The controversy over the understanding of ethnicity and ethnicity unfolded in America and Europe in the early 1970s following the collapse of the colonial system. Many foreign and domestic scientists are engaged in the consideration of the complexity of inter-ethnic relations that has arisen within countries (the so-called “ethnic paradox of our time”). Most of them in their studies refer to the concept of social constructivism (Berger, & Luckmann).
This approach allows one to display the natural multiplicity of ethnic identity. Supporters of this trend claim that the ethnic consciousness can have multiple layers; it can be forked and split into many more ideas. Thus, a resident of modern society can be representative of several cultures at the same time. For example, in the United States someone born into a family of Chinese origin may define himself an American, Chinese, a resident of a particular city or he may choose to represent a particular class.
Moreover, the search for a "normal" life can cause people to move from district to district, from one country to another. The change is not only in accommodations, but also language, religion, nationality, and so forth.
Thus, it turns out that the basis of the existing historical and cultural differences of community is nothing but social constructions, emerging and existing thanks to focused efforts on the part of people and the institutions they create. (Burr)
In other words, according to the ideas of constructivism, ethnicity is a social construct that has no natural ("objective") roots. Ethnicity is an artificial entity, the result of the purposeful activity of people at all levels of society. It refers to those cultural traits which are used as symbols of the ethnic community to unite and distinguish it from the "strangers" (ethnic markers), deliberately selected from the culture. They give meaning to signs belonging to the ethnic group and ethnic solidarity, thus something is eliminated and forgotten, and something is taken of public opinion, and even acquires a sacred meaning. Scholars and writers create history ethnicity, his legend and myths, and other intellectuals produce national ideology and carry out ideological influence ("ethnicized mass") (McDermott, & Samson).
Over the last fifty years, American society has become more multiethnic and multiracial. This contributed to the rejection of quotas by national origin in 1950 and progressive liberalization of democracy. Despite the fact that in modern American society ethnicity is considered secondary to the personal qualities of individuals, statistics show that in the entertainment industry, it is these ethnic stereotypes that continue to exist. Most of the leading characters, both male and female characters on TV, are white (Dana E Mastro, & Elizabeth Behm-Morawitz). This paper uses the examples of three popular sitcoms to showcase how the concept of ethnicity is portrayed in the media.
For example, one of the most famous TV shows today is Black-ish. It is a popular American sitcom. The series depicts the life of African-American family whose father is in a mid-life crisis. On the one hand the family is living the American dream: working parents (the matriarch is a doctor), luxurious house in the suburbs, the presence of friends and the world, but on the other hand the main character is missing something. In a very clever, absurd, and funny way Black-ish manages to beat all the stereotypes, ridicule clichés of white and black people. The characters, with the exception of the patriarch, are not bothered by racial stereotypes. The older daughter of the family dates a French boy, the older son wants to play field hockey which is typically associated with white girls, and the children, whose mother is biracial, don’t think it’s a big deal that President Obama is the first biracial president of the country (Peyser). For them the ethnic markers are blurred or non-existent. According to social constructivism theory, identification of individuals with a particular ethnic group is the result of regulations and self-identification. Only after individuals agree between themselves the idea that there is an ethnic group, or become incorporated in them due to external factors, they begin to act on the basis of these ideas, and ethnicity becomes organizational differences. Thus the Black-ish family doesn’t consider itself as a vulnerable minority, and as a result each member finds himself in his own social group similar to his views and values.
Another example of a TV show that centered on an African American character is Everybody Hates Chris. It tells the story of an African American teenager growing up in 1980s America. The stories were based on the experiences of the show’s writer Chris Rock. The main character is the eldest child in the family – Chris who grows up in a New York ghetto. The sitcom is remarkable for frankly portraying class and race issues unlike other “black sitcoms” that had been on air previously. Most of the problems for Chris and his family arise on the grounds of race, and thus the series demonstrates not an easy life in the ghetto. Yet, even this show perpetuates certain stereotypes of ethnicity. Chris’ mother Rochelle is portrayed in the mammy mold – loud and sassy and the head of the family for all practical purposes (Tcakova). Chris’ father Julius is happy to play second fiddle but is shown as worried about wasting money. It shows that the main factor in the formation of ethnicity and ethnic origin of acts category of “border”, the content of which is very variable. Even if perfect ethnic identity is the result of an implicit choice of the individual, it is not yet a general election, and the decision is only active part of society.
