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Top boy

Throughout the beginning of Top boy, it is clear to see that the institutions have focused more on reinforcing the negative stereotypes of young people we see in the media today. However, the audience demographic could then argue that the institutions do actually challenge these stereotypes.

Negative points

·         Drug dealing

·         Guy slaps girl in the face

·         Bad language they use

·         Trying to recruit young people

·         The focus on black people

Good points

·         Boy going to school

·         Protagonist looking after his mum

·         Refusing to take money from drug dealers.

The most significant negative scene within the beginning of Top boy is probably the fight scene, displaying conflict and violence. The quick paced medium to close up shots connotes the conflict and danger between the two people. Whilst the point of view shots reinforce how intimidating youths can be. During the disruption of the scene (Todorov- Equilibrium), conveys the divergence between two black groups. The way the male character calls on his partner, could reinforce the team work and loyalty between friends, especially when the top drug dealer says: “Are you alright?” However, this can then be thoroughly subverted as when the guy knows that his stock has been taken he uses diegetic dialogue to say: ‘Are you serious? How can you be so stupid man’? This could then connote that young people are always in it for themselves. Another example of conflict is the close up of the pan shot when the man in the car pulls out a gun, the close up shot focusing on the barrel, further connoting that youths are ‘declilized’ and Alvarado’s ‘dangerous’. Also the close up to over the shoulder shot of the guy slapping the girl connotes the domestic violence between man and women, and how the boy things it’s okay to abuse the girl, further connoting that young people have no morals or remorse for the actions that they perform. Whilst the way her friend then says: ‘I don’t give an f***,” when she moans about the man slapping her, connotes the lack of loyalty and protection of their friends.

However, in comparison, there are quite a few good representations that the audiences have focused on during the beginning scenes of top boy. The most significant one is focused through the protagonist, as he is represented as being a career for her his mother. The first depiction of him during the equilibrium, of him looking out of the window at the gang, could connote the idea of the glass being the barrier that keeps him away from taking that bad path. Whilst, this could also connote a preservation of his innocence, as he’s looking on it from a child’s perspective. This can be further linked to when the gang attempt to recruit him as a drug dealer, the guy trying to bribe him for money and he says: ‘my mum wouldn’t like it”. The way his friend says: “How come you don’t take money from them, you never say no to money”, subverts the idea of youths being easily influenced, as at a young age he is sticking up for himself by the way the drug dealers say ‘smart kid!’ when they leave. Nevertheless, the way the protagonist tries to help his mum (getting her breakfast, coaxing her to get up and dressed, and promising her that she’ll look for a new apartment), allows the audience to sympathize with him, whilst also reinforcing that youths aren’t always in it for themselves and can be respectful and care for others.

BBC Coverwork

What representations of young people can be found in E20?

There are many representations within the E20 clip that allow the younger audiences to self-identify with the characters (good or bad). The Bbc have reinforced traditional stereotypes within the E20, such as Donnie. Donnie’s character is a stereotypical Black Youth (Frantz Fernon) within todays society, He is represented as dressing in a hoodie and pants, colloquial slang as well as being connoted as being quite intimidating because of his facial expressions and stern direct mode of address faced at other characters. However, In a society where there are more of a majority of white then black, could then further connote that he is trying to put on his white mask. During the disruption of the narrative (Todorov- narrative equilibrium), BBC shoot a scene where Donnie is represented as having a knife in his hand and blood on his face. This could then distinctively reinforce the media stereotypes of black people being ‘decilized’ (Fanon), whilst also being Dangerous (Alvarado). However, his despair of what has happened and the way he tries to protect his friends, subverts the idea of youths being represented as selfish and irresponsible and conveyed more as a role model for young people. Its as if the Bbc are trying to represent the idea that youths do make mistake but that they still have a chance to change. Whilst, an oppositional reading could suggest that by his two very different personas being represented within the short clip (his ‘bad boy’ image vs. responsible young man) connotes that not all black youths are stereotypically going to harm or hurt anyone.

