Media and collective identity

Our final topic for Identities and the Media is collective identity: the sense of belonging to a group.

This is something the media has a huge influence over - everything from advertising to social media profiles can affect our sense of identity and where we fit in. We need to learn some key theories and also consider the impact of new and digital technology on issues of collective identity.

Notes and key theories

Collective identity

Collective identity is the shared sense of belonging to a group. In Media Studies, we need to consider the influence media has over a person’s sense of identity.

This is closely linked to the key concept of representation as the way groups are portrayed in the media can influence our sense of identity.

Collective identity: theories

Marxism and the Frankfurt School

Marxists believe identity is constructed through hegemony imposed by the ruling elite. A sense of individual identity is a myth that prevents people challenging powerful groups.

This links to the Frankfurt School, a group of influential Marxists who viewed media audiences as passive vessels. They believe the media is used to control and manipulate people.

Example: Apple branding

Apple’s early branding suggested individuality and creative freedom... But in fact it was always a massive profit-seeking corporation looking to sell as widely as possible.

Later, iPhone adverts subtly suggested a certain lifestyle that has become synonymous with Apple products. Everything suggests creative possibility and individual opportunity but Marxists would argue this merely hides the fact we are being manipulated by a faceless corporation into handing Apple huge amounts of money (why is an iPhone so much more expensive than an Android phone for example?) 

Daniel Chandler: CAGE

Daniel Chandler suggested the acronym CAGE, stating our identity is constructed through class, age, gender and ethnicity. 

Does this still apply in the 21st century? Do we construct our own identities along these lines? Think about your presence on social media.

Stuart Hall: media construction

Stuart Hall suggests the media actively constructs our society rather than reflecting it back. 

Our identity is part of this and therefore any sense of individuality we may feel is actually constructed through the media we engage with.

Constructing our own identities

New technology has changed the way we see ourselves and others. Through social media we can construct identities for ourselves.

Example: Facebook/Instagram

• How did you choose your profile pic?
• What do you ‘like’?
• What groups have you joined?
• How many friends do you have? How many people 'like' your posts?

Does social media have a positive influence over our identity? Or is it corrosive? Simon Sinek's view on the millennial generation went viral a few months ago and is worth watching again for the section on social media, technology and how it influences our sense of identity:

Shared identity online

New technology has also created the opportunity for people to form groups online that represent their shared identity. This is a much more positive influence of new technology and the internet on collective identity. 

Think about the work we have already done on feminism and online activism - blogs, forums, social media accounts and whole campaigns and movements (#blacklivesmatter) have given audiences a new sense of collective identity. These can empower individuals and create a strong sense of belonging - think back to Sherry Turkle's famous description of the internet as a place to be "alone together".

Collective identity in the 21st Century

So, collective identity doesn’t just refer to representations in mainstream media.

It also refers to self-constructed identity by users of social media and communities formed online of shared identity (e.g. Feminism).

Collective identity: blog task

Read the Media Magazine article on collective identity: Self-image and the Media (MM41 - page 6). Our Media Magazine archive is here.

Complete the following tasks on your blog:

1) Read the article and summarise each section in one sentence, starting with the section 'Who are you?'

2) List five brands you are happy to be associated with and explain how they reflect your sense of identity.

3) Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean?

4) Explain Baudrillard's theory of 'media saturation' in one paragraph. You may need to research it online to find out more.

5) Is your presence on social media an accurate reflection of who you are? Have you ever added or removed a picture from a social media site purely because of what it says about the type of person you are?

6) What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your social media presence and online search terms? Is this an invasion of privacy?

You will have lesson time to complete this but will need to finish for homework anything you do not cover in the lesson(s). Deadline: confirmed by your teacher.