Contemporary Media Representations of Youth

CONTEMPORARY MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS OF YOUTH

LESSON OBJECTIVES: TO BE ABLE LE TO EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS AND YOUTH COLLECTIVE IDENTITY.

COLLECTIVE IDENTITY & YOUTH

What makes youth a collective identity?

MEDIA & COLLECTIVE IDENTITY

What is the relationship between media and collective identities?

Does the media reflect identities, construct identities, misrepresent identities?

Consider how you could apply relevant theorists (e.g. Gauntlett, Gerbner, etc.).

MEDIA TEXTS AND COLLECTIVE IDENTITY

Media

How are young people represented?

Specific examples

Links to theory

Implications

NEWSPAPERSMedia British Newspapers – ‘Hoodies or Altar Boys’ Study

2009

How are young people represented?

Specific examples

Links to theory

Implications

FILMMedia Film – Hoodie Cinema, e.g. ‘Harry Brown’ (2009)

How are young people represented?

Specific examples

Links to theory

Implications

FILMMedia Film – ‘Attack the Block’ (2011)

How are young people represented?

Specific examples

Links to theory

Implications

TELEVISIONMedia Television – ‘Misfits’ (2009-2013)

How are young people represented?

Specific examples

Links to theory

Implications

EXAM QUESTION

COLLECTIVE IDENTITY ESSAY

LESSON OBJECTIVES: TO PLAN AN ESSAY EXPLAINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEDIA AND COLLECTIVE IDENTITY.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

o Make connectiono Coherent argumento Balance of theory and

textso Personal engagemento Reference to history and

the futureo Use of theoryo Terminology

You MUST refer to at least two types of media.You must refer to historical and contemporary representations.

EXAMINER’S REPORT

ARGUMENTWhat argument could you make about the relationship between media representations and youth collective identity?

Gauntlett - popular media has a significant but not entirely straightforward relationship with people’s sense of identity. Identities are complex constructions. - Media plays some role in shaping our understanding.

Youth collective identity constructed by Media?

Media representations represent ‘youth as trouble’ – challenging hegemony.

Some theorists argue these representations actually reinforce hegemony.

Media representations construct youth collective identity – how do young people relate to those representations?

STRUCTUREIntroduction – outline focus and state argument.

Historical representations – one paragraph on 1950s JD movies – juvenile delinquency – offers pleasures of rebellion – sympathetic – reinforces hegemony.

Contemporary media – newspapers

Contemporary film – Hoodie cinema – Harry Brown – contrast with Attack the Block

Contemporary TV – Misfits

Conclusion – sum up argument – what is the significance of media representations of young people? – how does this relate to collective identity? How do you think media representations of young people will change or stay the same over time.