This document provides an introduction to representation in media. It defines representation as how media portray events, issues, individuals and social groups. Key concepts of representation are discussed, including how media construct reality, the effect of social context on representations, and how audiences interpret representations. Theories of representation from scholars like Stuart Hall, theories of identity from David Gauntlett, feminist theories from scholars like bell hooks and Van Zoonen, and theories of gender performativity from Judith Butler are also introduced. Students are assigned a task to create case studies on these theories and link them to examples from music videos.

1. Introduction into Representation
LO: to identify how representation is used in the media
CWK Thursday, 14 September 2017
Entry Task
What can you say about the way
GENDER is represented in this still of
Christina Aguilera’s music video
‘Dirty’?
Write down your response.
Be prepared to share your views.

2. Your homework
You were asked to create a log of the media that you have used across a period of 5 days.
You should read through your work and be prepared to share your findings.
You have 5 minutes.

3. What is representation?
Representation is HOW the media portray events, issues, individuals and social groups
LO: to identify how representation is used in the media
The following concepts are KEY to understanding representation:
 the way the media through re-presentation construct versions of reality
 the processes which lead media producers to make choices about how to represent events, issues,
individuals and social groups
 the effect of social and cultural context on representations
 how and why stereotypes can be used positively and negatively
 how and why particular social groups, in a national and global context, may be under-represented or
misrepresented
 how media representations convey values, attitudes and beliefs about the world and how these may
be systematically reinforced across a wide range of media representations
 how audiences respond to and interpret media representations
 the way events, issues, individuals (including self-representation) and social groups (including social
identity) are represented through processes of selection and combination
Please make notes from this slide.

4. The specification requires you to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
the way in which representations make claims about realism
the impact of industry contexts on the choices media producers make about how to
represent events, issues, individuals and social groups
the effect of historical context on representations
how representations may invoke discourses and ideologies and position audiences
how audience responses to and interpretations of media representations reflect
social, cultural and historical circumstances
LO: to identify how representation is used in the media
Developing an understanding of representation Please make notes
from this slide.

5. You must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following theories associated
with representation:
 theories of representation including Hall
 theories of identity including Gauntlett
 feminist theories including bell hooks and Van Zoonen
 theories of gender performativity including Butler
Developing an understanding of representation through theory
Please make notes from this slide.

6. Theory Case Study: REPRESENTATION
Task
You are to create a theory case study for each theory/theorist.
Theory/Theorist Key findings/thoughts Key quotations Example of link to music video
(Beyonce’s Formation and
Vance Joy’s Riptide)
Theories of representation
- Stuart Hall
- can you find others?
Theories of identity
- David Gauntlett
- can you find others?
Feminist theory
- Liesbet van Zoonen
- bell hooks
- can you find others?
Theories of ethnicity and
postcolonial theory
- Paul Gilroy
- can you find others?
Gender performativity
- Judith Butler
- can you find others?
What are the basics
of this theory?
What are the more
in depth findings
and thoughts?
What are
memorable
quotations or ideas?
You will need these
to include in your
examination
responses.
Leave this column
blank for the time
being. We will get to
this.

7. Theory/Theorist Key findings/thoughts Key quotations Example of link to music video
(Beyonce’s Formation and
Vance Joy’s Riptide)
Theories of representation
- Stuart Hall
- can you find others?
Theories of identity
- David Gauntlett
- can you find others?
Feminist theory
- Liesbet van Zoonen
- bell hooks
- can you find others?
Theories of ethnicity and
postcolonial theory
- Paul Gilroy
- can you find others?
Gender performativity
- Judith Butler
- can you find others?