Other representations consist of Ava and her sister who are stereotyped as living in quite a bit of poverty and have had a hard start in life. Audiences will be able to self-identify with this, especially the lone-parent families or families on benefits. The differentiation between class (bourgeoise- lower class) allow both audiences to either appreciate what they are given or identify there own hard start in life. Bbc also represent the idea of family. These characters don’t have all the materialistic luxuaries that most kids desire, but theirs a sense of a moral bond, of looking out for one another. This then could subvert to the idea of negative representations of young people because of the loyalty, teamwork and love in between the strong friendships of todays youth.

Why might producers and audiences be more interested in negative stereotypes of young people?

• Negative representations could be used within BBC public broadcaster to reinforcing how the media and older generation are representing the youth. It allows the audiences to create a certain trust in the media, as if the media is honestly showing how truth of how youths are being represented.
• Injecting (hypodermic model – effects theory) the audience with negative representations of the youth. Allowing the audiences to believe theirs a certain truth to their fears of young people today.
• To give the audience a sense of explanation of the recent events that have caused chaos in todays society. The idea that blaming them, distangles the older generation from talking any responsibility for what has occurred in the past, whilst making the audience believe that justice has been done to humiliate and uncover the real notorious youths of today.
• Pure entertainment- Audiences are entertained about debatable issues that can be proven to be either right or wrong. Institutions use this to their own advantage by balancing stereotypes to what could entertain the audience. It would attract more audiences if the younger characters were murdering, then taking part in charity events. By reinforcing the representations of youths that have been conveyed by the media, allows them to use this to make money and create publicity.

What other examples of representations of young people can you find from British Television. Can you think of any positive or unexpected representations of young people?

Eastenders- Lucy vs. Lauren

Although most of the younger characters are represented as high school drop-outs, there’s a sense of repition within the characters flaws. Examples of this are Whitney and Lauren, both dropped out of school, Whitney fell in love with her mums boyfriend and then ran away and became a prostitute. Whilst, Lauren ran over her dad and let her mum take the blame for it and waste her life away with alcohol, eventhough she has the ability to make something with her life by her talent of drawing. Although this reinforces a stereotype of typically ‘white chavvy youths’, it also conveys the sheer vulnerability of their characters, subverting to the idea that they are stereotpyicaly loud-mouthed and ‘decilized’. This could then allow audiences to self-identify with their characters, whilst representing to the audiences that there not as irresponsible and useless as they appear to be, but vulnerable teenagers with a low self asteem. However, this representation can then be subverted by the use of Lucy’s character, as although she is a dropout, she ran two businesses and took care of her little brother whilst their father abandoned them. On a level, this represents her with a sense of maturity and responsibility of having to deal with that at such a young age, further subverting the negative stereotypes of youths today.

Some girls is also a Bbc series based on four teenage girls that have been brought up on estates and have been represented as less privileged as other teenagers. However, although the show breaches on some quite serious topics (e.g. teenage pregnacies, underage sex and std’s), the institutions seem to be represented as making a mockery out of it. This can be reinforced by the way all four girls are seemed to be represented as airheaded, pathetic, sex driven and immoral. Whilst an oppositional reading could also connote that female teenagers will be able to self-identify with them, relating to themselves and other people they know.

Young apprentice is one of the series that can be connoted as conveying a good representation of young people, due to the young, work driven individuals who strive on their thirst for knowledge and making something of their lives. These individuals can inject the idea that these intellectual young people hold the key to the future, allowing the audiences demographic to hold on to a sense of hope for our younger generation.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/dec/05/newspaper-editors-sign-up-leveson

Newspaper editors sign up to Leveson recommendations

This week national editors signed up to the Lord Justice Levesons non-statutory recommendations to kill off the ‘Hunt-black plan as a template to reform’. The overall editors of over every “fleet street” signed up to 40 of the 47 Leveson recommendations. The ultimate aim is to create an independent regulator with the power to fine up to £1 million, whilst operating a low-cost tribunal system that that will handle the ‘libel and privacy claims’. The 7 recommendations that editors failed to sign up consisted of the Ofcom or any other regulator ‘agreeing to wait to see what non-statutory proposals Downing Street would have to offer’. The chairman (Lord Hunt) of the Press complaints commission will be continuing to to work at setting up this new regulator. The Editors at the meeting also agreed to wait for Oliver Letwin and David Cameron’s policy fixer to come back with a proposal. On how to toughen up and support the planned new regulator. Whilst, it is still unclear whether newspapers ‘deemed the Letwin plan to be uneffective.

