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Barriers to Diversity in Film – A Research Review – Aug 07

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across a range of social and cultural positions. This gives film and<br />

media an important and dist<strong>in</strong>ctive place <strong>in</strong> contemporary debates<br />

(Bennett et al 2005).<br />

Frequently, academic articles concentrate on one or two films <strong>to</strong><br />

analyse content and portrayal of characters. These analyses will be<br />

<strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> this chapter with the follow<strong>in</strong>g proviso. A concentration on<br />

specific films may illum<strong>in</strong>ate stereotypical portrayal, but one film<br />

cannot be judged on its own without a wider, cumulative study of<br />

portrayal <strong>in</strong> a number of films. Certa<strong>in</strong>ly analysis of one film cannot<br />

represent a critical view of all under-represented groups. It is the<br />

cumulative effects of stereotyp<strong>in</strong>g, perhaps as a result of unconscious<br />

biases through decades of filmmak<strong>in</strong>g, which this chapter will discuss<br />

wherever possible. S<strong>in</strong>ce analyses of some of these s<strong>in</strong>gle or paired<br />

films come <strong>to</strong> rather surpris<strong>in</strong>g conclusions, arguments for or aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />

this approach will be made <strong>in</strong> the discussion of these studies.<br />

C:\Documents and Sett<strong>in</strong>gs\mcorless\Desk<strong>to</strong>p\Intranet\<strong>Barriers</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Diversity</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Film</strong>_DS_RB 20 <strong>Aug</strong><br />

<strong>07</strong>.doc<br />

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