Paul Gilroy - blog tasks

 Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet 170: Gilroy – Ethnicity and Postcolonial Theory. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets or you can access it online here using your Greenford Google login.

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:

1) How does Gilroy suggest racial identities are constructed?

He says that they are historically constructed through methods such as slavery, colonisation, consumer capitalism ect.

2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?

He thinks that race doesn't cause racism and this is because racial difference and racial identities which care caused by different things.

3) What is ethnic absolutism and why is Gilroy opposed to it?

Ethnic absolutism is a line of thinking which sees humans as part of different ethin compartments. Gilroy is opposed to this because he identifies with a position that is opposite to ethnic absolutism.

4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?

He views it as a definition of ones culture and ethnic identity and suggests that the black diasporic identity is irreversible as slavery has since changed the identity. He instead wants to challenge people who have the view that all black people come from a singular area.

5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?

He says that they were not recognised or in other words seen as "other" by the community.

6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?

Some negatives are the fact that there are now differences/tension between minority groups.

7) Complete the first activity on page 3: How might diasporic communities use the media to stay connected to their cultural identity? E.g. digital media - offer specific examples.

It states that people may watch influencers of similar cultures/backgrounds so that they feel like they belong and a collective agenda can be achieved.

8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?

He suggests that the modern world was built upon a normalised view of slavery and that the figure of the black slave provided enlightened thinkers and philosophers an insight on concepts of property rights.

9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?

Black people would only be seen as either comedians, rappers, criminals, gang members or athletes and this reinforced the idea that black people are unable to feel like they have their own identity.

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.

Black people were often seen as the other and in the trailer this can be seen as the black peoples views and needs are not respected by the company. Less intellectual jobs were also featured in te trailer revealing black women perhaps could not have been able to work in higher class jobs.