Racism, Representations and Stereotypes

According to Hall (2000), racism and the media touch directly the problem of ideology, or representation. This notion of ideology privileges those images and concepts which are the frameworks through which we make sense of some aspect of social existence, or in this case, a religious tradition (Hall, 2000). Therefore, the media constructs definitions and plays a vital role in portraying what a particular race or religion is, or how it is to be viewed and understood. The media articulates, transforms and elaborates various religious world views (Hall, 2000). Unfortunately, this articulation of such religions can lead to harsh cultural stereotyping and mockery. Racism can arise through representations relating to religion, whether fact or fictional. In other words, mediated constructions of religions can cause unquestioned and untruthful assumptions.

How a religion's adherents see themselves and their social relations matters (Hall, 2000). How one sees oneself is important as it enters into and informs our practices and actions (Hall, 2000). Take racist jokes and media comics and caricatures for example. It is interesting to think that when an adherent from a religion picks on or mocks their own religion, then it is humorous. For instance, Jews can make Jewish jokes to people from their own religion, and Black people can make Black jokes and it it not racist because the person telling the joke and their audience are religious or racial equals. Actually, the mocking of their own religion or race shows self awareness within the community (Hall, 2000). Telling racist jokes reinforces the difference and reproduces the unequal relations because the point of the joke depends on the existence of racism (Hall, 2000). However, when a racist joke is generated or repeated to humiliate, then the purpose and humour is lost (Woodbury, 2003).

Representations of the Jewish religion have made the Jewish people victims, from a long history of stereotyping. This stereotyping and negative imagery of Jews has fanned an anti-Semitism, or hate of Jews (Woodbury, 2003).  This notion is foregrounded on the internet through hate-sites, where some go as far as stating 'kill the Jews.' It can be said that this negativity stems from early historical traditions. For instance, throughout history, Jews were seen as stubborn people for refusing to convert to the religion of their hosts, and instead, keeping their own beliefs (Woodbury, 2003). In other words, when invaders tried to force Jewish followers to change their religion, most were prosecuted for refusing to do so. This negative stereotyping was then continued into caricatures depicting the religion to be blasphemous and in league with the devil (Woodbury, 2003). It is also reflected in other media, such as film. For example, in holocaust films, Jews are foregrounded as helpless, passive and childlike people, acceptingly walking into the Nazi gas chambers etc, in movies such as Schindler's List or The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Other stereotypes in movies incorporate the Jewish kid who is fat, always comes last and is constantly bullies; or the female Jew who is loudmouthed, pushy and not lusted after my men.

The media needs to influence representational change, as they have the power to do so. Mediated forms need to be utilized to heighten awareness of the unconscious assumptions people may hold about specific religions, such as Jews, Muslims and Arabs, and to learn where these inner images and negative, historical stereotypes clash with reality (Woodbury, 2003). Reporters and other media managers need to recognize that today's religious events and circumstances gain a lot of effect from mediated relations. For instance, a small error on behalf of a reporter or photographer can cause hate crimes, burned synagogues or temples, and overt prejudice. A shortcoming of the way media reports religion is the reporter's lack of religious, historical or theological background. Thus, their writing or reporting is ill informed. For example, we often see that references with Islam and violence and terrorism arise through a lack of understanding with the Muslim religion. Therefore, although reporters do not actually know anything about religion, they report on it anyway, often contributing to negative imagery and stereotyping.

Muslims and Arabs have a long and dark history of representation by Western media (Canas, 2008). For instance, Islamic men are seen as fanatics and terrorists, whilst the women are views as submissive victims of a patriarchal religion (Canas, 2008). As exemplified through Orientalist discourses, members of the Islam tradition are inferior, premodern and violent (Canas, 2008). Following the 9/11 context, these discourses have been greatly reinforced and spread by the media. Therefore, the media has been very detrimental to Islam. Although the media has the power to transform the Muslim stereotype of violence, it chooses not too. Why is the media so stuck on keeping these negative images of religions? Is it to keep their readership? Does the audience prefer to read and see stories of violence and mistreatment to religious adherents who have done nothing but adopt a religious tradition? This is immoral and completely unfair. What has the mediated world come too? Shouldn't the media be used for good, to bring the world together, rather than driving nations apart and influencing racism? What happened to the hopeful notion of a multicultural society?

To exemplify a horrific result of stereotyped reporting, the slaying of reporter Daniel Pearl can be foregrounded. Daniel Pearl, jew, was killed in Pakistan by Israeli soldiers on the basis of his religious affiliation. It is interesting to consider whether this would have occurred if the world and media did not stereotype the Jewish religion. It is also evident in this story that negative Israeli images overshadow more subtle and positive Jewish images (Woodbury, 2003). For instance, the news media never talks about various Jewish athletes. Jewish people are as complex and as rich in diversity as any one of us. It seems unfair to draw this religion down to generalisations and negative imagery through poor media coverage and deliberate stereotyping (Woodbury, 2003).

Therefore, the representations of various religions are products of negative stereotyping found throughout history. The media plays a vital role in constructing how a religion is to be viewed and understood.

References:

Cañas S. 2008. The Little Mosque on the Prairie: Examining (Multi) Cultural Spaces of Nation and Religion. Cultural Dynamics, 20: 195-211. (RL). Also via: http://www.nabilechchaibi.com/resources/Canas.pdf

Hall S. 2000. Racist Ideologies and the Media. In P Marris and S Thornham, Eds., Media Studies: A Reader. 2nd Edn., New York, New York University Press. Ch. 22, 271-282. (RL)

Woodbury M. 2003. Jewish Images that Injure. In PM Lester and EE Dennis, Eds., Images that Injure: Pictorial Stereotypes in the Media. 2nd edn. 121-130. London: Praeger. Ch15, (RL)

Image Source:

My own drawing of the Jewish ‘childish/helpless’ stereotype and the Islam ‘violent/angry’ stereotype.