OSP: Paul Gilroy - Postcolonial theory and diasporic identity

 

Paul Gilroy - blog tasks

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet 170: Gilroy – Ethnicity and Postcolonial Theory. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets or you can access it online here using your Greenford Google login.

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:

1) How does Gilroy suggest racial identities are constructed?

He has consistently argued that racial identities are historically constructed – formed by colonialization, slavery, nationalist philosophies and consumer capitalism. This Factsheet will be considering his work on race identity and postcolonialism.

2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?

Racial identities are caused by historical conflicts that have brought different groups into opposition. That is not to say that there were no human differences before historical conflict between different groups; different human groups existed but their differences were not defined by ‘race’ lines.

3) What is ethnic absolutism and why is Gilroy opposed to it?

Ethnic absolutism is 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 ethnic absolutism as it is counter to his argument that racism causes race.

4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?

The classic diaspora is the position from which Gilroy develops his concepts of diaspora. The classic diaspora considers the originating place for those displaced as the original source of unity and permanence for the diasporic identity. The means that the country a group have been forced to leave will always be the place that defines the cultural or ethnic identity for those individuals.

5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?

At the time, the dominant representation of black Britons was as “external and estranged from the imagined community that is the nation.”

6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?

On the other hand, negative experiences of exclusion, exposure to regressive ideologies and marginalisation will also create an identity which is then shared within the diasporic community and perhaps from the origin country.

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.

News and Information.

Transnational Media Outlets

Online Communities and Social Media.

8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?

Gilroy also argues the importance of slavery to modernity and capitalism. The modern world was built upon a normalised view of slavery, particularly plantation slavery. Slavery was only rejected when it was revealed as incompatible with enlightened rationality and capitalist production. Gilroy argues that the figure of the black slave of‘the Negro’ provided enlightened thinkers and philosophers an insightinto 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?

Black people are viewing themselves and their own perspective due to 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.

The characters confront and challenge gender and racism discrimination. They do not accept to be mistreated and fight for equality within society. This subverts the stereotype of black women being weak and submissive.