Exam preparation

How are discourse and representation related?

• They are different terms for the same idea. Both refer to how people are portrayed in the media.

• Representations (e.g., of women in advertising) are shaped by discourses (e.g., what society believes about femininity, power, etc.)

• They are not related.

True or False?

New representations of an idea or a group of people can change a dominant discourse over time.

• True.

• False.

In Edward Said's view, Orientalism ultimately aims at:

• Achieving a better understanding of Middle Eastern cultures.

• Facilitating diplomatic relations between Arab countries and the West.

• Justifying Western colonialism and imperialism.

• Showcasing the civilizational achievements of the Middle East.

When is a discourse "hegemonic"?

• When it is widely accepted and regarded as "common sense".

• When it supports the views of those in power and helps to maintain existing hierarchies.

• When it is reinforced by institutions such as the media, schools, or the law.

• All of the above.

In the US, Orientalist imagery was first used in:

• War propaganda.

• Election campaigns.

• Diplomacy.

• Marketing.

True or False?

In his analysis of Hollywood movies, Jack Shaheen discovered an equal number of films with Orientalist stereotypes and films that portrayed Middle Easterners as ordinary people.

• True.

• False.

Do Anita Mannur and Pia Sahni consider Indo Chic as Orientalist?

• Yes, because it deals with commodities and images that sell a stereotyped version of Otherness.

• No, because it sells commodities made in India and helps to spread knowledge of Indian culture.

What does "Othering" mean?

• It is a process that categorizes people or groups as fundamentally different from oneself, usually as inferior.

• It is a process that erases the difference between oneself and other people or groups.

• It is a process that ignores everyone but one's own group.

• None of the above.

True or False?

When Indo Chic became a popular fashion trend in the 1990s and 2000s, Western consumers became fascinated with India and visited the country in large numbers.

• True.

• False.

Why do Anita Mannur and Pia Sahni find the works of Desi Threads, the Singh Twins, or Monica Ali so important?

• They sell authentic, affordable fashion.

• They produce counter-narratives that highlight cultural appropriation and unethical labor conditions.

• They provide accurate information about fair trade, supported by statistics, interviews etc.

• They are consultants who help Western companies avoid racist advertising.