Prompt Questions

The media represents different cultures through it's representation of characters in film and TV shows through the use of micro elements such as cinematography and mise-en scene. Representations depend on on the director, their own views, the event that is being accounted/the topic of the piece, and the time in which it was created. This topic focuses on class, race, gender, ethnicity and sexuality.

1. How do the contemporary media represent nations, regions and ethnic/social/collective groups of people in different ways?

The question is asking us to consider different nations, their representations of us and our representations of them. We will have to have to watch media productions and attempt to analyze how cultures affect different characters and the audiences that watch them.

2. How does contemporary representation compare to previous time periods?

Representation of different cultures and identities change over time because of changing stereotypes. and how the internet has made us more connected with different cultures has changed our perspective on the outside world, where as before we could effectively ignore the outside world. We will have to research media productions with similar topics but from different time periods.

3. What are the social implications of different media representations of groups of people?

Society traditionally was very stereotypical of cultures, yet in more recent times has attempted to challenge this. It is, however, clear media still struggles to do this. One good example of changing media would be soap operas, which continue to develop their views and stereotypes as society has developed - they are forced to adapt to accepting groups of people.

4. To what extent is human identity increasingly mediated?

Media has become increasingly important in people's life's, and it has now become inescapable. Media has the capability to alienate a culture or to show acceptance towards a culture. The Internet has given us the ability to change our identities, we are able to represent ourselves how we want to be represented, this gives us more freedom to show our identity for example somethings we share on a blog, we wouldn't share on facebook.