Mass media stereotyping social classes

[glover22]

I have to do an essay on how the mass media does/doesn't stereotype different social classes, ie the Monarchy, upper, middle and working class. does any one have any views on this or any ideas where i may find some sociological studies to back this up?thanks x x

[Octavius]

There are a number of specific questions raised by this general theme. For example:

- how is an individual's membership of different classes communicated to the audience ? (appearance, accent, behaviour, attitudes)
- are some groups are represented more positively than others ?
- are individuals in a particular social group shown to lead attractive and desirable lives or dull, limited ones ?
are some groups are over-represented while others are ignored ?
- are some aspects of life over-represented while others are ignored ?

Media representation tends to deal in limited stereotypes. These help to communicate ideas, making the complexities of the real world more easily understood by simplifying matters. We can quickly perceive someone in a cloth cap and shabby clothing to be a worker (at least in previous decades, though not today). Remember that stereotypes can be positive as well as negative. Indeed, such stereotypes can be used in many ways. Poorer people, for example, might console themselves about their position in life by labelling those richer themselves as 'upper class twits', 'toffs', and the like.

 

Media today has updated the working class cloth cap image and called it a Chav.  When a newspaper or other media mentions the word chav or toff, you immediately create a mental image of their social standing in your mind.

[undercovers]

its quite an interesting topic, for academic writers you could try Clarke J and Critcher C who have written about the "lower classes" and how they are / have been controlled and portrayed by the ruling classes, a good title of theirs to start with could be "the devil makes work" - its not in print any more but the library will be able to get a copy for you (inter library loans prob or your school or uni might be able to get it for you). This doesn't deal only with the media aspect but will help focus your arguments help you draw examples between the past and the future.

[glover22]

thankyou for the answers they were some interesting points! x x