2. How can the youth seen as a collective
identity?
David Snow
Although there is no consensual definition of
collective identity, discussions of the concept
suggests that its essence resides in a shared
sense of ‘one-ness’ or ‘we-ness’.
3. Shared Experiences
• Adolescence- physically and emotionally
maturing
• School/Education
• Finding Work
• Experimentation-drugs, culture, crime
• Creating an identity that isn't created by
school/parents/authority
5. Youth Representation
• Historically representations of teenagers have
been varied in the media but especially more
within recent years teenagers have been
represented more negatively.
6. Youth Representation
• In the past teenagers were
represented as obedient, conforming
young people who were un-sexualized
and unsusceptible to the negatives of
the world.
7. Youth Representation.
• Media texts such as ‘Good Manners’ 1930 and
‘The young Ones’ 1961 can be noted to have a
positive representation of youth.
• However, negative representations of youth is
not a new thing.
8. Youth representation
• 1945-60 Birth of the Teen
• 1960s-Mods and Rockers-two conflicting
British youth subcultures
• 1960s negative stereotypes of youth
• Example film ‘Quadrophenia‘ 1979-set in
1965- follows the story of a London Mod.
9. Giroux 1997 Youth as empty category
• Representations of youth vary through the
generations.
• The way in which representations are chosen
is through the current fears of society at that
time, what is perceived to be threatening to
them (society).
• Youth threaten the structures of dominant
ideologies. Youth representations are filled
through the interests of the adult world.
10. Today
• Youth can be argued to be a social problem which
is often represented in TV and Film today.
• Youth representations today can be argued to
continue the negative stereotype of the 60s.
• However, the change in youth social identity has
also had a impact in the change of media
representation.
11. Today
• Youth can be represented in accordance with
popular notions of adolescence- mood swings,
risky behaviour, rebellious, argumentative, etc.
• Youth are let down by adults- Parents not being
around, spending too much time with peers, etc.
• Youth represented as part of a subculture- Gangs
12. Class Activity
Referring to E20 and The Inbetweeners discuss:
• How teenagers are represented·
• How they talk to each other·
• Their costume & how they dress·
• What storylines/situations they are involved
in
• whether it was a positive or negative
representation
13. Essay Plan
• Answer Prompt Question One
• Introduction:
• Comment on the power of the media
• Quote on identity
• Explain your approach-which media you are
using e.g. film/TV
14. Essay Plan
• Main Body
• Compare how British Youth are represented through
film and TV texts.
• Briefly refer to historical changes to get the point
across.
• Explain in turn making links where necessary the
ideologies presented in the texts.
• Discuss representation via referring to the micro areas.
• Bring in terminology (e.g. stereotypes) and how
theory/theorists either support or do not support your
examples wherever possible)
