MEDIA,CULTURE
ANDDIVERSITY
2018-2019
SOCIALSCIENCES PROF.DHAENENS
D.L.Y.
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1.What’satstake
● Howidentityissuesaredealtwith,produced,represented,regulated,consumedandconstructedinand
throughpopularmediaculture
● Discussingidentity=quitepersonal
● Somerules
○ Donotattacksomeone’spersonalbelieforconvictions
○ Berespectfulatalltimes
○ Donotfeel‘pressured’tospeakfromaparticularsubjectpositionbuttrytoimaginewhatpersonsmayfeel
● UseofEnglish
● Overlapwithothercourses
1.Somecasestostartwith…
1.1.ElectionofMissBelgium2018
● AngelineFlorPua
● Madethenews:ethnicidentity
● BacklashonTwitter
● Otheringanddegrading
● Racismanddigitalmedia:
○ Speed
○ Globalization/internationaldebate
● Bluntracism,sexismandhomophobia:nolongerpubliclycondoned
● Butwhataboutstructuralsexism?
● Modelsascommodities?
1.2.CityofGhentPromotionCampaign
● Homophobicandsexualviolence
● Challengestructuralracism
● Inclusivitywithoutassimilation
● Useofexaggerations=problematic?
● Romanipopulation?
● Effectivityofsuchcampaigns?
1.3.Acloserlook…atboef
● SofianeBoussaadia
● Dutchrapper(°1993),Algerianparents
● Musicalbio:debutperformancein2015;2016:EP‘GewoonBoef’(ZonamoUnderground);2017:Slaaptekort
(BoefMusic);2019:EP‘93’(Trifecta)
● Personallife:rockyroad,popularartist
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1.3.1.Areconstructionofwhathappened
● CartroubleonNYE2017
● Snapchat:“ pickedupbythreekechs.Mylifeisamovie.HappyNewYear.I’mbuyingaboatthisyear,justyou
wait”
● First‘wave’ofcriticism:useofword‘kech’
● Boefuploadsanothervideo:“ IsucceededinupsettingafewpeoplebecauseIsaid‘kch’,butwhatareyou
doinginaclubwithalcohol,withshortskirtsateighto’clockinthemorning,withboys?Whatareyoudoing?
You’rejustakech”
● Underscoringimageof‘superior’masculinity
○ Commerciallogicsofanartistpersona
○ Socioculturalroleoftheartist
● Second‘wave’ofcriticism:heated,mediated,andpolarized
● Boefissuesanapologylaterthatday
1.3.1.Analysisoftheresponses/practices
● ⇒
Denouncing:women,feministscholars,fellowrappers exposing‘structuralsexism’
● ⇒
Support:onlineandoffline,manager askingfornuance:importanceofyouthculture,‘slang’
● Parody:ordinarycitizens,satireblogs⇒
usinghumortovoicecriticism
● Boycott:spokespersonswithsymboliccapital⇒refusalsbyradioDJstoplaysongs,removaloffestival
line-ups,endingprofessionalcollaborations
● ⇒
Settingup(mediated)debates puttingthingsintoperspective
● #MeTooascontext
○ Spontaneous,uncontrolleddigitalmovementthatdenouncessexisminallitsforms
○ Singlingoutindividuals,notalwaysaddressingstructuralissues
● Ethnicidentityanddoublestandards
○ SunnyBergmanandSelmaOmari:fightingsexismwithracism
○ Everydayandstructuralracism,homophobia,sexismareignored
○ Radicalslur,articulationwithIslam,usingBoeftoboycottR&Bandhiphop
● Boef’sfinalresponse:
○ Newsongandvideo(“Antwoord’)
○ Liveperformanceandapology
○ “Werappersaresaying‘bitches’andsoon,butwereallydon’tthinklessofwomen”
2.Coursesetup
● Complexitiesofidentitiesanddiversity
● Increasedattentioninacademicandpopulardebate
● Course:gaininginsightinto
○ Howpopular(media)culturedealswithdiversity
○ Theroleofpopular(media)cultureinmakingsenseoftheworld
● Media,communicationandculturalstudies
● Criticalholisticandcontextualapproach
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3.Concreteobjectives
1. Describe,explainandreflectonkeyconceptsinresearchonmedia,cultureanddiversity
2. Applykeyconceptsontocontemporaryphenomenathatrelatetomedia,cultureanddiversity
3. Arguewhattherelevanceisofmedia,communicationandculturalstudiesfortheanalysisofcontemporary
problemsanddemonstratethesocioculturalroleandresponsibilityofacommunicationscholar
4.Limitation
● FocusonWesternpopularmediaculture:
○ Program-related
○ Paradigmatic
○ Practical
5.WatchandlistenList
CHAPTER3 ● ParisisBurning(JennieLivingstone)
GENDERANDPOPULARMEDIACULTURE ● Girl(LukasDhont)
● StarWars:TheForceAwakens(J.J.Abrams)
CHAPTER4 ● CallMeByYourName(LucaGuadagnino)
SEXUALDIVERSITYANDPOPULARMEDIA ● TheChildren’sHour(WiliamWyler)
CULTURE ● Friends(TheOneWiththeMaleNanny)
● Glee(nospecificepisode,theseriesingeneralwillbe
discussed)
CHAPTER5 ● FrankOcean
RACE,ETHNICITYANDPOPULARMEDIA ● TheWeeknd
CULTURE ● Solange
● Insecure(noepisodeinparticular)
CHAPTER8 ● TheConditionoftheWorkingClass(DeirdreO’Neill&Michael
SOCIALCLASSANDPOPULARMEDIA Wayne)(canbeaccessedviaVimeo)
CULTURE ● Metropolis(FritzLang)
● Ladridibiciclette(VittorioDeSica)
● AllthatHeavenAllows(DouglasSirk)
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