In my own opinion

·         Although some say that restricting print media won’t cause much of a problem because of the opportunity our society now has with new and digital media. However, I do think this will cause a problem as the percentage buyers of print platforms are old pensioners who aren’t as intact with the web as others of society. Restricting this will cause a loss of profit from businesses (such as local postoffices, Whsmith, Tesco’s) but also restrict what we will be letting our older generation read.

·         The seven recommendations that the editors refused on were to wait and see what Downing Street would come up with. The idea of waiting will give way to other ideas that might not be proved as effective. Society is becoming restless waiting for the problem to be fixed. If we wait it’s almost as if we are putting the scandal on hold, further allowing others to do the same thing.

Media homework- Mr Hausely

1)      What representation of young people in London do we see in the opening of kidult hood?

2)      Is it a fair representation?

3)      Is it a good example of verisimilitude (think of realism or being true-to-life?)

4)      Has a process of mediation taken place with the filmmakers concentrating on one aspect of youth culture?

Throughout the beginning of kidult hood, the institutions condense many different representations of young adults, which not only reinforce negative stereotypical ideologies of the youth but depict the differentiation between the verisimilitude of the media and the mediation of reality. A few examples of this are represented through the use of cliques (groups), teenage moral dilemmas, sex, conflict and violence.

• Cliques are used within the opening of ‘Kidult hood’ to represent how teenagers seem to maintain their own covens depending on their personalities and hobbies. Although this is often used within American films to represent the status of the most wealthy to the less fortunate nerds, British filmmakers have opposed this by also representing a variety of groups representing all different journeys that a teenage audience will be able to relate too. During the beginning of the opening scene there are quite a few distinct representations of groups enveloping the students that are playing football. The close up and point of view shots of the boys playing football connotes a sense of realism as audiences will be able to self-identify with the stereotypical sport that plays a part in representing London’s youth culture. There’s then two girls watching the boys, who could be stereotyped as the stereotypical ‘chavs’, by their slicked back hair, use of strong ghetto/colloquial phrases and sayings and the overuse of makeup. Theirs a slight sense of binary opposition between the friends as instead of the black girl being stereotypically ‘loud and rude’, she seems more quite, whilst the white girl seems more loud-mouthed and open. The majority of their conversations seem to be about ‘getting hammered’, who they ‘f****’ up last night, and how they ‘cheated on their boyfriends representing them as being ‘slutty’ and common. This can also be reinforced as the black girl is pregnant but her ex boyfriend doesn’t want anything to do with it, further representing the females as vulnerable and desperate to be given attention by the way the white girl is always seen to be crowded over by boys (challenging Judith Butlers theories). This could then convey a negative representations of white ‘chavvy’ girls attempting to put on their ‘black masks’ and how the women are portrayed as being easy, whilst subverts the idea of all black females being loud mouthed. However, the way the black female is pregnant reinforces a negative representation of youths, as the Uk is know for its high statistics of teenage pregnancy, further creating the assumption that all girls are sex-crazed and used. This can then be emphasised as being reinforced as theirs a medium shot of a girl being in a sexually intimate stance with a boy that is not her boyfriend during the beginning of the opening scene.

The next group seem to be seen as the stereotypical ‘out casters’ who don’t entirely fit in to the schools regime. The stereotypical middle class white girl often gets bullied and abused within the whole opening of the scene. Her lack of ‘direct mode of address’ and the way she doesn’t stand up for herself also reinforces the vulnerability and degradation of some women within the opening scenes. The Asian girl within the ‘outcaster group’ is the only Asian girl represented strongly within the film, which institutions could have used as a way to create the sense of isolation. Whilst, the fact that she’s overweight further stereotypically reinforces how the bullies would have reason to bully her. This could then create an unfair representation of all youths bullying out casters because of their individuality or race, connoting intimidation and insecurity within London schools. Nevertheless, this also represents an unfair representation of youths today as they are represented as threatening and unsafe within their own schools.

