1. L.O: To learn how to successfully
answer an exam question.
G325 Critical Perspectives

2. • Refer to at least two types of media.
• Answer must be relevant to the question.
• Make connections.
• Clear argument.
• Balance of theory and texts.
• Personal engagement.
• Discussion of past, present, and future.
• Terminology.

3. Essay Structure
Introduction
Begin with a quote. State focus (social group, texts) and argument.
Historical
‘The Wild One’ (1953)/ ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ (1955)
Media Area 1 - Newspapers
Media Area 2 - Film
Conclusion
Sum up your argument, give your opinions, make a prediction for the
future.

4. Introduction
Henry A Giroux argues in media representations ‘youth becomes an empty category’ reflecting the concerns of adults.
• media representations of youth serve the purpose of the middle class adults who produce them
• media representation of youth reinforce hegemony
• Explain how you are going to be exploring this in ‘The Wild One’
Historical Representations
Media representations of young people have always tended to be negative, e.g. ‘The Wild One’ (1953) shows a motorcycle gang
terrorising a small town. ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ (1955) focused on a delinquent, anti-social youth.
Both representations reflect anxieties of middle class adult society, in relation to the threat to hegemony posed by young people.
Film
Hoodie Cinema article
Harry Brown/Kidaulthood – negative, extreme, middle class fear of working class youth.
Giroux – constructed by adults.
Gramsci/Acland – negative representations reinforce hegemony, ideology of protection.
Newspaper
‘Hoodies or Altar Boys’ 2009 study
Giroux – constructed by adults.
Gramsci/Acland – negative representations reinforce hegemony, ideology of protection.
Cohen – moral panic – ‘clarify moral boundaries’.
Gerbner – cultivation theory.
Conclusion
Sum up argument – As I have shown most media representations of young people are negative. This is because they reflect the
concerns of their middle class producers, and as a result usually reinforce hegemony…
More positive representations can be found on television channels aimed at younger people.
The effect of media representations of young people is…
In the future I believe…(social media, young people can construct their own representations – Student Fees protests, power of
mass media).
KEY WORDS:
• Foucault
• Hegemony
• Gramsci
• Jacques Lacan
• Cultivation
theory
• Ideology
• Polysemic
• Moral Panic
• Marcuse
• Acland
•Giroux