Ethnicity in TV Drama

Ethnicity Definition - The fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition.

Stereotypes:

Asian people: Rich, business people, religious, have been portrayed as terrorists, good at making curry. Own corner shops. They have big families and the all live in one house with all relatives.

E.g. The Masoods in Eastenders have there own business which is typical of a Muslim family. They own a curry place and are good at making it which is a typical representation of an Asian family. They speak in a typical Indian accent. 

Travellers: AKA gypsies, are usually Irish/foreign (Bulgarian/Romanian). We associate them with fun fairs, live in caravans, they take over peoples land and destroy it. They make a mess and steal. Lacking in education. Wear vests and jeans and slobber everywhere sometimes long hair. Women wear big dresses and hooped gold earrings.

E.g. In waterloo road they moved there caravans onto the school grounds, many people were unhappy and they confronted them with conflict. It caused many problems and the police got involved.

Polish people: cheap labour. Poor. Have young families. Own kebab, chicken, pizza shops. Take all of our jobs. e.g. builders.

E.g. In coronation street there were two polish girls who Carla employed. They were both illegal immigrants and one of them died so Carla had to cover it up by hiding her body. The other one, called Vicki carried on working and no one liked her. She was a good worker and she tried to make friends. People began to like her after a while and she was then treated like everyone else

Representation:

Asian woman = doctors or accountants


Black men being lazy, promiscuous, bad fathers and obsessed with rap


Asian people are perceived as invaders or karate experts

Native Americans as savages, victims, cowards or medicine men

People from Middle East are seen as terrorists

On TV, black people are depicted as poor

Black people tend to be stereotyped as criminal

White people can’t dance

Asian people own corner shops in England

Black people

> Usually linked to black men

> Crime

> Living in slums

> On welfare

> Need help from community

> Less intelligent 

> Over sexual

White people

> Dumb blondes

> Greedy

> Materialistic

> Businessmen

> Middle/upper class

> Posh/ well spoken

Asian people

> Doctors

> Engineers

> Mathematicians

> Newsagents - small businesses - entrepreneur

> Ignorant

> Extremely smart people

> Men are threats to white women

> Insensitive

> Disrespectful towards women