Concept Sketch: Representation
Representation is defined as a cultural process through which we envision the world. This process is influenced by the omnipresent norms and values shared by members of society. The definition has been derived by canvassing Ella Shohat and Robert Stam’s article titled Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media, and Anne McClintock’s article Soft-Soaping Racism and Imperial Advertisement. It is important to note that the meaning of the term ‘representation’ is contextual, thus, for the purpose of this paper the development of ‘representation’ is conducted under a feminist scholarly framework.
In the article Unthinking Eurocentrism, Shohat and Stam unveil the idea of Eurocentrism and refer to it as …show more content…
The Caucasian boy bathes his “lesser brother” with the Pears soap. McClintock states that this boy undergoes some kind of metamorphosis which makes his body fair, much like the Caucasian boy. Additionally, the “Monkey” was a symbol for “dangerous classes”, such as “the ‘ape-like’ wandering poor, the hungry Irish, Jews, prostitutes, impoverished black people, the ragged working class, criminals…” and was used by advertisers for the Monkey Brand Soap advertisement to illustrate the laborious activity of washing and cleaning. These activities were primarily conducted by the aforementioned “dangerous classes” for the elite. The examples reveal the Eurocentric perspective ingrained within the fabrics of popular culture dating back to the 1800s. In the Pears advertisement the Caucasian boy has an elevated stature since he is portrayed to have the knowledge of hygienic practices, and the advertisement has also effectively equated whiteness to cleanliness. Thus, the presence of Eurocentric norms is apparent in the example, as Sohat and Stam contend that Eurocentric norms that call for the monopolization of what constitutes as beautiful, intelligent and strong by the individuals that belong to the “white” race. Furthermore, McClintock commentary on the symbol of the Monkey reveals how monkeys “…were deployed to legitimate social boundaries as edicts of nature.” This is a feature of Eurocentrism as it is founded on values that arranges groups in hierarchies of power. In short, representation is beneficial in examining the popular culture as it informs the perspective used to create the figment of reality that the mass media aims to
Representation is defined as a cultural process through which we envision the world. This process is influenced by the omnipresent norms and values shared by members of society. The definition has been derived by canvassing Ella Shohat and Robert Stam’s article titled Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media, and Anne McClintock’s article Soft-Soaping Racism and Imperial Advertisement. It is important to note that the meaning of the term ‘representation’ is contextual, thus, for the purpose of this paper the development of ‘representation’ is conducted under a feminist scholarly framework.
In the article Unthinking Eurocentrism, Shohat and Stam unveil the idea of Eurocentrism and refer to it as …show more content…
The Caucasian boy bathes his “lesser brother” with the Pears soap. McClintock states that this boy undergoes some kind of metamorphosis which makes his body fair, much like the Caucasian boy. Additionally, the “Monkey” was a symbol for “dangerous classes”, such as “the ‘ape-like’ wandering poor, the hungry Irish, Jews, prostitutes, impoverished black people, the ragged working class, criminals…” and was used by advertisers for the Monkey Brand Soap advertisement to illustrate the laborious activity of washing and cleaning. These activities were primarily conducted by the aforementioned “dangerous classes” for the elite. The examples reveal the Eurocentric perspective ingrained within the fabrics of popular culture dating back to the 1800s. In the Pears advertisement the Caucasian boy has an elevated stature since he is portrayed to have the knowledge of hygienic practices, and the advertisement has also effectively equated whiteness to cleanliness. Thus, the presence of Eurocentric norms is apparent in the example, as Sohat and Stam contend that Eurocentric norms that call for the monopolization of what constitutes as beautiful, intelligent and strong by the individuals that belong to the “white” race. Furthermore, McClintock commentary on the symbol of the Monkey reveals how monkeys “…were deployed to legitimate social boundaries as edicts of nature.” This is a feature of Eurocentrism as it is founded on values that arranges groups in hierarchies of power. In short, representation is beneficial in examining the popular culture as it informs the perspective used to create the figment of reality that the mass media aims to