By Kirsty Steward

REPRESENTATION OF ETHNICITY IN DRAMA

Teen Drama - SkinsIn the episode aired Jan 25, 2007, it is shown to the audience that the majority of the cast are Caucasian . This would fit the stereotype of their location as the show is set in Bristol which is not renowned for being very multi-cultural.White people are represented as being the more dominant characters in this particular drama as most of the friendship group is made up of the race and the lead character, Tony, is of the same colour which again shows dominance.

One stereotype that is challenged is in regards to character of Jal. This is evident as she is of an African descent and is represented to play and enjoy classical music yet the stereotype of music preferences that the particular race enjoy usually accounts to a genre such as R&B.

Another stereotype that is challenged is the idea that all people of the Muslim faith are extremist and thoroughly devoted to their religion. This is seen with Anwar as even though he is dressed in suitable Muslim clothes, when praying his mobile phone rings which is a sin.Both stereotypes are challenged to give a more modern view to race and represent people of other ethnicities as being fitting in the setting and sharing the same attributes as Caucasian people.

Period/Costume drama

People of other ethnicities are not represented in this particular show, as with most period dramas. This is due to the country having mostly a white population and having full control due to racial prejudice. Therefore being of an African, Indian etc. descendent are not important to illustrating such points of the show as they are not represented.

Caucasian people are represented as having power in period/costume dramas as the cast is made up of white actors. This is also seen due to the main character’s positions, such as Mr Selfridge who wears fine suits and shows that he is in clear power of his establishment. Therefore the overall representation of white people are they have control of society.

Soap OperaIn coronation street, the cast is mostly made up of white actors which are all portrayed as being ‘normal’ people with comfortable lives due to the costumes being mostly casual so in soap operas, people of a white background are represented as being the majority and lead normal lives.

With regards to black people, coronation street mostly represent the race as being the same as white people, this can be seen with the characters of Jenna and Llyod who both wear casual clothing and have comfortable jobs as a physio-therapist and a cab driver.

One stereotype that is enforced in Coronation street is the character of Dev owning a corner shop which shows that Indians are represented in a stereotypical way of only being good at certain professions. However the stereotype is challenged because he also owns a kebab shop which makes him more of a diverse business man and isn’t just restricted to one stereotypical job.

Both Black and Indian people are represented in a ‘normal’ light to create the sense of verisimilitude as Britain as a whole is a very multicultural nation which applies to Manchester in particular (where the show is set).

Dominant and Subordinate groups in TV DramaOverall, with the research I’ve conducted, I’ve found that Caucasian people are the dominant groups in TV drama. This is because most dramas have mostly white actors due to the fact that the shows I have research are all set in England. Although England is more multi-cultural in this modern age, white people still make up most of the population as they are the indigenous race.

People of other ethnicities e.g. Black and Asian are the subordinate groups in dramas. In dramas such as teen and soap operas, this is to create the sense of verisimilitude as they represent modern day events in which culture is not as prejudice.