FILMS AND STEREOTYPING

Harmless fun or something more sinister?

Stereotyping defined

Definition: A stereotype is “a fixed, over generalised belief about a particular group or class of people.” (Cardwell, 1996).

By stereotyping we infer that a person has a whole range of characteristics and abilities that we assume all members of that group have. Stereotypes lead to social categorisation, which is one of the reasons for prejudice attitudes .

Most stereotypes convey a negative impression. Positive examples would include judges (the phrase “sober as a judge” would suggest this is a stereotype with a very respectable set of characteristics).

Negative stereotypes seem far more common, however.

Class Task> Stereotyping Activity

Stereotypes Irish

Percent Trait endorsed

Pugnacious 45%Quick tempered 39%Witty 38%Honest 32%Very religious 29%

Americans PercentTrait endorsedIndustrious 49%Intelligent 48%Materialistic 33%Ambitious 33%Progressive 27%

African Americans Percent

Trait endorsedSuperstitious 84%Lazy 75%Happy-go-lucky38%Ignorant 38%Musical 26%

Jews PercentTrait endorsedShrewd 79%Mercenary 49%Industrious 48%Grasping 34%Intelligent 29%

Stereotype or harmless fun?

Race Relation Act 1976

The Race Relations Act protects individuals from racial discrimination and harassment and creates a right to challenge discrimination in the courts or at an employment tribunal. It is unlawful for a person to discriminate against another person on racial grounds - this means race, colour, nationality, or ethnic or national origins.

Race Relation Act 2000

As a result of the McPherson report educational establishments are required by the Race Relations Act (2000) to promote racial equality and must:

• Eliminate unlawful racial discrimination• Promote equality of opportunity, and• Promote good relations between persons of

different racial groups”

Stereotyping in schools Racial Stereotypes about IQ still persist in schools.

Perception that minorities have low IQ than their white peers.

Misplacement - involving teacher assessment of ethnic minorities placing them in lower streams than would be the case if performance tests alone were used

Channelling of minorities in stereotypical areas of the curriculum i.e. Asians into Cricket

Macpherson Report The Macpherson report into the death of Stephen

Lawrence found institutional racism to be prevalent in some public institutions. Institutional racism was defined as:

“the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes or behaviour which amounts to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness, and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people.”

Bend it like Beckham