This document discusses the representation of ethnicity in media. It begins with dictionary definitions of ethnicity as relating to cultural identity based on shared traits like race, religion or language. It then discusses Alvarado's model of common stereotypes in media representation of ethnicity: exotic, dangerous, pitied, humorous, and recently added - sexualized. The document notes that representation has changed from earlier definitions by foreignness or comedy, but minorities tend to still be defined by their otherness. It cautions that stereotypes can be dangerous if they form people's only experience of other cultures. Specific examples discussed include the demonization of young black people in some media and focus on stereotypical aspects of cultures in representations of minorities.

1. Representation
Ethnicity

2. Ethnicity
Dictionary Definition
• 1. relating to or characteristic of a human group having racial, religious, linguistic,
and certain other traits in common
• 2. relating to the classification of mankind into groups, esp on the basis of racial
characteristics
• 3. denoting or deriving from the cultural traditions of a group of people: the ethnic
dances of Slovakia
• 4. characteristic of another culture: the ethnic look ; ethnic food
•
Your ethnicity is defined by your cultural identity which may demonstrate itself
through customs, dress, food. Ethnicity suggests an identity that is based on a
sense of place, ideology or religion. You can be British but of Jewish ethnicity.

3. Ethnic Breakdown in UK

4. Stereotypes of Ethnicity
•
•
•
•
•
Alvarado’s (1987) stereotypes in the
representation of ethnicity and race;
EXOTIC
DANGEROUS
PITIED
HUMOUROUS.
A recent revision of this has added the
SEXUALISED stereotype

5. Change
• Representation of people from other cultures in the media has
changed dramatically since earlier days where they were defined in
their potential for comedy and ‘foreignness’
• Fawlty Towers: http://bit.ly/1jCS7JS

6. Otherness
• People from other cultures still tend to be
defined by their ‘otherness’. This can be see as
either positive or negative.

7. Stereotypes and mis-representation
• Some stereotypes and mis-representations
can be dangerous as the representation that is
constructed by the media is often the only
experience of these cultures some audiences
will have.

8. Young Blacks
• Young black people have been demonised by
some areas of the media and are presented as
linked to violence and gang culture

9. Tokenism
• Some programmes have representations of
ethnic minorities. These tend to focus on the
stereotypical aspects of that culture, for
example arranged marriages.
Do you have any examples?

12. Question
• How are ethnic groups represented in the
music industry?
Back up your points with specific examples

13. Task
Find examples of ethnic minorities in the media for
each of these categories
•
•
•
•
•
EXOTIC
DANGEROUS
PITIED
HUMOUROUS.
SEXUALISED

14. Big Fat Gypsy
• Clip
• How is this ethnicity represented in this
programme.
• How is the representation constructed?
• Does it use stereotypes or challenge the
stereotypes