Difference between revisions of "Discourse & Identity III (Discussion)"
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==''Television'' on the study of race and ethnicity== | ==''Television'' on the study of race and ethnicity== | ||
− | *''' | + | *'''Groups 4 & 8:''' Sociologists Michael Omi and Howard Winant reject the idea of racial '''essentialism''' and propose an approach based instead on a '''racial formation'''. Explain these concepts and compare them to the "gender identity" approach we discussed last week. Is there anything in the ''[[Wikipedia:Girlfriends|Girlfriends]]'', ''[[Wikipedia:Fresh Off the Boat|Fresh Off the Boat]]'', or ''[[Wikipedia:Black-ish|black-ish]]'' episodes we watched that helps explain these concepts? |
*Herman Gray identifies three African-American discourses in TV. | *Herman Gray identifies three African-American discourses in TV. | ||
− | *#''' | + | *#'''Groups 5 & 1:''' Explain what he means by the '''assimilationist''' category and why he puts ''Designing Women'' into it. Should the ''Fresh Off the Boat'' and ''black-ish'' episodes we watched be put in this category? Why or why not? |
− | *#''' | + | *#'''Groups 6 & 2:''' Explain what he means by the '''pluralist''' category and why he puts ''Girlfriends'' into it. Should the ''Fresh Off the Boat'' and ''black-ish'' episodes we watched be put in this category? Why or why not? |
− | *#''' | + | *#'''Groups 7 & 3:''' Explain what he means by the '''multiculturalist'''. Should the ''Fresh Off the Boat'' and ''black-ish'' episodes we watched be put in this category? Why or why not? |
==Beretta Smith-Shomade== | ==Beretta Smith-Shomade== | ||
Beretta Smith-Shomade (pronounced "show-ma-day") examines "four intertwined elements in [1990s] television comedy that define and give meaning to Black women's representation there: work roles, characterization, class, and identity" (48). Each group should consider one key aspect of these elements and discuss how well they apply to the 21st-century sitcoms we viewed: ''Girlfriends'' (2000-2008), ''Fresh Off the Boat'' (2015-), and ''black-ish'' (2014-). | Beretta Smith-Shomade (pronounced "show-ma-day") examines "four intertwined elements in [1990s] television comedy that define and give meaning to Black women's representation there: work roles, characterization, class, and identity" (48). Each group should consider one key aspect of these elements and discuss how well they apply to the 21st-century sitcoms we viewed: ''Girlfriends'' (2000-2008), ''Fresh Off the Boat'' (2015-), and ''black-ish'' (2014-). | ||
− | *''' | + | *'''Groups 4 & 8:''' work and class |
− | *''' | + | *'''Groups 5 & 1:''' identity: language |
− | *''' | + | *'''Groups 6 & 2:''' identity: skin shade |
− | *''' | + | *'''Groups 7 & 3:''' identity: hair |
*'''All groups:''' characterization (i.e., conventional roles and stereotypes). Do ''Girlfriends'' and ''black-ish" rely on African-American stereotypes? E.g., "mammy," "sapphire," "tragic mulatto," etc. Does ''Fresh Off the Boat'' rely on Asian (specifically, Chinese) stereotypes? | *'''All groups:''' characterization (i.e., conventional roles and stereotypes). Do ''Girlfriends'' and ''black-ish" rely on African-American stereotypes? E.g., "mammy," "sapphire," "tragic mulatto," etc. Does ''Fresh Off the Boat'' rely on Asian (specifically, Chinese) stereotypes? | ||
Revision as of 14:46, 1 December 2016
Television on the study of race and ethnicity
- Groups 4 & 8: Sociologists Michael Omi and Howard Winant reject the idea of racial essentialism and propose an approach based instead on a racial formation. Explain these concepts and compare them to the "gender identity" approach we discussed last week. Is there anything in the Girlfriends, Fresh Off the Boat, or black-ish episodes we watched that helps explain these concepts?
- Herman Gray identifies three African-American discourses in TV.
- Groups 5 & 1: Explain what he means by the assimilationist category and why he puts Designing Women into it. Should the Fresh Off the Boat and black-ish episodes we watched be put in this category? Why or why not?
- Groups 6 & 2: Explain what he means by the pluralist category and why he puts Girlfriends into it. Should the Fresh Off the Boat and black-ish episodes we watched be put in this category? Why or why not?
- Groups 7 & 3: Explain what he means by the multiculturalist. Should the Fresh Off the Boat and black-ish episodes we watched be put in this category? Why or why not?
Beretta Smith-Shomade
Beretta Smith-Shomade (pronounced "show-ma-day") examines "four intertwined elements in [1990s] television comedy that define and give meaning to Black women's representation there: work roles, characterization, class, and identity" (48). Each group should consider one key aspect of these elements and discuss how well they apply to the 21st-century sitcoms we viewed: Girlfriends (2000-2008), Fresh Off the Boat (2015-), and black-ish (2014-).
- Groups 4 & 8: work and class
- Groups 5 & 1: identity: language
- Groups 6 & 2: identity: skin shade
- Groups 7 & 3: identity: hair
- All groups: characterization (i.e., conventional roles and stereotypes). Do Girlfriends and black-ish" rely on African-American stereotypes? E.g., "mammy," "sapphire," "tragic mulatto," etc. Does Fresh Off the Boat rely on Asian (specifically, Chinese) stereotypes?
Casts
Girlfriends
- William Dent (Reggie Hayes)
- Toni Childs (Jill Marie Jones)
- Maya Wilkes (Golden Brooks)
- Joan Clayton (Tracee Ellis Ross)
- Lynn Searcy (Persia White)
Fresh Off the Boat
- Eddie Huang (Hudson Yang)
- Louis Huang (Randall Park)
- Jessica Huang (Constance Wu)
- Emery Huang (Forrest Wheeler)
- Evan Huang (Ian Chen)
- Grandma Jenny Huang (Lucille Soong)
black-ish
- Andre "Dre" Johnson Sr. (Anthony Anderson)
- Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson (Tracee Ellis Ross)
- Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi)
- Andre ("Junior") Johnson Jr. (Marcus Scribner)
- Jack Johnson (Miles Brown)
- Diane Johnson (Marsai Martin)
- Ruby Johnson (Jenifer Lewis)
- Earl "Pops" Johnson (Laurence Fishburne)
- Josh Oppenhol (Jeff Meacham)
- Leslie Stevens (Peter Mackenzie)
All groups
- List two strength(s) of analyzing (gender, race, ethnic) identity in terms of discourse. List two weaknesses of this approach.
Bibliography
- Jeremy G. Butler, Television: Critical Methods and Applications (NY: Routledge, 2012).
- Beretta E. Smith-Shomade, “Laughing Out Loud: Negras Negotiating Situation Comedy,” Shaded Lives: African-American Women and Television (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2002), 24-68.
External links
- Wikipedia book: Girlfriends allusions
- Girlfriends illustrations
- "Infanity: Girlfriends," tour of the Girlfriends set by Persia White, local copy