Identities: Identity and the wider media

Complete the following tasks using Media Factsheet 121: Identities and the Media. You'll find it in our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets

Read the Factsheet in full and then complete the following tasks:

1) The Factsheet discusses how identity is a complex subject. What does it suggest defines our identity?
We define ourselves in many different ways and our identities come from the individualised experiences we have. Part of the process of constructing our identities comes from our relationship with the media. As an audience member we may select and use the media that we feel best reflects our identity at any given time. Identity is a very complex subject. How we define ourselves is based on a complex set of relationships but we can think about our idea of ‘self’ as being:
• who we think we are
• who we want to be
• who we think others think we are

2) Complete the task on page 2: suggest media texts that could reinforce that someone is non-mainstream; edgy; a pleasure seeker; fashionable; witty and fun; cutting-edge.

• non-mainstream-  This would involve a person who strays from trending, popular content such as choices in music, film, fashion etc.  

• edgy- edgy is similar to non-mainstream in some ways, it can involve content seen as 'weird' and 'non-mainstream'. For example, independent indie bands. 

• a pleasure seeker- This refers to people who use media as a form of escapism and entertainment gratification e.g a family coming home and watching a television soap like EastEnders in order to distract them from their own mundane lives.

• fashionable- People who use social media to view new fashion trends may be seen as fashionable as they are in the know of what is popular and considered fashionable at the current time. 

• witty and fun- People use media for comedy such as memes, comedy sketches etc.

• cutting-edge- Many people purchase new media and are in the know of what is new and popular.

3) What examples are suggested for a case study on urban youth?
The Jeremy Kyle Show, Harry Brown, Eden Lake, Ben Drew.

4) What does Hebdige argue with regards to youth culture? 
Media theorist Richard Hebdige says that youth cultures show their resistance to the dominant culture through their style choices. Urban youth can show itself to be outside the mainstream by adopting the uniform that is feared by mainstream culture and they learn about this fear in the media representations. The media continues to represent these youths as deviant in an attempt to reinforce mainstream values (Acland) but of course these representations are constructed by people outside this group (Perkins) and in this case can be seen to be a reflection of adult culture’s fear of urban youth (Giroux). Those within the group though have their status as outsiders reinforced. 

5) What other theorists are referenced alongside Hebdige? How do they link to the issue of youth identity?
Another theorist mentioned is cultural theorist Stuart Hall who says audiences can decode media messages in a number of ways. They can:
• accept the preferred meaning that has been created;
• reject the idea that has been created
• negotiate and take some of the ideas on board and reject others or even create their own meanings.
Moreover, Acland claims that the media is what makes the representation of youth as deviants and Perkins states that representations of the youth are created by though outside of the 'youth' group and is rather a reflection of the adult's fear of youths.

6) How can we link Ill Manors to youth and identity? What specific examples from the case study could be used to discuss Hebdige’s theory that youth culture challenges mainstream culture and dominant ideologies?
Ill Manors links to youth as it is predominantly representing the youth and it links nicely to identity because all the characters are constructed an identity through their actions. This links to Hebdige's theory as the character's in this film can be read as simply enaging in violence and deviancy constantly e.g theft, abuse, drugs, rioting etc.

7) What does theorist David Gauntlett suggest regarding the media’s influence over the construction of identities?
David Gauntlett claims that the media have influence on identity construction and so the way the media stereotypes groups may become part of how individuals see themselves and media institutions are able to use this to sell their products.

8) Do you agree that Hebdige’s view that youth culture will always seek to resist mainstream culture and challenge dominant ideologies?
I disagree with Hebdige's view. I feel that the youth are only represented as seeking to resist mainstream media, whereas in reality a majority of the youth actually conform to mainstream forms of the media e.g most of the youth use Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram - all mainstream social media apps/sites.