Week 4 Mentor Discussion
In the main course content for this week, you’re exploring the way identity, place, and globalization have had an impact on popular culture. After you’ve explored some of the main course material for this week, make a list of all the identities and roles that represent you. For instance, here are some of mine, in no particular order: Male, Middle Eastern/ non-white, middle-aged, brother, college graduate, bookworm, traveler, strategist, diplomat.
1. Post a list of ten “identities” that describe you. Write at least a paragraph discussing a couple of these identities you’ve seen represented in popular culture media and where (be specific: tell us titles, character names, etc.). Tell your classmates what your initial expectations are about how you are represented in popular culture. Include three possible research questions related to your identity as it’s portrayed in popular culture media.
2. Take some time to reflect on how your own identity has shaped the type of popular culture you engage with by sharing a bit about yourself, your favorite forms of media, and why you have tended to gravitate towards this media.
When thinking about our own identities, it can sometimes be helpful to refer to the social identity wheel as a reminder of the many identities we hold that often shape our experiences and strategies to navigate a complex social world. Take some time to review this Social Identity Wheel framework before moving on to the next step. You do not need to fill the wheel out and post it unless you would like to, but this is a personal reflective exercise that does not have to be shared.
3. Share a form of popular culture media that you feel you especially relate to because of the identities you hold. This form of media could be a song, a music video, a film, or a piece of art that you would like to share due to your connection with the expression and characters present. This could be something more recent that you have felt identification with or it could be something from your past childhood or adolescence. I encourage you to share something that is both meaningful but also comfortable for you. You can even share a couple of items if you’d like!
4. Consider the prompts (2) and (3) in the Social Identity Wheel. How does the popular media you engage with either reinforce the identities you think about most often vs. the identities you think about least often? How about the way your identities may influence the types of media you choose not to engage with? Consider the ways representation in mass media or lack of representation of diverse identities have influenced your media engagement preferences. Share some reflective thoughts on this.
5. Lastly, respond to this question: Why do you think it’s important that diverse identities be represented in popular culture? What impact does media representation have on the opportunities and possibilities for individuals and communities of various identities in their personal and professional lives? Should we try to change or challenge stereotypes in the media? Why? How?
1/ Identities:
Male
Sophomore
21
Middle Eastern/White
Brother
Bilingual
Extrovert
Friendly
Talkative
Runner
The post Week 4 Mentor Discussion In the main course content for this week, appeared first on PapersSpot.
