Applying Post-Colonial theory to Beyoncé's Formation Music Video

1. FORMATION
MUSIC VIDEO
(BEYONCE 2016)

2. LEARNING AIMS
• To recap your knowledge and understanding of the way in which Beyonce’s Formation
music video references social, political and historical contexts to create meaning.
• To understand Paul Gilroy’s Ethnicity and Post- Colonialism Theory
• To consolidate your knowledge and understanding of the theory by applying it to a
range of media texts.

3. LAST LESSON (RE – CAP) 5 MINS
Key Question: How
does the Formation
music video reference
historical, social and
political contexts to
create meaning?

4. STARTER ACTIVITY 15MINS
• Working in pairs, use the images, quotes, headings and post it notes provided to
complete a visual mind map in response to the question.
Key Question: How
does the Formation
music video reference
historical, social and
political contexts to
create meaning?

5. ETHNICITY AND POST COLONIAL
THEORY
• The A Level media course requires you to learn a range of theoretical concepts that
you will need to apply to your set texts and unseen texts in the exam.
• The first theory that we will study and eventually be applying to Formation is Paul
Gilroy’s Ethnicity and Post Colonialism theory.

6. ETHNICITY AND POST COLONIAL
THEORY
Any Ideas? Any
Questions?

7. ETHNICITY AND POST COLONIAL
THEORY (PAUL GILROY)

8. WHAT IS
COLONIALISM?
The literal act of one country taking
over of another country, politically
and economically usually by the
force of military.

9. HOW WAS
COLONIALISM
JUSTIFIED
• African slavery and
colonialism was justified
through race science.
• Blacks were seen as less
intelligent than whites.
• Primitive and less civilized.
• Therefore they needed to
be controlled and given
western civilization.

10. WHAT WERE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS
OF AFRICAN COLONIALISM?
• Loss of identity an culture
• African countries are dependent on their European colonisers.
• Africans and the African diaspora were and to some extent are still oppressed.
• Racism born out of colonialism created racial structures that exist in today’s society.
• Negative stereotypes that were created during colonialism still exist in modern media
representations today.

11. THREE KEY PARTS TO THE THEORY
1. A conflict between races did not cause racism. Racism created the notion of race.
Therefore the racial hierarchical ideologies of colonialism are still present in today’s
post colonial era. This can be seen through the stereotypical representations of
ethnic minorities (the colonised descendants) in the western media.
2. Diaspora identities are not rooted in the nation of origin but are re- created and
formed as cultures mix and evolve along the routes of the different countries the
diaspora have travelled to.
3. The oppression of the colonised Africans has lead to a state of being Gilroy refers to
as double consciousness. This idea states that the minority groups see themselves
but also objectively through the eyes of the oppressor.

12. Consider how the notion of ‘otherness’ binary
opposites and racial hierarchy are being
portrayed in these historic adverts?

13. APPLYING THE THEORY
Do these contemporary adverts reinforce
Gilroy’s post colonial theory? Consider how
colonial racial ideologies have been
constructed in these adverts?

16. THEORY PART 2 – DIASPORA
IDENTITIES• Diaspora identities are not rooted in the nation of origin but are re- created and
formed as cultures mix and evolve along the routes of the different countries the
diaspora have travelled to.
How are diaspora
cultural identities
formed?

17. DIASPORA
IDENTITIES
Diaspora identities are not
rooted in the nation of
origin but are re- created
and formed as cultures mix
and evolve along the
routes of the different
countries the diaspora
have travelled to.

18. DIASPORA IDENTITIES
• Where were your parents/grandparents/ Great
grandparents born?
• What languages do your
parents/grandparents/great grandparents speak in
their county of origin? Can you speak the
language?
• What foods are eaten in their country of origin
/how do people dress/what music/dance styles
originated from the country of origin?
• To what extent is your identity shaped by the
culture of your parents/grandparents/great
grandparents county of origin? How has western
British culture also helped to shape your identity?

19. THEORY PART 3 –
DOUBLE
CONSCIOUSNESS
• The oppression of the colonised blacks has lead to a
state of being Gilroy refers to as double
consciousness. This idea states that the minority
groups see their identities through their own eyes
but also through the eyes of the oppressor.
• How do the representations in this rap video
reinforce what Gilroy would refer to as serving the
double conscious ideas of black men and how they
are positioned to see themselves in American
society?

20. APPLYING POST- COLONIAL THEORY TO
FORMATION
In pairs watch Beyonce’s Formation music video. focusing on a key part of Gilroy’s theory make notes on
how it can be applied or challenged. Refer to specific examples from the video text as evidence to support
your points.
Be prepared to feedback to the class in 20 minutes.

21. POST COLONIAL THEORY IN DEPTH