The other main categories that are quite predominantly represented within the scenes is in the forms of popularity. The popular girls are conveyed as the school bully’s as they pick on the vulnerable individuals, whilst harassing the out casters for homework and humiliating them for being a virgin. This then further creates a negative representation of youth bullies. The fact that these girls are a mixture of white and black girls is cleverly used by the filmmakers as it makes the two different races seem equally intimidating and threatening (Alvarado’s sense of ‘dangerous’. The popular boys are mainly represented as all black boys with one white guy being represented as putting on his black mask by the way the use of his colloquial language and use of slang. The boys are mainly represented by the institutions as the ‘clowns’ of the school, rather insensitive, mucking about, and smoking weed. Whilst, also trying to act hard by getting themselves into situations involving drugs and becoming acquainted with  gun crime, further creating a bad representation of youth as they are connoted as being stringed along by their bad choices and the way this leads them to the wrong paths or death (in some of the characters case).

The last group are probably represented as the most ‘decilized’ and ‘dangerous’ as the black group are represented by wearing stereotypical hoodies, connoting a sense of intimidation to the audience. Whilst, the way they pick on the students and mug them reinforce a stereotypical representation of black youths in hoodies, also creating an unfair representation of all boys in hoodies being ready to break the law.

• Race is also represented as being a significant part in the structure of the scenes. The most predominant race that the filmmakers have stereotyped negatively is the black characters within the film as they are represented as intimidating and threatening, especially towards the teachers (as they seem to feel intimidated by them- school bell scene) and other students. The unfair stereotypes variety from being ‘promiscuous’ and getting ‘knocked up’. Whilst, getting into gun and knife crime (the boys uncle), getting themselves into fights and mugging people. However, although this reinforces society’s opinions of the black race within society, it also subverts some elements to this by the shyness of some of the black characters and the way the black girl and black boy seem to feel uncomfortable and want to help when the white girl gets beaten up by the bullies.

• Conflict and violence also play a distinctive part in representing youths in a negative light by the serious issues displayed in within Kidult hood. An example of the white girl being constantly abused and bullied, resulting in her hanging herself. The sensitivity of her death was lacked by individuals as they seemed happier about having a day off school. It’s almost as if the filmmakers are trying to connote the selfishness of youths, having no heart and being insensitive to every issue that doesn’t involve them. Whilst, the way theirs black on black rivalry leading to gun and knife crime, reinforce a reason for the audiences to feel intimidated by these individuals and how they have just been represented as being ‘decilized’.

All of these elements portrayed connote the differentiation of verisimilitude and mediation. Verisimilitude links in well with how the filmmakers wanted to target younger audiences by allowing them to self-identify with the youths of today. However, it seems the institutions have represented the hegemony of groups and some basic representations of people but have excluded some sense of realism. Its as if the filmmakers have packed in a few youths whole life experience into one short film. The idea of suicide, gun crime, teenage pregnancy and death seems pretty far-fetched even for west London. These events have occurred on the news, but it seems as if the institutions have tried to force the representations, making them less realistic as they try and target a teenage audience. Whilst also subliminally (and debatably accidental) representing a majority of youths in west London as aggressive and ready to harm, further connoting a sense of mediation. Without the mediation of the film, institutions would find it hard to target younger audiences, so by exploring the use of gun crime, suicide and other serious issues makes it more likely for the audience to want to watch the film.

“To what extent does American film/ Tv institutions use the vampire genre  (through texts such as ‘Twilight’ and ‘the vampire diaries’ to target younger audiences?”

keyword	Synonym 1	Synonym 2	Synonym 3
Vampire genre	Thwarted desire	Forbidden love	Modern day romance
Young audiences	identification	subcultures	Teenage desire
Binary oppostion	Human vs. immortal	Nature vs. man made	Vampires vs. werewolf
American institutions	CBS	Warner bros	CW

Search operators

‘+’ plus

‘-‘ minus

‘”’ speechmarks

Source: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~elektra/thesis.html

              http://forums.syfy.com/index.php?showtopic=2295352

location: http://news.ku.dk/all_news/2012/2012.5/vampires_give_danish_teenagers_a_taste_for_spirituality/

site: http://www.monsterlibrarian.com/vampiresya.htm

in url: www.examiner.com/article/vampire-wars-waged-box-office-gross-outs

In title: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampires_in_popular_culture

Filetype: www.tc.umn.edu/~rbeach/teachingmedia/print/module7.doc

3 BBC news night articles

·         http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20284124

George Entwistle resigns as BBC director general.

