Culture & Identity in a Visual Media Environment
During the course we discussed the broad approach of the sociologist Erwin Goffman, when we’ve learned that gender ideals are not innate, but created and adopted within social life. Therefore, if we want, as curious people, to try to understand how gender codes are formed, we need to turn to culture – or even to the place that presents the clearest reflection of the culture around us – the world of advertising. In the following assignment, you are asked to find an image that correlates with as many of Goffman’s five characteristics studied as part of our discussion regarding media influence in shaping gender identities. As a reminder, the five characteristics are “Relative Size,” “Feminine Touch,” “Function Ranking,” “Ritualization of Subordination,” and “Licensed Withdrawal.” The picture you choose may be a billboard-ad you will encounter on the street, a TV-ad, a TV commercial and more (any platform you choose, be sure to attach a link). As noted, not all characteristics should be analyzed in your assignment – but at least two. # Space limit is up to 2 page for the analysis, 1.5 space and DAVID 12 # The image documentation (as a picture or link) will be attached to the appendix. # Yon may enrich your assignment with other theoretical aspects we have learned in our course, but the main mass of the work will be Goffman’s five characteristics, as taught in the lesson.

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