Representing Changing Britain: Ethnicity & Hybridity

Representing Changing Britain: Ethnicity and Hybridity

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Preface:

If you have arrived here from the Chronology of European Cinema Page it is because the film you are interested in can be understood as part of a theme you will find the film you were after hyperlinked below. Hopefully you will be interested in following up the thematic approach as well.

Some of this page is still under development however there are a range of useful links available.

(See also Kinoeye Reference on Globalisation) 

Introduction

This is the second of the themes being covered in Contemporary British Cinema. One of the most important things that a form of mass media should be doing is ensuring that it represents aspects of social change in society for no society stays fast-frozen in time for long. Britain has had a proud history of being a safe haven for many persecuted individuals and groups and they have often played an important role in the developments of British history itself not only making Britian what it is today but shaping it for things to come. In many ways British cinema as a whole institution doesn't do a very good job in representing social change and different aspects of the multiple layers of society which form Britain today.  

It must be emphasised here that in writing of British cinema I'm considering the whole institution of the cinema which is largely in thrall to rampant commercialism in the twin forms of the multiplex and Hollywood dominance of film making and it concommittent marketing power. It is ironical that it is British TV which has been central to the maintenance of good quality and challenging films in Britain since the early 1980s up until the present day.   

The main purpose of this page is to introduce some of the concepts of ethnicity and hybridity and the importance of these representations for the development of the concept of cultural citizenship.  By talking of citizenship this implies that citizens should have a right of representation within the media, however as with most rights they have to be hard fought for as it is not perceived as being in the immediate interests of those in the dominant positions to give those positions up without a fight.  There will then be a list of hyperlinked films which are ones which have dealt with this aspect of social change in Britain. Lastly there will be a general webliography however the individual film entries will hold the film specific links. 

The Concept of Ethnicity

Sorry under construction

The Concept of Hybridity

Sorry under construction

List of Relevant Films

Links will redirect to film specific pages once these are ready.  

My Beautiful Laundrette, 1985. Dir: Stephen Frears

Bahji on the Beach, 1993. Gurinder Chadha

Wild West, 1992. Dir: David Attwood

My Son the Fanatic, 1997. Dir. Udayan Prasad

East is East, 1999. Dir:Damien O' Donnell

Bend it Like Beckham, 2002. Dir Gurinder Chadha

Anita & Me, 2002. Dir: Metin Hüseyin

Ae Fond Kiss, 2003. Dir Ken Loach

Yasmin, 2004. Dir: Kenny Gleenan

Brick Lane, 2007. Dir: Sarah Gavron

Webliography 

Institute of Ideas. (They run the Culture Wars review site)

Director Munira Mirza on diversity 

Meet the Immigrants.  A joint BBC & Open University Broadcasting initiative helping to create a better understanding of global issues.

: 31 Dec 2007 07:00 |  Tags: British Cinema British Cinema And Society British Cinema From 1990 Contemporary British Cinema Contemporary British Directors Cultural Citizenship Dd 201 Film Education |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem