Thursday, 12 November 2009

Mini Essay #1 - Media Theories/Theorists


...Marxism & Hegemony...

Marxism, which was devised by political theorist Karl Marx, is a political and economic philosophy which emphasises the importance of a class struggle within society. It examines the prospect that society is dominated by capitalist structures which maintain the hegemony of the ruling class and lead to the exploitation of workers. This can be linked to the way in which capitalist agencies such as the media help to maintain a false consciousness among mass audiences, who are therefore unaware of their exploitation. This puts into perspective the idea that audience members are inhibited of thinking for themselves, and that their views and opinions are controlled by the media. Hegemony is a term which was conceptualised by political theorist Antonio Gramsci. He states that once a particular group has achieved hegemony, their viewpoint becomes accepted by public opinion as common sense, making it difficult for opposition groups to make an effective challenge. This theory sees that society is split into two classes: the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. The bourgeoisie are the ruling class who owes its dominance and power to its ownership and control of the means of production. The proletariat are the lower class and are exploited from the lack of ownership and therefore lack of control of the means of production. In regards to media, this leads to the proletariat class feeling a sense of alienation as their views and opinions are not considered when it comes to making a decision about what should be shown and what shouldn’t be shown.

This theory relates to my critical investigation topic as it looks at different ways in which people’s own views and opinions can be controlled by the media. The relationship between the two classes is one of antagonism and conflict. Throughout history, the opposing classes have stood in constant opposition to one another, with the bourgeoisie trying to keep a constant control of the proletariat, whilst the proletariat have been trying to voice their own opinions and break out of the subordinate representation of which surrounds them. Whilst researching my topic, I will be able to see if stereotypes have been created based on how the ethnic minorities are represented within the various media texts, and if whether people’s views and opinions can be influenced by what they see within the media; as a result reinforcing the idea that the audience will always remain passive.

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