Paul Gilroy - blog tasks
1) How does Gilroy suggest racial identities are constructed?
Are historically constructed – formed by colonialization, slavery, nationalist philosophies and consumer capitalism.
Gilroy is saying that racism isn’t caused by race, racism causes race. Racism is not caused by the clash of two or more races – racism is not a natural phenomenon. Instead, Gilroy states that racial difference and racial identities are the product of racial oppression. Racial identities are caused by historical conflicts that have brought different groups into opposition. That is not to say that there were no human differences before historical conflict between different groups; different human groups existed but their differences were not defined by ‘race’ lines.
Ethnic absolutism is a line of thinking which sees humans are part of different ethnic compartments, with race as the basis of human differentiation. Gilroy is opposed to ethnic absolutism as it is counter to his argument that racism causes race.
Ethnicity is the identity that is shared with others in your ethnic group; inherited from parents; passed down from generations before. Ethnicity is defined by: the national and/or religious holidays an individual observes; the language spoken; the religion followed; the food eaten.
Absolutism considers separate ethnic compartments are absolute which are invisible & tightly bonded together. Compromising your ethnic group would, for an ethnic absolutist, be against natural order and risk the future existence of that ethnic group. Gilroy identifies with a position that is opposite to ethnic absolutist compartments.
He considers a transatlantic diasporic identity, where groups across the Atlantic share cultural practices – a “single, complex unit” of black cultural practitioners as a result of a shared history of oppression and slavery. Gilroy sees black identities as a product of movement – the African diasporic identity is based on ROUTES taken throughout history, and not the ROOTS of origin. Gilroy sees this as a diaspora that cannot be reversed, unlike the classic position which offers the myth of returning to the place of origin. For Gilroy, the Black Atlantic diaspora is irreversible because the experience of slavery irrevocably changed the diasporic identity. It cannot be ‘rewound’ to a state of cultural purity and cannot return to Africa as the place of origin has changed – the place of origin doesn’t exist as it did before diaspora.
At the time, the dominant representation of black Britons was as “external and estranged from the imagined community that is the nation.” As such, to accept the role of slavery into the cultural identities of Britain would be to challenge the negative stereotype of black Britons at the time, and reverse the “external and estranged” relationship with the nation.
Negative experiences of exclusion, exposure to regressive ideologies and marginalisation will also create an identity which is then shared within the diasporic community and perhaps from the origin country.
- Online Communities and Social Media: Diaspora members create online communities, forums, and social media groups to connect with others who share their cultural background. These platforms allow them to discuss their culture, share news from their home country, and organise cultural events and gatherings.
- News and Information: Diaspora communities often rely on media from their home country to stay informed about current events and developments. They may subscribe to foreign newspapers, watch TV channels from their homeland, or follow news websites to keep up to date.
- Transnational Media Outlets: Some diaspora communities establish their own media outlets, such as newspapers, radio stations, or TV channels, catering to their specific cultural needs.
Gilroy also argues the importance of slavery to modernity and capitalism. The modern world was built upon a normalised view of slavery, particularly plantation slavery. Slavery was only rejected when it was revealed as incompatible with enlightened rationality and capitalist production. Gilroy argues that the figure of the black slave of ‘the Negro’ provided enlightened thinkers and philosophers an insight into concepts of property rights, consciousness and art.
These areas were often defined in relation to slavery or blackness; the philosopher Hegel theorised that the master/ slave relationship was ‘a modernising force in that it leads both master and servant first to self-consciousness and then to disillusion.’ Gilroy claims that the inside/outside position of black people enabled writers and thinkers to question the liberty offered to white North Americans and Europeans. It ‘forced a special clarity of vision – a dreadful objectivity’ (Du Bois) as a result of being black and living in the modern world with a sense of double consciousness.
9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?
The media will offer a range of representations for various groups. However, these are often limited from some groups more than others. The dominant representations of black males, primarily in the US, is either a rapper, criminal or gang member, or an athlete.
These representations then serve to reinforce the double consciousness of the black male, that he is not anything more than what he sees in the media.
- Throughout the film, the characters confront and challenge racism and gender discrimination. They do not accept their mistreatment; instead, they fight for equal opportunities and recognition. This challenges the traditional portrayal of black women as submissive or powerless.
- "Hidden Figures" highlights the importance of representation in STEM fields. By showcasing these black women's contributions to science and technology, the film encourages more diverse participation in these fields and challenges the stereotype that scientists and engineers are predominantly white and male.
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