Colonialism and Paul Gilroy

Colonialism

• defined as "control by one power over a dependant area or people"
• occurs when one nation subjugates another, conquering its population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own languages and cultural values amongst its people

Paul Gilroy - Theories around ethnicity and postcolonial theory

• theories around ethnicity and post-colonisation
• Postcolonialism is the study of the impact that being under direct rule has had on former colonies. For example, despite being a tiny island, Britain colonised and declared ownership of many countries, including India and Australia.
• These ideas and attitudes continue to shape contemporary attitudes to race and ethnicity in the postcolonial era
• These postcolonial attitudes have constructed racial hierarchies in our society, where, for example, white people are by and large given more positive and important roles than BME people
• Media producers are also guilty of using binary oppositions to reinforce BME people and characters as 'others'
• racial inequality and black people continue to be exploited and dehumanised in the media
• white people are shown to be better than black people in the media

Othering

• black and minority ethnic people are represented as being different or other
• white people are depicted as being normal
• black people are depicted as being strange

Superbowl Pepsi Advert Analysis

• white people are seen as being boring or "normal"
• a stereotypical white suburban setting
• audiences understand that this house is typical of the 'white people stereotype' and in anchored through the open plan stereotype and simple, straightforward furniture
• mise-en-scene is neat and tidy and a bland white colour scheme is used without
• conversation is bland as they discuss food and drink
• black people are seen as chaotic
• first black person seen in the advert is seen to be intrusive and disruptive as well as excited as he smashes through a door
• MES of the smoke and smashed wood resembles the conventions of an action film which reinforces a representation of black people as being exciting yet obnoxious
• after the house is literally demolished by 2 black visitors, the remaining white character hypothetically tells the audience "i'll tell your mum" which reinforces a stereotype (about white people) that they are no fun and are up-tight and respect all authorities.
• the binary opposition of this is that the black characters do not respect authority and are fun as well as exciting
• another binary opposition is constructed through sound. Black characters are associated with loud and obnoxious noises while white characters are associated with white, peaceful sounds and sudden silences. This difference reinforces a perceived difference between white and black people.
• advert reflects commonly held stereotypes about white people and black people. However in doing so, arguing white people are in a position of superiority over disruptive black people