First Assignment Questions

Question One: 5 Points
How could hegemony be said to be operating in this text In answering, suggest the ideologies or dominant interests whose value system underpins the text?

The question is asking you to locate and discuss how the concept of hegemony is at work within the text and what ideology/ideologies this hegemony is related to. As such, you need to relate your response to both of these concepts. In order to answer this question, consider:

-What specific beliefs and ideas are presented in the text?
-How does the text construct a particular perspective, viewpoint or belief on the issue that is being ‘correct’ or ‘dominant’?
-How does the text convince you to accept a particular viewpoint or perspective as being the correct one?


Question Two: 4 Points
Identify the key discourses at work in this text.

This question is asking you to identify what particular discourses are used within the text, and thus which ideologies are present and at work within the text. As such, consider:

-What language and imagery is used within the text? Is this language or imagery specific to a particular genre/institution/media form?
-How do these discourses work to create stories and ideals that underpin the dominant ideologies presented within the text?

Question Three: 6 Points
Offer preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings of this text.

For this question, you need to provide a reading of each type. Consider:

-How can I read this text in a way that accepts both the message and the belief supporting it?
-How can I read this text in a way that, although it might reject the message, still accepts the beliefs and social structures that gave rise to it?
-How can I read this text in a way that rejects both the beliefs inherent to the text and the social structure that gave rise to them?