Dominant Ideology

Where do ideologies come from?

Ideology:

a system of ideas, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory/policy.

• You should go to school to be educated.
• You should aim to be clean. Running water is a necessity.
• You should not commit a crime. Crime is punishable.
• Adults are classed as 18 and over.
• Underlying Christian theology.
• Health is important. Diet is important. Long life is desirable.
• Governed society, royal society - shared ownership.
• Information is important, Technology is key.

Dominant Ideology:

• All girls should be educated - law, protest, media coverage, archaic ideas are challenged, figurehead.
• Health care should be free - WW1, poverty society, injured soldiers - war looming on the horizon.
• Divorce is ok - 1500s-1960s change, religion, crown, legal.
• Smartphones are a right.

Binary oppositions by Levi Strauss:

• Male/Female
• Black/White
• Gay/Straight
• Fat/Thin

Lacan's theory of 'other'

• Lesbians - short hair, bulky, chubby, called "Jo", loads of piercings, dress in leather, motorbikes, bit of a bloke, high tops, bit aggressive, spiky hair, minimal makeup, play aggressive sports, drink pints, slight facial hair.
• fear - label and classification
• Straight - long hair, Claire, big boobs, wide hips, mothers, wear tight clothes, reveal flesh, wear makeup, red lipstick, heels, charming, support husband, cook, domestic, rear children, conservative.

Cultivation theory:

• Exposure helps to become desensitized to an idea.

Why did social media change our dominant ideology about refugees?

Representation of Teenagers/Hoodies:

Teenagers:

• bad attitude
• messy
• chavs
• spotty
• wannabes
• alcoholics
• smelly
• loud
• moody
• rude
• confused
• immature
• vulnerable
• drugs
• adventurous
• imaginative
• clubbing
• uniform
• aggressive
• violent
• lazy
• naive

Deviance

Folk Devil

Moral Panic

Stereotypes

Stan Cohen 'Folk Devils and Moral Panics' (1972)

Year 9 - cool, bad boys, scared

Year 13 - no interaction, avoid, friendly

35 year old - disgusted

70 year old - disappointed

Dominant ideology about people wearing hoodies/caps are criminals, socially deviant - social signs

Classed as people "up to no good":

• White
• Working class
• Teenagers
• Male

The terms "folk devil" and "moral panic" attributed to Stanley Cohen who in the early 1970s produced a detailed sociological investigation of the Mods and Rockers, sub cultural groups that appeared during the 1960s.