Paul Gilroy - blog task
1) How does Gilroy suggest racial identities are constructed?
Gilroy suggests that race is caused by racism rather than differences in race itself.
2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?
He says that racial identities are caused by historical conflicts that have brought different groups into opposition.
3) What is ethnic absolutism and why is Gilroy opposed to it?
A line of thinking which sees humans are [part of different ethnic compartments with race as the basis of human differentiation. Gilroy is opposed to this as it counters his argument that racism causes race.
4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?
He sees this as a product of movement, it is based on the routes taken throughout history rather than the roots of origin.
5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?
Black people were looked at as outsiders and not part of the British community "external and estranged".
6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?
It can create cultural tension between diasporic ideologies and national ideologies. They can be both positive and negative. Positive identities can be created by the participation and relationships that individuals experience. Negative identities can be created by negative experiences of exclusion, exposure to regressive ideologies and marginalisation.
7) Complete the first activity on page 3: How might diasporic communities use the media to stay connected to their cultural identity? E.g. digital media - offer specific examples.
8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?
Gilroy says that the modern world was built on a normalised view of slavery. The only reason it was then abolished/rejected was because it was incompatible with a new look on rationality and capitalist production. The figure of the black slave or "the negro" prompted philosophers into concepts of property rights, consciousness and art.
9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?
Double consciousness is the two modes of perception- seeing someones identitiy from a black person's perspective (as a human being) or seeing someones identity from the perspective of the state (as a second class citizen not entitled to the same rights as other humans). The media creates representations of groups, however some groups have more limited representations than others. The dominant representations of black males is they are a rapper, criminal, gang member or an athlete. This reinforces double consciousness of the black male, that he is nothing more than what he sees in the media.
10) Finally, complete the second activity on page 3: Watch the trailer for Hidden Figures and discuss how the film attempts to challenge ‘double consciousness’ and the stereotypical representation of black American women.
Gilroy suggests that race is caused by racism rather than differences in race itself.
2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?
He says that racial identities are caused by historical conflicts that have brought different groups into opposition.
3) What is ethnic absolutism and why is Gilroy opposed to it?
A line of thinking which sees humans are [part of different ethnic compartments with race as the basis of human differentiation. Gilroy is opposed to this as it counters his argument that racism causes race.
4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?
He sees this as a product of movement, it is based on the routes taken throughout history rather than the roots of origin.
5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?
Black people were looked at as outsiders and not part of the British community "external and estranged".
6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?
It can create cultural tension between diasporic ideologies and national ideologies. They can be both positive and negative. Positive identities can be created by the participation and relationships that individuals experience. Negative identities can be created by negative experiences of exclusion, exposure to regressive ideologies and marginalisation.
7) Complete the first activity on page 3: How might diasporic communities use the media to stay connected to their cultural identity? E.g. digital media - offer specific examples.
8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?
Gilroy says that the modern world was built on a normalised view of slavery. The only reason it was then abolished/rejected was because it was incompatible with a new look on rationality and capitalist production. The figure of the black slave or "the negro" prompted philosophers into concepts of property rights, consciousness and art.
9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?
Double consciousness is the two modes of perception- seeing someones identitiy from a black person's perspective (as a human being) or seeing someones identity from the perspective of the state (as a second class citizen not entitled to the same rights as other humans). The media creates representations of groups, however some groups have more limited representations than others. The dominant representations of black males is they are a rapper, criminal, gang member or an athlete. This reinforces double consciousness of the black male, that he is nothing more than what he sees in the media.
10) Finally, complete the second activity on page 3: Watch the trailer for Hidden Figures and discuss how the film attempts to challenge ‘double consciousness’ and the stereotypical representation of black American women.
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