27-01-10

Homework- Precis on Collective Identity.



'Media and collective identity' was a piece we as a class studied in detail. We learnt a lot from this text about how the media represent groups of people in different ways to create a sense of identity, and the effects it has on our societty.

Collective identity in media terms highlights how our media saturated society has a huge impact to the way we see and hear and think about different ideas. The 'collective' suggests how large number of people beilieve in the same norms and appearing in the same ways with the same morals. 'Identity' covers how we appear to others and how we identity ourselves. Collective identity in relation to media studies implies that groups of people reading from different media texts, gain a sense of self and understand how they would want themselves to appear. From this, people change and adapt to new ways of thinking belonging to a group presented in the media that share the same norms and values.


Two theorists who were noted in the booklet was Buckingham and Gauntlett. They both have strong views on the way media affects collective identity and the way it rubs off on society.

Buckingham's Quote:

'' A focus on identity requires us to pay close attention to the diverse ways in which media and technologies are used in everyday life, and their consequences both for individuals and for social groups.''

Buckingham considers the way in which people are affected by different media texts like television, magazines and films and how us as the audience pay close attention to different representations of people.

Gauntlett's Quote:

''Identity is complicated. Everyone thinks they've got one. Magazines and talk show hosts urge us to explore our 'identity'. Religious and national identites are at the heart of major international conflicts. Artists play with the idea of 'identity' in modern society. Blockbuster movie superheroes have emotional conflicts about their 'true' identity. And the average teenager can creat three online 'identities' before breakfast... Thinking about self-identity and idividuality can cause some anxiety - at least in cultures where individuals are encouraged to value their personal uniqueness. Each of us would like to think - to some extent - that we have special, personal qualities, which make us distinctive and valuable to other people in our lives ( or potential future friends). But does this mean anything? Is individuality just an illusion? Maybe we are all incredibly similar, but are programmed to value miniscule bits of differentiation.

Gauntlett on the other hand, talks about how different organisations and media texts make people feel they need to be a part of an identity group. However, Gauntlett also highlights the way that ''miniscule bits of differentiation'' help the way we are as individuals understanding that not two of us are the same.

TV Drama progammes often can represent groups of people in which people would may want to follow. Us as an audience make assumptions from TV Drama's and even British Film, with the way they may give accurate representations of people. Many people believe what they see on TV and in films about many characters and stereotypically judge. The phrase 'Burden of Representation' indicates the way British film makers have a need to fulfil expectations of representations. Film makers reiterate how the history of social realist British film portrays certain representations which still show aspects of truth. Therefore, they have to be included in New films to carry on the notion of representations which lead to finding an identity about yourself as an individual.