Critical Media Culture and Representation in Cultural Studies

What is the main objective of using a critical perspective in media culture?

To examine and disrupt taken-for-granted assumptions and realities.

What does positionality refer to in the context of media analysis?

The understanding that multiple realities exist due to different perspectives and media coverage.

What are the two types of messages that media can convey?

Explicit messages, which are obvious, and implicit messages, which are hidden or implied.

Who is associated with the concept of representation in cultural studies?

Stuart Hall.

What does 'framing' refer to in media texts?

The boundaries and limits of how a text presents information.

What is meant by 'text' in cultural studies?

Anything that conveys meaning, including media, literature, and even our bodies.

What are the two necessary factors for meaningful social justice according to Hill Collins?

Acknowledging interlocking oppressions and behavior change.

What are the four features of cultural studies frameworks?

Ideologies, interdisciplinary focus, context, and the subjective.

What does political economy study in the context of media?

The social relations and power dynamics that shape the production, distribution, and consumption of resources.

What is textual analysis in media studies?

Examining the ideological themes and possible intent behind a text.

What does audience reception and use involve?

Examining how different audiences decode and interpret media texts.

What does polysemy refer to in media studies?

The idea that texts can have multiple meanings and interpretations.

What are dominant, oppositional, and negotiated readings in media analysis?

Different ways audiences can interpret media texts, reflecting various ideological positions.

What is the critique of identity politics according to Danuta Walters?

It critiques mainstream narratives about which issues are attached to which bodies and the resulting hierarchies.

What does the term 'intersectional oppression' imply?

The overlapping and interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender.

What is the significance of the term 'MEI' in the context of identity politics?

It stands for Merit, Excellence, and Intelligence, suggesting a shift away from diversity-focused efforts.

How does the media serve as a source of cultural pedagogy?

It shapes perceptions and understandings of social norms and values.

What does the phrase 'the way we move through the world is political' suggest?

Our identities and experiences are shaped by political contexts and societal structures.

What is 'pinkwashing' in the context of social justice?

The practice of corporations superficially supporting social movements without making substantive changes.

What role does context play in critical cultural studies?

It helps to understand how social, historical, and cultural factors influence media texts and their interpretations.

What does the term 'socially constructed identities' refer to?

Identities that are shaped by societal norms and expectations rather than inherent traits.

What is the impact of media representation on marginalized communities?

It can reinforce stereotypes or provide visibility and acknowledgment of their experiences.

What does the professor argue about media messages?

All media contain both explicit and implicit messages that convey different meanings.

What is the significance of the Hurricane Katrina coverage in media studies?

It highlights the criminalization of marginalized communities and the biases in media representation.

How does critical/insurgent multiculturalism view the audience?

It recognizes that the audience is not a monolith and that messages are inherently political.

What does 'subjectivity and structure' refer to in media analysis?

The interplay between individual perspectives and the broader societal structures that shape those perspectives.

What does framing involve?

Framing involves selection and salience, making certain aspects of reality more prominent to promote a specific interpretation or recommendation.

How do frames influence audience perception?

Frames call attention to certain aspects of reality while obscuring others, potentially leading to different audience reactions.

What is the quote by Brenard Cohen regarding media influence?

The media don't tell us what to think, they tell us what to think about.

How was Prime Minister Trudeau's brownface incident framed?

It was framed in multiple ways: as racist and unforgivable, as politically incorrect but forgivable, and as an opportunity for redemption.

What determines the strength of a media frame?

Frames are stronger when used consistently across media; they are weaker when multiple frames are presented.

What is the Idle No More movement?

Idle No More is an indigenous movement aimed at promoting indigenous self-determination and protecting land and water.

What was Bill C-45 perceived as by indigenous communities?

Bill C-45 was seen as an overreach by the government, threatening indigenous sovereignty and land rights.

What are the five major themes studied by Chen in relation to Idle No More?

The themes are politics, economy and society, environment, culture, and 'other'.

How is stereotyping defined in the context of discrimination?

Stereotyping is a symbolic form of discrimination that reduces, centralizes, and fixes differences.

What are the three key elements of stereotyping?

Reduction, splitting (us vs. them ideology), and power dynamics between dominant and subordinate groups.

What is Orientalism according to Edward Said?

Orientalism is a regime of representation that constructs a Eurocentric view of the East as inferior and uncivilized.

Is Orientalism merely a form of stereotyping?

No, it is perceived as knowledge itself, not just ignorance.

What are the three features of ideology as described by Stuart Hall?

Creating chains of meaning, using ideological frames to make sense of the world, and producing positions of identification.

What is the concept of 'democratic racism' in Canada?

Democratic racism expresses rights for all while still holding stereotypical beliefs about certain groups.

What does the term 'forever others' refer to in the context of Canadian campuses?

'Forever others' refers to the ongoing othering of not just immigrants but also Canadian-born racialized individuals.

What does the term WASP stand for?

WASP stands for White Anglo-Saxon Protestant.

What is the significance of the 'Too Asian' controversy?

It highlights systemic racism in media representation and the backlash against perceived racial bias in university admissions.

What are the implications of media framing on grassroots movements?

Media framing can shape public perception and influence the effectiveness of grassroots movements by highlighting or downplaying certain issues.

What is post-feminism as represented in media?

Post-feminism emphasizes personal ownership of femininity, individual empowerment, and the commodification of identity.

What is the critique of seemingly empowering gender and sexuality pieces?

They may not be as empowering as they appear, often reinforcing traditional gender norms.

What does the term 'oppositional reading' refer to?

Oppositional reading involves interpreting media in ways that challenge dominant narratives or representations.

How does media serve as a tool for ideological production?

Media creates frames that shape our understanding of the social world and influence social consciousness.