of society and the world is based on meanings created by media producers. 

• Stereotypes are created because of the limited representations that the hegemonic elites show us. Lack of diversity of representations narrows society’s perception of people/society. Who made the text plays are large part in the representations we see.

David Gauntlett’s media identity theory:

• Gauntlett does not suggest that media provides ‘tools’ for identity creation.​

• Gauntlett suggests, the media ‘reflect’ identities – it does not create them. ​

• Media might provide a connection between ideas or people, but does not offer ‘identity construction’. ​

Lisbet Van Zoonen’s patriarchy & male gaze theory:

• The Male gaze: the way the media represents the world almost entirely from the male perspective. Shown in how we see female characters as objects in the media as a result of the perspective of a straight man. (Laura Mulvey’s Theory)

• Representations of women and men in different media forms have contributed to patriarchy (men are dominant, powerful and leaders and women are secondary, weak and prizes).

• This is exaggerated through costume and body language of men and women in media, men are rarely shown fully nude in media, whereas women often are, which Zoonen argues robs them of power. When men are shown in little clothing it is often to show physical strength.

• The media cultivates patriarchy since media and society have a symbiotic relationship, relying and informing one another – (linking to Bandura).

Judith Butler’s gender performance theory:

• Gender is a performance; it’s what you do at particular times, rather than a universal who you are.

• Therefore, a person does not have a base layer of identity based upon sex or gender which is then layered over with a performance of gender identity. There is only the performance.

Bell Hook’s representing diversity theory:

• White, male, upper class people control the media industries and their values and beliefs are the ones that we see in the vast majority of media products.​

• Therefore, people who are not white, male and upper class will not see their values in media products and means that whole groups of people and their values can be misrepresented or ignored.​

• It can also create prejudice and discrimination towards these groups.

Paul Gilroy’s post-colonial culture theory:

• Culture has been deployed too often in an attempt to explain difference and division rather than unity or commonality.​

• Britain has failed to mourn the ‘loss of empire’ resulting in ‘Post-colonial melancholia’. This draws attention to the continuing role of colonial ideology – of the superiority of white western culture – across a range of representations in media (namely, newspapers).