MIGRAIN: Introduction to Representation

 1) Why is representation an important concept in Media Studies?

Because everything in the media is a re-presentation of reality, shaped by producers’ choices. Studying representation helps us understand how media construct meanings, communicate values and ideologies, and influence how audiences see people, groups and events.

2) How does the example of Kate Middleton show the way different meanings can be created in the media?

The article shows how photographs of Kate Middleton are selected, cropped, captioned and placed in context by gatekeepers. The same image can create positive or negative meanings depending on editorial choices, demonstrating how representation is constructed, not neutral.

3) Summarise the section 'The how, who and why of media representation' in 50 words.

Media representations are constructed through choices made by producers, shaped by audience, genre, narrative and institutional aims. Meaning is created through selection and omission. Repeated representations become naturalised, hiding ideology. Audiences may accept, negotiate or oppose meanings, showing representations are not fixed and vary across contexts and platforms over time.

4) How does Stuart Hall's theory of preferred and oppositional readings fit with representation?

Hall argues that media producers encode preferred meanings into representations, but audiences may decode them differently. Some accept the intended meaning, others negotiate it, and some reject it entirely, showing that representations do not have fixed meanings.

5) How has new technology changed the way representations are created in the media?

New technology allows audiences to create and share their own representations through social media and online platforms. This increases self-representation, gives voice to previously under-represented groups, and enables people to challenge dominant representations from traditional media institutions.

6) What example is provided of how national identity is represented in Britain - and how some audiences use social media to challenge this?

The article uses The Sun’s 2014 World Cup coverage, which promoted a narrow idea of Englishness using symbols like the Queen and Churchill. Social media allowed audiences to reject and challenge this representation by expressing alternative identities online.

7) An alternative reading is the women is covered in blood, which is blood and violence is often link to things men would do. Luther himself is an alternative representation of a detective,  he doesn’t act like a typical rule‑following cop. The daughter isn't seen as the innocent grieving daughter. Even early in the conversation she subtly challenges the stereotype by giving ambiguous reactions

8) In this opening scene of Luther, several representation theories help explain how characters and power are portrayed. According to Levi-Strauss, the show establishes ideological opposites: Luther, the unconventional detective, is contrasted with the seemingly innocent but mysterious Alice Morgan, highlighting the tension between law/order and deception/morality. From Mulvey’s perspective, the camera initially frames Alice in a way that emphasizes her appearance and vulnerability, subtly positioning her as an object of visual interest, though the show quickly subverts this by revealing her intelligence and danger, challenging the traditional passive female role. Dyer’s ideas on stereotyping and power are evident as Alice first appears to fit the “grieving daughter” stereotype, but her control over the situation and ability to manipulate Luther disrupts the expected power dynamic, showing that stereotypes can be challenged to shift perception. Medhurst’s concept of value judgements is reflected in how the audience is encouraged to morally align with Luther despite his unorthodox methods, framing him as heroic while making the audience question the “normal” rules of law. Finally, Perkins’ notion that some stereotypes can be positive or true is visible in Luther’s characterization: his obsessive dedication to solving crime aligns with the stereotype of the brilliant but troubled detective, which, while exaggerated, reinforces his heroism. Together, these theories show that the scene carefully balances dominant representations of authority and crime with alternative perspectives that challenge audience expectations.