After reading Gans’s article, “Deconstructing the Underclass” think about how poor people are portrayed in contemporary culture. Survey the news media or popular culture for ways that the poor are represented. How do such portrayals affect people’s vision of the poor and of themselves? Are there any mass-media representations that do not fall into easy stereotyping? If so, what are they and how do their representations differ from the norm? You might compare and contrast a couple of different constructions of the poor or working classes to illustrate your arguments.
Review Miller’s essay and then briefly respond to the closing questions: “Who defines the conflict? Who sets the terms? When is conflict overt or covert? One what issues is the conflict fought? Can anyone win? Is conflict ‘bad,’ by definition? If not, what makes for productive or destructive conflict?” (pp.110-114)
While reading Lorber’s article, pay close attention to her discussion of sports. You might also take a look at Kimmel’s piece in this part (I), and Sabo’s and Jordan’s pieces in Part VI. How do male and female athletes compare? How are they depicted in the media? To do this project, you might survey several issues of sports magazines, such as Sports Illustrated, and watch several days of ESPN, Fox Sports, and the like. Think about how women athletes were shown during the London 2012 Summer Olympics. What do these mass-mediated outlets do in their constructions of femininity and masculinity? Of sexuality? Of race and ethnicity?
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