mass paper

For this paper, you are required to investigate the ways in which the popular media portray race and ethnicity in stereotypical ways. Look for stereotypes about race and ethnicity, including focusing on how race intersects with class, sexual orientation, physical ability, etc. Please choose to do two of the following: (i) listen to a radio station for one hour, noting both content (songs/DJ) and commercials (ii) listen to 10 songs by one group or artist, (iii) watch TV for one hour and focus on either the commercials or the programming (or both), (iv) go to a toy store or the toy department of a store and look at how toys are targeted by race or ethnicity (v) watch one movie, (vi) look at articles or ads in one magazine, (vii) read one book/story, (viii) choose four video games, or (ix) select 10 greeting cards. Your analysis should be organized as follows:

a.) State which two options of the above (i-ix) you selected, and briefly describe (but clearly detail) the stereotypical references that you found.

b.) How do the stereotypes portray people of different races/ethnicities? What messages do they send about race and ethnicity?

c.) What do you think are the purposes of these stereotypes?

d.) How do these portrayals benefit certain groups while disadvantaging other groups? How do the stereotypes maintain the racial hierarchies?

e.) Drawing from assigned readings and class discussions, discuss how the work of at least two of the scholars we have read this semester can be used to analyze the stereotypical portrayals you found. How does their work help you better understand the meaning and consequences of stereotyping in the mass media, and how do they help you analyze your social world through your specific activities for this assignment?

Write a well organized report of your findings and your analysis. This paper should be 6 pages