Gilroy’s theory explores how media representations of race and national identity are shaped by the legacy of colonialism. Central to his thinking are the ideas of the Black Atlantic—a transnational culture shaped by the movement and displacement of African people through slavery—and postcolonial melancholia, a collective mourning for the lost British Empire that lingers in the cultural imagination. He claims that this leads to white supremacist values that vilify immigrants and lead to an 'us' and 'them' mentality in the representations of non-white British people.
1. Start with How the Text Represents Race, Ethnicity or National Identity
Ask: How are people of different racial or national backgrounds depicted?
-
Are people of colour shown as part of society or as outsiders?
-
Are migrants portrayed as threats, victims, contributors—or something else?
-
Is British identity portrayed as open and diverse, or fixed and exclusive?
Gilroy link: These portrayals often echo colonial ideologies. Gilroy argues that postcolonial melancholia causes media to resist cultural change, instead framing white Western identity as ‘normal’ and others as suspicious or disruptive.
2. Analyse the Image: Framing and Visual Narrative
-
Who is central or marginal in the image?
-
Are figures shown in control or in crisis?
-
What visual cues (clothing, expression, angle) suggest power or vulnerability?
Gilroy link: Images may reproduce racial hierarchies that date back to empire, showing people of colour as inferior, threatening, or helpless. Such representations draw on the history of slavery, colonial rule, and the Black Atlantic experience of displacement.
Example: A darkly lit photo of a migrant behind fencing might suggest criminality or danger, reflecting a fear of the "other."
3. Break Down the Headline and Language Use
-
What verbs and adjectives are used to describe racialised groups?
-
Are immigrants “flooding in,” “storming borders,” or “seeking safety”?
-
Is racial identity highlighted in contexts where it’s irrelevant?
Gilroy link: Gilroy shows how these discourses stem from colonial thinking—where the colonised were viewed as unruly, inferior, or in need of control. Postcolonial melancholia may influence nostalgic language about national identity or societal ‘decline.’
4. Explore Captions, Subheadings, and Pull Quotes
-
Do they humanise or dehumanise?
-
Do they frame difference as dangerous or admirable?
-
Are they used to reinforce fear, sympathy, or nationalism?
Gilroy link: These elements help anchor preferred readings about race and nation. Often, they reaffirm the idea that people from outside Britain must justify their presence or be viewed with suspicion—reflecting lingering imperial ideologies.
5. Assess the Representation of Belonging and National Identity
-
Who is depicted as a "real" citizen?
-
Who seems included or excluded from the national story?
-
Is the nation shown as diverse or as under threat?
Gilroy link: Gilroy critiques how media often resists accepting multiculturalism. The Black Atlantic identity—fluid, hybrid, global—is seen as incompatible with narrow, nostalgic definitions of Britishness shaped by colonial memory.
Example: A story about a “British” crime victim may emphasise their “ordinary” family, contrasting subtly with stories about migrant suspects, who are often portrayed in terms of origin and difference.
6. Audience Positioning: Who Is the ‘We’ and Who Is the ‘They’?
-
Does the article create an “us vs them” narrative?
-
Is the audience encouraged to feel protective, fearful, proud, or hostile?
-
Are non-white characters given interiority, or are they simplified?
Gilroy link: Media often invites the audience to identify with white Western perspectives. Gilroy argues this serves to comfort the national identity still grieving its imperial past (postcolonial melancholia), by presenting change and diversity as dangerous.
Essay Sentence Starters
-
“Gilroy’s concept of postcolonial melancholia is reflected in the way the text…”
-
“The headline constructs a binary between ‘us’ and ‘them’, which supports Gilroy’s idea of lingering colonial attitudes.”
-
“The image draws on visual codes of fear and control, echoing colonial-era depictions of racial difference.”
-
“This article resists the multiculturalism of the Black Atlantic identity by presenting racial others as…”
-
“Gilroy’s theory helps reveal how national identity is constructed in opposition to racialised ‘others’.”
CONTEXTUAL LINKS
Gilroy’s theory is especially powerful when discussing representations of race, migration, nationalism, and empire. Use social, cultural, political, and historical context to deepen your analysis.
SOCIAL CONTEXT
Look for: Representations of race, community tension, inclusion/exclusion.
Gilroy link: Media texts may reinforce social fears of racial ‘difference’, portraying people of colour as burdens or threats, rather than equals.
CULTURAL CONTEXT
Look for: Debates about Britishness, heritage, and “shared values.”
Gilroy link: Gilroy critiques cultural nostalgia for empire that fuels postcolonial melancholia, framing whiteness as central to national identity and rejecting multiculturalism.
POLITICAL CONTEXT
Look for: Immigration policy, populist rhetoric, nationalism.
Gilroy link: Texts may support dominant ideologies that protect whiteness and frame migrants as threats, mirroring the racial politics inherited from colonial rule.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Look for: Colonial references, migration history, past conflicts.
Gilroy link: Gilroy encourages us to see how modern media reflects colonial legacies. Representations of race and nation often preserve myths of empire or ignore its violence.
No comments:
Post a Comment