Task 2

Ferguson, Robert- 1998- Representing "Race" -London-Arnold

“Althusser noted that the role of sport in chauvinism is of the first importance as part of the cultural apparatus (Althusser, 1871b. p154)”

Chauvinism is the over exaggeration of being patriotic. It’s important as it’s used in sports, and as Althusser argues, is just another apparatus in the ideological state apparatus. It’s useful because it shows that the media does take culture in to account when discussing sports.

“…I chose for this example and the chauvinism bordering on racism is that of the Daily Mirror towards the Germans at the time of the European Championship in 1996. It will be apparent from the example that the use of the term “race” in this book is one which encompasses more than the racism and power struggles which occur on the axis of ‘white’ versus ‘others’. It includes those forms of racism which have also built and sustained the required environment to justify war, and genocide where ‘racial purity’ not colour is the prime issue.”

It’s important because ethnic minorities aren’t always determined by skin colour but where they come from, in sports there’s an issue if England plays another team then they will be racist against the opposition and if the opposition participate in England there is a difference .

“The context for the reportage is that of the England football team reaching the semi-final of the European Championship, in which they would be playing Germany. On 24 June 1996 the Daily Mirror ran a front page which proved to be a monumental error of judgement on the part of its editor…”

“… Three quarters of the front page of the Mirror showed a photo-montage of the shouting or smiling heads of two English football players, Stuart Pearce and Paul Gascoigne. They were both apparently, wearing the steel helmets worn by British troops in the Second World War. The two main words of the headline read simply: ACHTUNG! SURRDENER. At the bottom of the page was the statement ‘for you fritz, ze Euro 96 Championship is over.’ Most of the paper was then turned into what looked like a wartime issue, drawing heavily upon references to the beginning of the Second World War.”

It’s showing that there is a difference between ethnic minorities and the majority of other athletes, that difference being where they come from. This comes into play only when they pose a threat to England fans, whether it is through a world cup or Olympics. The media does create a big difference, a glass ceiling that they can’t break through in our globalised world.

“Klinsmann is referred to as the ‘former Spurs star’, for though he had become one of the ‘enemy’ Klinsmann was favourite with many of the English football fans”

Further evidence for minorities to be seen as similar if they don’t oppose a threat to England but when they do, they are seen as villains and the British athletes are seen as heroes, and that stereotype hangs over them even after this.

Probert, David and Graham, Andrew (2008): Advance Media Studies. Oxfordshire; Phillipalan retailers

"German national team is routinely represented in the press in terms of its (military) machine-like organisation..."

"...tabloid headlines often use the indexical semiotic signifiers of military stregnth and ruthlessness..."

"...Football is used to connote the historical antagonism between the English and the Germans"

It's a summary of "Representing Race" (useful, but most of what was said in the book was in the previous book but it was summarised far more and didn't mention any actual theorists) and It's about the nation backing their country, in an international game. The media would relate it to war and other international problems e.g. Germany vs England always relate to war, which alienate German footballers in the EPL.

MacKinnan, Kenneth (2003) Representing Men. London; Arnold

"Williams study, published in 1990, found that throughout the media, in reference to sports, women and people from ethnic groups where refered to, by commentators, by their first names. This was opposed to white men who were refered to by either their last name or their full name"

This isn't as important as the other books, but this little quote from the book is a good footnote and very important. Williams (1990) argues that in sport media today, for example during a football game, that women and ethnic minorities are refered to by their first names. For example UFC fighter Kimbo Slice (Black America) is refered to as simply Kimbo. This leads them not to be taken as seriously as other athletes who are refered by their last name.