Colonialism Racism Representation and Whiteness 1790 The Naturalization

Colonialism, Racism, Representation, and Whiteness 1790: The Naturalization Act

“Colonialism, Racism, and Representation” by Stam and Spence Colonialism: the process by which European powers (including the US) reached a position of economic, military, political and cultural domination in much of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Third World: the historical victims of the process—the colonized, neocolonized, or decolonized nations of the world whose economic and political structures have been shaped or deformed by the colonial process. Racism: the generalized and final assigning of values to real or imaginary differences, to the accuser's benefit and at his victim's expense, in order to justify the former's own privilege or aggression.

“Colonialism, Racism, and Representation” by Stam and Spence Racist representation follows concrete oppression via colonial powers. Films about “the Other” can turn the viewer into First World subjects voyeuristically gazing on the Third World. Misapprehensions about the Third World are often constructed in films--lazy Mexicans, shifty Arabs, savage Africans and exotic Asians are all common stereotypes. Films depicting the Third World sometimes aren’t only flawed, but absent of representation of oppressed groups.

“Colonialism, Racism, and Representation” by Stam and Spence Structural absence could also fail to represent an oppressed groups history or institutions. The absence of the language of the colonized is symptomatic of colonial attitudes. Simple positive or integrationist representations can be paternalistic and ultimately reinforce racist assumptions against those who aren’t the exception. Satirical or parodic films are often less concerned with constructing positive images than with challenging the stereotypical expectations an audience may bring to a film.

“Colonialism, Racism, and Representation” by Stam and Spence The trope of encirclement reduces possibility for sympathetic identification, forcing the viewer into the colonial point of view. Questions for audience sympathy, understanding and identification: Which characters are afforded close-ups and which are relegated to the background? Does a character look and act, or merely appear, to be looked at and acted upon? With whom is the audience permitted intimacy? If there is off-screen commentary or dialogue, what is its relation to the image? The music track can also play a crucial role in the establishment of a political point of view and the cultural positioning of the spectator

King Kong (2005) Welcome to Skull Island

“White” by Richard Dyer Critical analysis of images focuses on groups defined as oppressed, marginal, or subordinate in some way. Looking only at non-dominant groups reinforces the sense of minority differentness or oddness, while the norm remains uninterrogated. White is inevitably associated with light and safety, and black with dark and danger. Black is always marked as a color and is always particularizing, whereas white isn’t anything at all—not an identity or a particularizing quality—it is all the colors.

“White” by Richard Dyer The ability of whiteness to be everything and nothing is the source of its representational power. It also makes it difficult to analyze. When analysis focuses on sub-categories whiteness once again disappears. Qualities associated with whiteness: calm, order, rationality, rigidity, boundaries and boundary establishing, self-control, repression, and death White women are the apex of desirability and civilization, but are ultimately inaccessible.

King Kong (2005) King Kong in New York

1790: The Naturalization Act First set of rules governing national citizenship Naturalization limited to “free white persons of good character” and children born abroad of American fathers Excluded American Indians, indentured servants, slaves, free blacks, and Asians “Good character” was determined by two years’ US residency and one year state residency. Applicants took oath of allegiance to US constitution.

1790 Naturalization Act and Visual Cutlure The Allies, 1780: http: //britishtars. blogspot. com/2014/01/the- allies-1780. html Am I Not a Man, and a Brother? 1787: http: //www. pbs. org/wgbh/aia/part 2/2 h 67. html