Post-Colonial theory for A Level Media Studies

1. Post-Colonialsism A Level Media Studies

2. Imperialism
Noun: A policy of extending a country's
power and influence through diplomacy
or military force.

3. Cultural Imperialism
• An important function of the media is in winning the support of
people to the interests of the dominant classes.
• The media can also be a potential tool for control: dominant Western
cultures try to control developing countries.
• The Western way of life and its economic/political systems can be
imposed on other societies as its lifestyle is sold through media
products such as film and television.
• The most dominant culture exporting media products is the USA. E.g.
Hollywood cinema
• This is know as CULTURAL IMPERIALISM.

4. Post-colonialism
• Most European countries, including the UK have a history of military
imperialism.
• They would conquer less developed countries and impose their rule
on them.
• This was usually to ensure a supply of cheap materials from that
country to help support the economy.
• Former British colonies include India, South Africa, Australia, Jamaica
and the USA – at one point, GB ruled half the world.

6. Post-colonialism
• These colonies eventually became independent and set up their own
governments.
• However, it can be argued that much of the culture of the imperial
countries (e.g. Their language) still lingers on in the former colonies as
a reminder of colonial rule.
• Also, the process of decolonisation has not prevented the Western
powers from tightening their economic grip on the rest of the world.
• The wealth of economically developed countries increasingly depends
on the cheap labour and raw materials supplied by the Third World.

7. Post-colonialism:
Examples in the media

8. Zulu (1964) represented
the Zulu tribe in Africa as
violent savages.
The Four Feathers (1939)
suggested the key role of
the British army was to
bring a civilising influence to
India and Egypt.
Saunders of the River
(1935) portrayed ideologies
naturalising colonisation

9. Ideology
• Ideology suggests that black skin is
undesirable and white skin is desirable
• Images like this helped reinforce a sense
of superiority of colonising populations
and the way the colonised African
countries are side-lined

10. Post-Colonialism
• Post-colonialism does not emphasise a new, technologically advanced
media world…
• It emphasises the importance of the cultural, economic, political and
military dominance of the past.
• The absence of non-white images in the media visually suggests a
dominance of white culture..

11. Orientalism
• Edward Said (1978)
• Critique of Western representations of Eastern culture.
• It can be argued that whenever Islam is represented, itis shown
through a Western perspective that usually fails to understand the
nature and complexity of Islamic belief and culture.
• Instead, it reduces it to a few stereotypical characteristics.
• In this way, the sense of oppression is just as great as if the colonies
still existed.

12. Muslim Representation
What is the dominant representation of Muslims?

13. • Post-colonialism has a particular relevance following the events of
9/11 and the subsequent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
• This is an example of military imperialism in which the Western
powers are intent on imposing ‘democracy’ on Islamic countries in
the belief that it is in their best interests.

14. Representations
• Cultural stereotypes
• Western culture has often defined itself in relation to the‘other’ of
non-Western cultures.
• The ‘other’ are seen as exotic, exciting, dangerous, romantic,
mysterious, threatening.
• Complex, sophisticated cultures are reduced to a few simple
components
• E.G. Advertisers offer consumers a “taste of the East” or "the
mysteries of the Orient”.

15. Manuel Alvarado (1987)
• Representations of black people are founded on
negative historical myths from the colonial past.
• Suggests there are four types of representation
for members of the black community.
• The HUMOUROUS – comedians
• The EXOTIC – models
• The PITIED – Live Aid
• The DANGEROUS – inner city gangs

16. Positive and negative stereotypes are often
seen in contemporary British media.
• Musicians – jazz, hip-hop and soul
• Sportsmen and women
• Comedians
• Criminals
• Socially dysfunctional
• Prostitute/sexually promiscuous
• The stud/pimp

17. Diaspora Identity
• Where people experience both a sense of
belonging to a cultural group that is ‘other’ to
the dominant culture of their country of
residence.
• This sense of alienation or ‘otherness’ is
emphasised by a lack in the contemporary
media of any cultural representations of their
lives or experiences.
• It is not always negative
• Gurinder Chadha – Bend it like Beckham (2002),
Bride and Prejudice (2004) – represented Asian
culture in film in a non-stereotypical way.