Representation Theory - Stuart Hall

Question 1

Summarise Halls representation theory.

Answer 1

Representations are built via codes.
1. Stereotypes produce ideological inferences for audiences.
2.Stereotypes can affect and reflect social attitudes.
3. Stereotypes can cause symbolic violence, closure and exclusions or power circularity.
4. Stereotypes can be repurposed by transcoding.
5. Audiences can decode texts according to their personal contexts.

Question 2

Concept 1: Representations are built via codes

Answer 2

Representations don’t offer objective reflections of reality but versions of reality shaped by the subjective view points of the creators. This is done through careful selection of certain codes. As a consequences media plays a role in shaping our understanding of the world.

Question 3

Concept 1: Representations are built via codes (questions)

Answer 3

1. How does the text shape our understanding of the world?
2. How does the text fix meaning?
3. What are the subjective viewpoints of the creator?

Question 4

Concept 2: Stereotypes and power

Answer 4

Media products produce ideological inferences for audiences. Thus stereotypes are problematic as they affect and reflect social attitudes.

(For instance by studying stereotypes we can understand attitudes towards groups routinely stereotyped.)

Question 5

Concept 2: stereotypes and power (questions)

Answer 5

1. Are there any stereotypes in the text?
2. What social attitudes are reflected by the stereotype?
3. Are stereotypes used as narrative shortecuts or used to reinforce genre expectations

Question 6

Concept 3: The problematic social affects/consequences of stereotype.

Answer 6

1. Stereotypes are a form of symbolic violence as they further marginalise groups by inc their visibility negatively or infer that negative traits are natural.
2. Stereotypes can construct closure and exclusion which is the process of fixing boundaries of who is/isn’t socially acceptable
3. Which in turn bars social groups from accessing cultural power to challenge representations causing power circularity.
4. Stereotypes can cause internalisation.

Question 7

Concept 3: The problematic social affects/consequences of stereotype. (Questions)

Answer 7

1. How do the stereotypes used reinforce existing power structures or help exclude key groups from mainstream society?

Question 8

Concept 4: Representations can be repurposed through transcoding.

Answer 8

Media producers who want to challenge existing negative stereotypes have to graft new meanings into existing presentations. This process is called transcoding and Hall outlines 3 transcoding strategies.
Appropriated, counter typical, deconstructed representations

Question 9

Appropriated representations

Answer 9

The devaluation, repurposing and subversion of stereotypes from within. Usually achieved by the marginalised groups.

Question 10

Counter typical representations

Answer 10

The production of representations that reverse stereotypes

Question 11

Deconstructed representations

Answer 11

The use of narratives that explain the effects and contextualise stereotypes.

Question 12

Concept 5: Reception theory

Answer 12

Media texts contain a variety of messages that are encoded by producers and decoded by audiences. However, audiences can decode messages differently usually in a way that aligns with their personal contexts.

Question 13

Preferred reading

Answer 13

The intended meaning/ view of the producer

Question 14

Negotiated reading

Answer 14

Audiences accept parts of the preferred meaning but also has their own views as well.

Question 15

Oppositional readings

Answer 15

A rejection of the preferred reading

Question 16

What 2 theorists might challenged Halls thinking?

Answer 16

Hall and Gilroy

Question 17

How might halls ideas be used to challenged his own ideas?

Answer 17

Hall - reception model suggest audiences can resist the effects of the media through the production of negotiated and oppositional readings.

Question 18

Why might Gilroy challenge Halls theories?

Answer 18

Would contextualise stereotypes within colonial ideas. This it is harder for audiences to contest black stereotypes as they are so entrenched within the British cultural psyche.