REPRESENTATION

Definition

The way in which aspects of society are presented to an audience by specific media
texts

Person, object or event --- Medias interpretation and representation of person, object or
event --- Audiences knowledge of person, object or event
(Process of Mediation)
What are the two elements that create representations?
 Encoding and Decoding
How are representations put into texts and read by audiences?
 Construction and Selection
You should ask the following when studying a media text:
•Who or what is being represented?
•How are these people or objects represented?
•Why was this image, or series of images, chosen rather than another representation?
•Who is presenting the images and why?
•How do the people receiving the images (including yourself) react to them?
•Over time what do the images suggest about certain groups in society?
•What points of view are neglected or ignored?

Representations of Muslims and Arabs

Task: Find examples of Muslims or Arab characters in video games. How are they
represented? Is it positive or negative? Are they shown to have certain traits? What are
they wearing? How is the audience positioned towards the character?

1. Altair (Assassins Creed): Sneaky, thief, killer

2. Khaled Al-Asad (Modern Warfare): Terrorist, killer
3. Ana and Pharah (Overwatch): Noble, strong
The Other

The Other is an individual who is perceived by the group as not belonging, as being
different in some fundamental way. Any stranger becomes the Other. The group sees itself
as the norm and judges those who do not meet that norm (that is, who are different in
any way) as the Other. Perceived as lacking essential characteristics possessed by the
group, the Other is almost always seen as a lesser or inferior being and is treated
accordingly. The Other in a society may have few or no legal rights, may be
characterized as less intelligent or as immoral, and may even be regarded as sub-human.

Otherness takes many forms. The Other may be someone who is of...

 a different race (White vs. non-White)

 a different nationality (Anglo Saxon vs. Italian)
 a different religion (Protestant vs. Catholic or Christian vs. Jew)
 a different social class (aristocrat vs. serf)
 a different political ideology (capitalism vs. communism)
 a different sexual orientation (heterosexual vs. homosexual)
 a different origin (native born vs. immigrant)

Representation of Women
Task: Find three examples of female characters in video games. How are they
represented? Is it positive or negative? Are they shown to have certain traits? What are
they wearing? How is the audience positioned towards the character?

1. Linda and Kelly (Halo 5): Strong and powerful, smart. Covered in full Mjolnir armour,
with fully automatic assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles and pistols as their disposal,
these characters are some of the toughest characters in the game – Spartans.

2. Cortana (Halo series): Sexualised, intelligent – An A.I with sexualised body that is one
of the main characters in the Halo series alongside her designated Spartan, Master
Chief. Always manages to find a way out of a tough situation.

3. Alicia (Valkyria Chronicles): Smart, strong, young – A young Gallian girl who is one of
the main characters in the game who later finds out she has a Valkyrian potential
which allows her to wreak havoc over the invading forces.