·         http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/nov/10/bbc-crisis-george-entwistle-resigns

BBC in crisis as George Entwistle quits over news night fiasco.

·         http://www.newstatesman.com/staggers/2012/11/bbcs-director-general-george-entwistle-resigns-over-newsnight-mistakes

·         BBC’s director-general, George Entwistle, resigns over news night mistake.

Summary

·         Entwistle (BBC’s director general) resigned after making a mistake of the allegations of the child abuse occurring in a care home in North Wales. At 9pm, patten (The trust chairman) said that it was ‘unacceptable shoddy’, but that Entwistle represented ‘courage’ as he stepped down from his Duties. On the 9^th of November, the BBC gave their sincere apologies at wrongly accusing Lord McAlphine. Whilst, the actual victim- Steve Messham actually identified that it wasn’t McAlphine but another man.

Enwistle stated: ‘In the light of the fact that the Director-General is also the Editor-in-Chief and ultimately responsible for all content; and in the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards of the Newsnight film broadcast on Friday 2nd November; I have decided that the honourable thing to do is to step down from the post of Director-General’.

My opinion: Personally I believe that the BBC had gotten their facts right before they made these accusations. To be honest, I believe Entwistle became so excited with this news and wanted to make a public outbreak within the first few days of his post, that he didn’t actually think through this predicament logically. However, I also do believe that he did the right thing about accepting he was wrong and stepping down from his post as it brings less of a negative representation of the BBC and to him.

Media extended response

A negative representation is better than no representation at all

Due to the London riots that happened on the 7^th of November 2011, a rampage started where rioters took to the streets, supposedly in the name of the banishing of Ema and of the death of Mark Duggan. This then resulted with severe consequences as recently rioters have been sentenced for imprisonment for over 1.800 years, the average custodial sentence being 16.8 months, roughly more than four times the average term that has been handed down the magistrates. Editors became ecstatic with the idea of being able to conjure up the next biased article, or being given the chance to reinforce the negative representation that we have of young people today. After all the custodial sentences, CCTV camera footages, BBC news updates, Tweeting and BBMing, the issue no longer became about the serious prospects it started with, but the media represented thousands of Greedy primitive people, eyeing up the closest Nike trainers, Swarovski diamond  and earrings or the latest Selfridges handbags. Although some of these deluders probably get a kick out of seeing their face headlined under ‘rioters go wild’, they don’t realize this infamous representation has caused loss of reputation and jobs, reinforcement of racism within society. Not to mention the disappointment from helpless parents who once thought they had brought their children up better than this.

Firstly, negative representations weren’t only aimed at stereotypical unemployed youths, but also Shonola Smith, a 22 old model who admittingly helped take part in the looting of an Argos store in Croydon. To reinforce the representation of her status, editors made sure that her photograph took a quarter of an A4 page. In comparison to the other looters who owned miniature represented photographs, enveloping the corners of the tabloid and broadsheet newspapers. Shonola’s photograph represents a medium shot of her laying down on her front, facing towards us, resting upon one hand. Whilst, her bare legs are shown crossed behind her, allowing men to voyeur upon her femininity revealing clothing (Laura Mulvey). The slip of her elegant baby pink dress rests on grass as she look at the audience with direct mode of address. The first impression the audience gets from her image, without looking at the headline on the right hand side, would be an advertisement of a new young model. Irony has probably favored the evening standards further as she is represented in girly colours, appearing very innocent and lady-like. Yet, we then don’t realize that she’s the exact opposite (Levi Strauss- Binary opposition) as she has taken part in a crime, affecting all of London’s society. The editors may have used this representation to connote and pose a threat that not everyone appears as they may seem. Whilst, informing audiences (Blumler &Katz) that youths have been given a choice of a good career but at the end of the day, they are the ones that ruin it. This image has not only given reinforcement of how society’s stereotypes youths today, but also how race has been stereotyped within the media. For years, women have strived to be accepted as equal to the white population (putting on their white masks), in the modeling industry. Yet, the editor allows us to capture that proud moment when we see this black female taking more of a dominant role in society. Then manipulating and syringing (hypodermic model) the audience into feeling disappointment and shock, by the way she has degraded herself, giving writers like Dewsbury’ a way to claim that Black people can’t be involved with middle class jobs. Shonola’s representation has probably not only cost her, her career, but has also probably given her modeling agency a negative representation too, further displaying just how ungrateful people can be.

