Social and cultural contexts and the discourses of a product

Overview

Social context of a media product, cultural context of a media product and term cultural identity.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is meant by the social context of a media product?

   Model answer

   It is the structure of the society the product comes from, including class, work, family, gender roles and the distribution of power.

2. 2

   What is meant by the cultural context of a media product?

   Model answer

   It is the shared beliefs, tastes, traditions, language and everyday practices of the group the product is made in and made for.

3. 3

   Why do social and cultural contexts make the comparison of two products worthwhile?

   Model answer

   Each product carries the assumptions of its own society, so setting them side by side shows which meanings are local and which travel.

4. 4

   Define the term cultural identity.

   Model answer

   Cultural identity is the sense of belonging a person takes from the language, place, history and customs they share with others.

5. 5

   Define a subculture.

   Model answer

   A subculture is a group inside a wider culture with its own tastes, style and values, usually defined against the mainstream.

6. 6

   How can a media product become part of a social debate rather than simply reporting one?

   Model answer

   By framing an issue in a particular way and reaching a large audience, a product supplies the terms in which the debate is afterwards conducted.

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