Intro to representation theories

Dominant ideology - the views, messages, values projected and held by mainstream society

Representation theories:

1) Gramsci's Hegemony 
     - Representations are unequal
     - Dominant ideology is represented the most and therefore thats what people are likely to believe.

2) Stan Cohen - Moral Panic                                                                                                                      
     - Cultures are subject to moral panic when a group of person has become defined as a threat to            
        societal values or interests.

3) Gary Giddens
     - Claims that mediated experiences make us reflect upon and rethink our own self narrative in
        reflection to others

4) Gauntlett
     - Media messages are diverse, diffuse and contradictory rather than being zapped straight into
       peoples brains, ideas about lifestyle and identify that appear in the media are resources which
       individuals use to think through their sense of self and modes of expression.
     - People use media resources to build their own identify

5) Berger
     - 'Men look, women appear'
     - Women are there solely for the objectification of men
     - Similar to the male gaze theory

6) bell hooks
     - Skin colour is a code; lighter skinned women are considered more desirable and fit better into
       western ideology of beauty.
     - E.g. Black women are objectified and sexualised in hip hop reflected the colonialist view of
       black women

7) Richard Dyer - Star power
     - Institutions using stars to attract larger audience

8) Tessa Perkins
      - 'Stereotypes are assumptions we make on groups of people'
            - Not always negative
            - Not always about minority groups
            - Can be held about own group
            - Can change
            - Not always false

9) Dyer
     - Stereotypes always about power, those with power stereotype those with less