Another TV show which is extremely popular among American TV viewers is Modern Family. The situation comedy series, which has been on air since Fall 2009, is built around three interrelated families –the Pritchetts, the Dunphys and the Tucker-Pritchetts. There are some significant departures from the traditional family depiction in that the Pritchetts are an inter-racial couple and the Tucker-Pritchetts are a homosexual couple. However these departures don’t really signify a major shift in depictions of race, gender or even sexual orientation (Lehmann). Even in this sitcom, the traditional patriarchal family structures are clear. Neither Claire Dunphy nor Gloria Pritchett (nee Delgado) are contributors to the family income and in the episode “Mother’s Day” it is shown that same-sex parents Mitchell and Cameron also have defined mother and father roles. Mitchell is more mothering, while Cameron provides the patriarchal figure. It is in the depiction of the Colombian wife of Jay Pritchett, that ethnicity becomes clearer. Played by actress Sofia Vergara, the depiction of Gloria Pritchett remains true to the hot tempered and sexy Latina. In fact, her skill with guns is another indication of her Colombian roots – a Latina is expected to be accustomed to violence (Negron-Muntaner). It is also significant to note that while Vergara herself is Colombian, the former model who is naturally blonde, had to dye her hair dark brown in order to get the role (Villumsen). This bias based on how a Latina is expected to look is significant in that actress Cameron Diaz whose father is Cuban is rarely identified as a Latina. Another continued stereotype is the loud Latina. Gloria uses excessive body language and gestures when speaking. However it can be argued this is one of the few shows on primetime that have a central Latino character and also she is not depicted as a maid or waitress which has been a shifting trend over two decades. Previously African American actresses were generally cast in housemaid roles (Negron-Muntaner). In fact, Gloria is portrayed as a likeable and caring character and who shares a deep bond with her much older husband – a bond that goes beyond her looks and his money. It is also quite clear that she is comfortable in her ethnicity although sometimes the other characters explicitly refer to it (Lehmann); several episodes make fun of her strongly accented English.
Therefore, ethnicity is a community of people formed on the basis of cultural identity in relation to other communities which is linked through fundamental relationships. A distinctive feature of the ethnos concept and ethnicity compared to the other is not to add to the definition of these terms of new features, and the introduction of any such list of “understanding of these signs” element. For example, the sign of the ethnic community is not a common origin, and the presentation or the myth of the common historical destiny of this community. Another feature of the ethnos is the belief that it is our culture, but not in itself delineated cultural character that nothing says no such faith. (Schütz, & Luckmann)
American cultural anthropologist George Comaroff studied the theoretical aspects of ethnicity in terms of the constructivist approach. However, the most famous in the world of science of constructivist understanding of ethnicity is the Norwegian ethnologist F. Barth. It was he who identified ethnicity as the broadest category of social identity, situational phenomenon created by means of the symbolic distinction. According to F. Barth, ethnic groups are formed primarily due to territorial, social needs and a state of isolation. If this isolation is maintained for a long time, it becomes the cause of cultural distinctiveness. It is for this reason that the scientist proposed to define an ethnic group on the basis of the borders, which it itself outlines.
Modern ethnology, based on social constructivism, emphasizes the uncertainty, multiple transformation and fluidity of ethnicity. Many foreign scientists share the opinion that the constructivist approach is the most productive, not only in the study of ethnicity and its construction of the modern world. However, according to many researchers, ethnic identity is characterized, above all, for the agrarian societies. For advanced industrial societies, ethnicity is more typical of the national identity. (Sismondo)
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