Mendick, Heather and George, Rosalyn P.. 2010. Language, Power and Reality TV: the dynamics of race, class and gender in the UK Big Brother Jade-Shilpa row. Online Educational Research Journal, [Article]

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Abstract or Description

Reality TV is often presented as an unproblematic social phenomenon which is consumed and digested by an unthinking and unsophisticated general public. We, however, argue that Reality TV is both a pervasive and important cultural form, and as such it is vital that researchers and teachers engage with it. We return to the controversial UK Big Brother 2007 arguments involving Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty. We explore how the dynamics of class, gender and race played out in this case. Using this example, we look at how celebrity culture, ideas of truth and dominant discourses of White working-class culture position both the housemates and their audiences. We further argue that the coverage of the event foreclosed any discussions of White middle-class racism by drawing on discourses that denigrate the White working-class.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Big Brother, race, social class, gender, reality television, Jade Goody
Departments, Centres and Research Units:	Educational Studies
Dates:	Date Event August 2010 Published
Item ID:	4109
Date Deposited:	05 Dec 2011 13:19
Last Modified:	29 Apr 2020 15:31
Peer Reviewed:	Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.
URI:	https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/4109

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