Some may argue that the reinforcement of stereotypical views of black people was probably one of the most troubling issues that evoked the results of the London riots as one of the main causes was due to the death of black youth- Mark Duggan. However, this can then be argued that instead of honoring his death by proving to the police and society that the stereotype is wrong, further showing that they are not ‘decilized’ (fanon), they reinforced these ideologies by giving editors a chance to focus on the negative representations of them. Within most of the images of the looting, Black people had been the main foreground in nearly every single image. An example of this is headlined, alongside 10 miniature images of ‘Trouble in the hood’ as Kevin Braddock says: ‘How did a comfy, utilarian item of clothing become the ultimate symbol of exclusion and menace?’ The images then represent the individual images of black boys in hoodies, reinforcing Alvarado’s theory of ‘danger’. Whilst, also allowing audiences to identify themselves with. A good example of this is the second image where a hooded boy is communicating with his friends on the left. He is represented to be holding a long pole in his hand. The fire behind him, the Policeman’s silhouette and the lifeless body underneath him, firmly screams out the preferred reading of danger. Yet, the oppositional reading could suggest the policeman’s lack of power over the youths, ‘primitising’ them. Another representation is the image where most of the hooded figures are silhouetted and shadowed in black, further creating enigma (Barthes).Yet, also making the figures seem mysterious by the black cloths around their mouths. We could then connote this as being a sign that they don’t want to be represented within the media because of the shame of being identified. Other examples include groups of black boys in hoods, hands gesturing, which could then be connoted as very intimidating, reinforcing the stereotypes of youths within today’s society.

Lastly, no representation is better than negative representation as the disappointment of parents led to them escorting their youngsters down the police station. An example of this is the medium shot image of a black girl slashing out because as she’s been arrested in the police station. The way she’s not looking with direct mode of address could further connote here embarrassment and how she’s unwilling to be identified. This can be considered ironic as this hasn’t helped her as her own mother identified her to the police. However, this can similarly be connoted by the small icon of a black girl in tracksuit jacket covering her face. The medium side shot of the girl captures her in an unflattering pose as her white top rolls up, exposing a bit of her tummy. Editors could have used this as a way to humor the negative representation of her, syringing (hypodermic model) the audiences that this representation of them leads to consequences by the media, by making a mockery out of them.  This has also been used with a close up of image of a black persons face on the left making a face. This could then link to Alvarado’s theory of humour, but also link to Fanon’s theory of ‘decilizing’ and ‘primitising’ the black people.  However, Said’s theory of the uncivilised and civilised can be opposed as theirs a black police officer in the background. This then can subverts Dewsbury’s opinion on Black people failing to form into a middle class background. Whilst, also subverting to how black people are represented in society, as the police officer is actually doing good to society. On the left hand side, a proper image of a mixed race girl is conveyed as a way to identify her. Headlines have informed the audience (Blumler&Katz), that her mother was the one to give her to the police. This then subverts the idea that parenting supervision and authority was one of the problems that resulted in the riots. This represents a sense of responsibility and that parents also care about discipline and keeping London safe. The way the mother is represented as black subverts the stereotypical representations of them being ‘uncivilized’ and shows that discipline can be evoked by anyone of any race. Whilst, showing that morals is a part of today’s society.

In conclusion, I personally believe that no representation is better than a negative representation as these negative representations has led to people worldwide being able to negative represent people and the atmosphere in London. They have shamed our country, by giving us a bad name, whilst, reinforcing stereotypes of youths and race in within today’s society. As a result of this, they have already given themselves a bad reputation which will lead to barriers for them In the future.

