Representation of African American Women on Television

master's thesis

• Title: Representation of African American Women on Television : The (De)Construction of Stereotypes about Black Women
• Author: Valentina Budačić
• Mentor: Jelena Šesnić (mentor)
• Committee member: Sven Cvek (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Stipe Grgas (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2019-11-01, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

This paper examines the underlying stereotypes black women have to contend with and how they are dealt with in the television show Scandal. The stereotypes examined are those of the Mammy, the Sapphire, the Jezebel, the Angry Black Woman, the Strong Black Woman and the Tragic Mulatta, as well as the stereotype of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson often associated with interracial couples. By examining various scenes from the show in relation to each of the aforementioned stereotypes, what... More sticks out is that some stereotypes are deconstructed fully, while others are harder to escape from. However, the final conclusion of this paper is that the main character of the show, Olivia Pope, although confronted with these stereotypes, often manages to subvert them and offers a different take on what is conventionally showcased on television when it comes to the representation of African American women, proving the cultural impact and worth of the show for future representations of African American women on television. Less

• Keywords: stereotypes; black women; U.S. television; race
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:265259
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: Literature and Culture; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2020-09-28 16:47:39