Representations of Diversity in Canadian Television Entertainment Programming: Case Studies
subject: Canada
subject: Culture
subject: Diversity
subject: Multiculturalism
description: This report empirically studies the degree to which Canadians embrace diversity and the degree of inclusion and tolerance experienced by various groups, especially minority groups in Canada. The report engages in this study by examining Canadian representations of diversity in Canadian entertainment television programming. Hannah Cho summarizes the key finding in the Executive Summary of the report as follows: Theoverwhelming"majority"of"shows"analysed"for"this"report"were"found"to"reaffirm"the"myth"of Canada"as"a"robust"democracy"in"which"there"is"a"comfortable"plurality"of"cultures,"religions,"and" ethnicities."This"situation"frequently"generates"conflict"in"dramatic"or"comedic"narratives."However, the"conflict"is"always"successfully"resolved"on"the"program."Where"a"diversity"of"characters,"religious" groups,"sexual"identities,"and"gender"dynamics"are"represented,"the"overwhelming"conclusion— episode"after"episode—is"that"Canadian"(predominantly"White,"liberal,"and"middleSclass)"society" blends"myriad"differences"into"a"moderate"and"assimilated"nation."That"is,"shows"studied"in"this" report"were"found"to"reproduce"what"Himani"Bannerji"(2000)"critiques"as"the"Canadian"model"of" multiculturalism:"racially"and"ethnically"other"members"are"welcomed"insofar"as"they"organize" themselves"around"a"White"center"of"power
creator: Media Action Media, 2011
source: Media Action Média, online: http://www.media-action-media.com
publisher: Media Action Média, self-published, 2011. See: http://www.media-action-media.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/MAM_Diversity-Research-Report_FINAL.pdf
date: 2011
rights: (c) Media Action Média
format: text file/PDF
language: English
type: TEXt