• What kind of representation of young Londoners can you find?

v  Within the article of the of the ‘young looters co-ordinate raids via twitter and Blackberry’, mini images of the looters fill the sides of the article. Four distinct images have been shown from four different parts of London. The editors have used this to exaggerate the extent of the riots covering the whole of London. The first image represents a black girl sitting on a Curry’s television, with her hands tied behind her back and being held by a policeman. Neither are looking with direct mode of address, but the girl has a rather bored look captured on her face.  This could then reinforce Alvarado’s dangerous black stereotype by the intimidation that can be connoted from the image. However, this could also reinforce Fanon’s idea of Decilizing the black. The girl is represented all in black, but the most enigmatic aspect of her jacket is the Curry symbol on it. The fact that she has stolen from a place she has worked at, makes this seem more horrific, further giving viewers to represent how youths have no respect for their elders or society as you would think they would want to protect the place they work rather the destruct it. Nevertheless, theirs also a distinct differentiation between the colours of both people within the image. The police are represented as being of a white Caucasian background. This could then further connote Edward Said’s theory of the civilised vs. the uncivilised by the way that in society, the white are represented within the media then the Black. Status can also be connoted as a large importance as the girl is represented to be working in retail, whereas, the white guy is represented to be a policeman, further reinforcing Dewsbury’s opinion that Black people can’t have a proper middle class job. Their’s also then a sense of binary opposition between these two people (Levi Strauss) as although she isn’t considered higher then him within society, her colour makes her seem more intimidating then the policeman in uniform. Broken glass then envelopes the background, which ultimately reinforces and connotes the havoc displayed. Within the media, this then links well with the representations of the black stereotype being Decilized and being considered as dangerous. This can be ultimately reinforced by many of these images within the article as a majority of them represent black youths being caught red-handed or being taken by the police.

Another image on a double spread uses similar representations to the smaller images. However, these images are clearly bigger and actually identify many individuals that took part in the riots. An example of this is the big middle centred image of a black girl lashing out as she’s been arrested in the police station. Her lack of mode of address whilst the white officer is looking at her, could connote her shame. Whilst, giving an oppositional reading of her not wanting to be identified, this being ironic considering her own mother identified her. However, this can similarly be connoted by the small icon of a black girl in tracksuit jacket covering her face.The medium side shot of the girl captures her in an unflattering stance as her white top rolls up, exposing a bit of her tummy. This has also been used with a close up of image of a black persons face on the left making a face. This could then link to Alvarado’s theory of humour, but also link to Fanon’s theory of decilizing and primitising the black people.  However, Said’s theory of the uncivilised and civilised can be opposed as theirs a black police officer in the background. This then subverts Dewsbury’s opinion on Black people failing to form into a middle class background. Whilst, also subverting to how black people are represented in society, as the police officer is actually doing good to society. On the left hand side, a proper image of a mixed race girl is conveyed as a way to identify her. Headlines have informed the audience (Blumler&Katz), that her mother was the one to give her to the police. This then subverts the idea that parenting supervision and authority was one of the problems that resulted in the riots. This represents a sense of responsibility and that parents also care about discipline and keeping London safe. Whilst, subverting to the ideas of Black people as being decilized.

Postmodernism and its critiques

·         Postmodernity means development within society. Critics say: “after modernity, referring to the incipient or actual dissolution of those social forms associated with modernity" (This theory was made by Sarup 1993).

·         Baudrillard also said that society must come to terms with the ‘second revolution’, and “that Twentieth Century, of postmodernity, which is the immense process of the destruction of meaning equal to the earlier destruction of appearances. Whoever lives by meaning dies by meaning"

·         Ryan Bishop, in a concise article in the ‘Encyclopedia of Cultural Anthropology’ (1996), defines post-modernism as a diverse movement that originates in aesthetics, architecture and philosophy.

·          Postmodernism rejected the modernist passion for the new society. Whilst, rejecting tradition by going "where no man has gone before". Modernism was formed to explore the possibilities and a never ending search for individuality.

10 key words

·         Second revolution

·         Modernism

·         Development within society

·         Period of western culture

·         Aesthetics. Architecture and philosophy

·         New society

·         Diverse movement

·         Search for individuality

·         After modernity

·         Later nineteenth century, early twentieth century

·         postmodernism