Paul Gilroy - blog task:

1) How does Gilroy suggest racial identities are constructed?
He suggests that the identities are constructed through colonisation of slavery, nationalist philosophy's and consumer capitalism.

2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?
He claims that the cause and history of racism is due the face that racism is not caused by race but racism causes race. He believes that racial difference and racial identities are a product of racial oppression. there was legitimisation of oppression as opposed by the slave trade. he also claims how different ethnicity's existed but differences were not highlighted by their race.


3) What is ethnic absolutism and why is Gilroy opposed to it?
Ethnic absolutism is a line of thinking which sees human are a part of different ethnic compartments, with race as the basis of human differentiation. It is counter argument to what Gilroy opposes about race. Gilroy identifies  with a position that is opposite to ethnic absolutist compartments. As Absolutism considers these separate ethnic compartments being tightly bonded together.

4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?
He claims this is the scattering of people around society. Identities of individuals within a diaspora are formed over time, as a result of the historical, social and cultural relationships within the group and other groups.


5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?
Gilroy suggests that the dominant representation  was to accept the role of slavery into the cultural identities of Britain would be to challenge the negative stereotype of black Britons at the time, and reverse the “external and estranged” relationship with the nation.


6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?
The negative effects include diasporic identities can also become trapped within a national ideology; diasporic cultural ideologies and practices exist within a national ideology based upon its social, economic and cultural integrations and as such there is a cultural difference with the diasporic identities. This difference becomes associated with minority groups and a cultural tension occurs. This tension between the national ideology and the diasporic ideologies helps to create the diasporic identity. Negative experiences of exclusion, exposure to regressive ideologies and marginalisation will also create an identity which is then shared within the diasporic community and perhaps from the origin country

7) Complete the first activity on page 3: How might diasporic communities use the media to stay connected to their cultural identity? E.g. digital media - offer specific examples.
The diasphoric communites use the media in a positive way instead of stereotypes being reinforced with certain races it is challenged and taken the opposite way. This would motivate their community by giving this possitive outlook as given in hidden figures.

8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?
Gilroy also argues the importance of slavery to modernity and capitalism. The modern world was built upon a normalised view of slavery, particularly plantation slavery. Slavery was only rejected when it was revealed as incompatible with enlightened rationality and capitalist production. Gilroy argues that the figure of the black slave of ‘the Negro’ provided enlightened thinkers and philosophers an insight into concepts of property rights.

9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?
Double consciousness provides more ways of understanding the world, but it places a great strain on black Americans as they consistently feel they are looking at themselves through the eyes of others; there is a ‘two-ness’ within the identity of the black American which is unreconciled.

10) Finally, complete the second activity on page 3: Watch the trailer for Hidden Figures and discuss how the film attempts to challenge ‘double consciousness’ and the stereotypical representation of black American women.
They are represented with a stereotypical notion of being feisty rebellious and breaking the social norm as a white police officer is against three of them. It highlights the struggles they are going through while being in a environment with black individuals.