Gilroy is basically saying that there is an identity crisis and
feeling of not belonging (Diaspora identity) and the Voice is an example of
people trying to change that and make black Briton feel like they belong by
giving them a voice. However with their low budget it is argumentative whether
they really have a voice.
The
Voice newspaper was formed in 1982 to create a voice for the black British
community. Gilroy wrote of the dominant representation of black Britons at that
time as “external and estranged from the imagined community that is the nation”.
SP: Paul Gilroy - Diasporic
identity
There are several
important theories we need to learn and apply to our Online, Social and
Participatory media unit.
These include Clay Shirky's End of Audience theories, Stuart Hall's work on representation and reality and Paul Gilroy's postcolonial theory of black diasporic identity.
Stuart Hall: representation and reality
These include Clay Shirky's End of Audience theories, Stuart Hall's work on representation and reality and Paul Gilroy's postcolonial theory of black diasporic identity.
Stuart Hall: representation and reality
Stuart Hall suggests individuals each
have their own conceptual map – effectively what we use to decode and
understand media texts.
Building on this, Hall outlines three
approaches to understanding the relationship between reality and
representations:
Reflective approach: the media simply mirrors (or
reflects) the real world. This is a limited approach that minimalises the power
or complexity of the media.
Intentional approach: the producer of the text constructs the world as they see it and the audience accepts those values encoded in the text. This is effectively the dominant or preferred reading (reception theory) and leaves no room for the negotiated or oppositional reading.
The constructivist approach: this was Hall’s preferred approach and closely matches reception theory with preferred and oppositional readings. This suggests concepts and signs do have some shared meanings but they are not all inherent and can be interpreted by the audience in a number of ways (dependent on their own ‘conceptual map’).
Intentional approach: the producer of the text constructs the world as they see it and the audience accepts those values encoded in the text. This is effectively the dominant or preferred reading (reception theory) and leaves no room for the negotiated or oppositional reading.
The constructivist approach: this was Hall’s preferred approach and closely matches reception theory with preferred and oppositional readings. This suggests concepts and signs do have some shared meanings but they are not all inherent and can be interpreted by the audience in a number of ways (dependent on their own ‘conceptual map’).
Paul Gilroy: black diasporic
identity
We first explored Paul Gilroy’s
theories of black diasporic identity when studying music video.
This is the idea that black identity
is informed by diaspora – literally the ‘scattering of people’ across the
world. He suggests this creates a “liquidity of culture” that means black
identity is formed by journeys across seas, not the solid ground of a home
country or culture.
Importantly, Gilroy sees this
identity as impossible to reverse – there can be no return to the place of
origin as the experience of slavery and displacement can never be “rewound”.
Gilroy: black British identity
The Voice newspaper was formed in
1982 to create a voice for the black British community. Gilroy wrote of the
dominant representation of black Britons at that time as “external and
estranged from the imagined community that is the nation”.
Gilroy suggests diaspora challenges
national ideologies and creates “cultural tension”. This tension helps to
create the diasporic identity but often comes with negative experiences such as
exclusion and marginalisation.
More succinctly, Gilroy sums this up
as the white racist’s question to BAME people: “Why don’t you just go home?”
Paul Gilroy and Russell Brand
In 2017, Paul Gilroy took part in Russell Brand’s Under The Skin podcast, exploring ideas and modern culture. Watch the following two extracts and consider how Gilroy’s ideas reflect recent events and media culture.
Extract 1: 17.50 – 25.45
Extract 2: 44.30 – 48.08
Paul Gilroy and Russell Brand
In 2017, Paul Gilroy took part in Russell Brand’s Under The Skin podcast, exploring ideas and modern culture. Watch the following two extracts and consider how Gilroy’s ideas reflect recent events and media culture.
Extract 1: 17.50 – 25.45
Extract 2: 44.30 – 48.08
Paul Gilroy - blog task
1.) Give a one line definition of Gilroy’s idea.
He has argued that racial identities are historically constructed - formed by colonialization, slavery, nationalist philosophies and consumer capitalism.
2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?
Racial identities are the product of racial oppression. Racial identities are caused by historical conflicts that have brought different groups into opposition. That is not to say that there were no human differences before historical conflict between different groups; different humans groups existed but their differences were not defined by 'race' lines.
3) What difference might a platform like the internet make?
3) What difference might a platform like the internet make?
4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?
Diaspora- black people living outside of Africa
For Gilroy, the Black Atlantic diaspora is irreversible because the experience of slavery irrevocably changed the diasporic identity. It cannot be ‘rewound’ to a state of cultural purity and cannot return to Africa as the place of origin has changed – the place of origin doesn’t exist as it did before diaspora.
5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?
At the time, the dominant representation of black Britons was as “external and estranged from the imagined community that is the nation.” As such, to accept the role of slavery into the cultural identities of Britain would be to challenge the negative stereotype of black Britons at the time, and reverse the “external and estranged” relationship with the nation.
6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?
Diaspora challenges national ideologies, through the commitment and loyalty to the origin nation or place. Negative experiences of exclusion, exposure to regressive ideologies and marginalisation will also create an identity which is then shared within the diasporic community and perhaps from the origin country.
7) How might diasporic communities use the media to stay connected to their cultural identity? E.g. digital media - offer specific examples.
8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?
Gilroy also argues the importance of slavery to modernity and capitalism. The modern world was built upon a normalised view of slavery, particularly plantation slavery. Slavery was only rejected when it was revealed as incompatible with enlightened rationality and capitalist production.
9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?
9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?
"Double Consciousness provides more way of understanding of the world." The media reinforces this idea for black people in the UK by portraying them as either criminals or gang members. The Daily Mail is an example of this has they have typically been known for being prejudice towards ethnic minorities.
10) Finally, complete the second activity on page 3: Watch the trailer for Hidden Figures
10) Finally, complete the second activity on page 3: Watch the trailer for Hidden Figures
and
discuss how the film attempts to challenge ‘double consciousness’ and the
stereotypical representation of black American women.
Hidden Figures attempts to challenge the idea of double consciousness through the protagonist of the film. The protagonist is an intelligent, black mathematician who works for NASA during a period where woman were looked down upon and treated in a very traditional way.
