Learning ObjectiveIDENTIFY THE STEREOTYPES (HEGEMONIC REPRESENTATION) OF DISABILITY WITHIN TELEVISION DRAMA.

DEFINITION OF ‘DISABILITY’:

A disadvantage or handicap, especially one imposed or recognized by the law.

DEFINITION OF ‘ABILITY’:

Talent, skill, or proficiency in a particular area.

WHAT CHANGES THE WORD ABILITY INTO THE WORD DIS

ABILITY?

The prefix dis refers to a Latin prefix meaning 'apart’ or having a negative,

reversing force.

DO IT NOW

ABILITY IS TO BE TALENTED AND SKILLFUL.

THE PREFIX ‘DIS’ MAKES THE MEANING OF DISABILITY THE OPPOSITE OF THIS = TO NOT BE TALENTED OR SKILLFUL.

Idea of disability is often linked to impairment – idea that they are lesser people.

As you watch the clips, jot down words or phrases which describe the

representation of disability. Our aim is to come up with a list of what the

disability stereotypes are.

Do this under 2 headings:

1. Describing words about how the disabled character looks / acts

2. Relationship with the ‘able’:

- What are they to the able bodied?

- How do the ‘able’ react to them?

- What is their view on themselves / the world?

‘The Street’HOW THE DISABLED LOOK /ACT RELATIONSHIP WITH ‘THE ABLE’

- Angry - Avoid- Uncomfortable- Discriminate against- Prefer not to be around

In his 1991 study, Paul Hunt identified stereotypes that the media use to

portray disabled people:

1. The disabled person as pitiable or pathetic: We should feel sorry for them as they don’t have the ability to do

things like other people.

2. An object of curiosity or violence: Disabled people are shown as helpless, which then leads to them being physically

abused by their abled carers/peers etc…

3. Sinister or evil: The idea that disabled people are angry at themselves and at their disability and so they become

evil.

4. The super cripple/ triumph over tragedy / noble warrior: The ability to overcome and all must do same: they

achieve despite their ability (suggesting that it is an unusual thing for a disabled person to be able to achieve).

OR The disabled person is assigned to super-human, magic-like abilities. For example, blind people are said to have

amazing hearing, and other heightened senses.

5. As atmosphere: Curious or exotica / freak shows / Joker style in horror, sci fi etc.

6. Laughable: There is the stereotype that disabled people are worthy of being laughed at. They are used to make

people laugh.

7. His/her own worst enemy: Disabled people grow to hate themselves, they become their own enemy. This leads us

back to stereotype one, feeling sorry for them.

8. Chip on shoulder / aggressive avenger

9. As a burden / outcast: Reliant on others; they cannot do things for themselves.

10. As Non-sexual: Disabled people are often viewed as non-sexual human beings. They are portrayed as people that

cannot have and sustain a relationship

11. Being unable to participate in daily life: The absence of disabled people in everyday situations. When shown,

the focus is on their impairment.

12. Crip – Drag: Able bodied actors are hired to play disabled characters. An able bodied actor is put into a wheel

chair. The wheelchair allows the character to be obviously disabled while still looking ‘normal’. This allows the

audience to identify with the character like they would an ‘able’ bodied character.

Disabled people are generally under represented on British television; but when they are it is usually as one of the stereotypes

In most cases disabled characters are introduced not because they are ordinary people but to suggest precisely the opposite.

Disability in the UK

• There are 770,00 disabled children under the age of 16 in the UK. That equates to 1 child in 20.

• Nearly 7 million, or 20% of people at working age in Great Britain have a disability.

= There is a significant proportion of the population who have a disability……

What we see, hear and read in the media is often decided and influenced by a small group of decision makers. These editors, producers, programmers and budget-controllers are swayed by their own opinions of disability and what they believe will bring in audiences. Historically media examples containing disabled people have largely conformed to stereotypes. These decision makers may feel that they are taking a risk by portraying disabled people outside of the stereotypes which have historically "sold well". Adding to this problem is the under-representation of disabled people in employment within the media. A 1998 report "Training and equal opportunities in ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5" (page 5) reports: "Progress was also uneven and generally slow in the employment of disabled people"

This under-representation of disabled people within the media workforce has obvious implications for the power of the disabled community to influence how it is portrayed within the media. This in turn has an effect on the community at large. Where the media holds a high level of influence over the perceptions of the general public, an under-representation or mis-representation of disabled people has large social implications.

AND YET………

ANNOTATING THE CLIP: MICRO ANALYSIS

E: Make sure you cover the 4 technical areas

A: Analyse what is signified / the effect of the technical

R: Use media language like stereotype / countertype (tool box sheet)

Include relevant theories like Propp’s character types and stock characters (tool box sheet)

• Is the clip stereotypical? (Hegemonic or pluralistic?)

• What stereotypes are used? Think about the list we made and Paul Hunt’s stereotypes

• Pay close attention to the contrast between the able bodied and disabled and what this tells

you about the representation of disability.

ALWAYS BE PREPARED TO ARGUE ‘SOMEWHAT’.