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.
2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?
Gilroy is saying that racism isn’t caused by race, racism causes race. Racism is not caused by the clash of two or more races – racism is not a natural phenomenon. Instead, Gilroy states that racial difference
and racial identities are the product of racial oppression.
4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?
Gilroy does not see diaspora as limited to national contexts in this way. He considers a transatlantic diasporic identity, where groups across the Atlantic share cultural practices – a “single, complex unit” of black cultural practitioners as a result of a shared history of oppression and slavery.
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.” As such, to accept the role of slavery into the cultural identities
of Britain would be to challenge the negative stereotype of black Britons at the time, and reverse the “external and estranged” relationship with the nation.
6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?
Diaspora challenges national ideologies, through the commitment and loyalty to the origin nation or place. 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.
9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?
Gilroy extends this concept of double consciousness to the whole African diaspora which he argues is simultaneously outside and inside the modern world. Black people are outside modernity as they have been deigned freedom and full citizenship; it was ‘proved’ by supposedly rational race scientists that black people were less evolutionally developed than Europeans.
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.
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.
2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?
Gilroy is saying that racism isn’t caused by race, racism causes race. Racism is not caused by the clash of two or more races – racism is not a natural phenomenon. Instead, Gilroy states that racial difference
and racial identities are the product of racial oppression.
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.
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?
Gilroy does not see diaspora as limited to national contexts in this way. He considers a transatlantic diasporic identity, where groups across the Atlantic share cultural practices – a “single, complex unit” of black cultural practitioners as a result of a shared history of oppression and slavery.
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.” As such, to accept the role of slavery into the cultural identities
of Britain would be to challenge the negative stereotype of black Britons at the time, and reverse the “external and estranged” relationship with the nation.
6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?
Diaspora challenges national ideologies, through the commitment and loyalty to the origin nation or place. 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.
Diasporic communities may stay connected to their culture by using social media to share content, respond to any issues and can follow other people from the same background. For example the south Asian diaspora may listen to music or follow any politics that are happening there which allows them to stay connected to their cultural identity.
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 insight
into concepts of property rights, consciousness and art.
Diasporic communities may stay connected to their culture by using social media to share content, respond to any issues and can follow other people from the same background. For example the south Asian diaspora may listen to music or follow any politics that are happening there which allows them to stay connected to their cultural identity.
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 insight
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?
Gilroy extends this concept of double consciousness to the whole African diaspora which he argues is simultaneously outside and inside the modern world. Black people are outside modernity as they have been deigned freedom and full citizenship; it was ‘proved’ by supposedly rational race scientists that black people were less evolutionally developed than Europeans.
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 trailer could potentially challenge double consciousness as it shows the women as confident , independent and intelligent rather than them having to live in a society that may 'devalue' them and portray them as less than what they are.
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