Where the popular meets culture, a rich repository of oppositional voices versus hegemonic narratives evolves through representations, images and media discourses. Embedded in commercial networks of cultural production and distribution, popular culture is indicative of societal macro spheres and therefore resembles a fruitful realm for studying the construction and contestation of identities.
The omnipresence of (sexual) identity conflicts in popular culture, such as Bollywood movies, can be interpreted as a manifestation of identity crises in postmodern society. These crises reflect wider societal processes of change and progress that can give individuals the feeling of being thrown out of joint. Minority groups, such as homosexuals, are especially exposed, which is why it is crucially important to further advance related knowledge and inform associated current debates around the question:
What is popular culture and how does it serve as a site of struggle around the construction and contestation around sexual identity? In an attempt to shed light on these highly relevant and prevailing questions, the present essay is structured in the following way.
After untangling the complexities of how popular culture serves as a representational, mediated space where identities are constructed, contested and negotiated, Bollywood cinema will be availed for a comprehensive case study of how different homosexual identity disputes are situated within cinematographic representations.
Comparing national and diasporic audiences shows that culture is a powerful mediator exerting influence over how certain media texts are negotiated. The main argumentative conclusions propose that the construction and contestation of sexual identities is an individually unique, culture-specific and constantly evolving process unfolding at the intersection of macro and micro levels.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Struggles around Identity in Popular Culture: Bollywood
- Popular Culture and Hegemony Theory
- Identity
- The Contestation and Negotiation of Identities in Bollywood
- Bollywood's first gay kiss
- Transnational spectatorship
- Conclusions
- References
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay examines the construction and contestation of homosexual identities within the context of contemporary popular culture, specifically focusing on Bollywood cinema. It aims to understand how popular culture serves as a site of struggle around the construction and contestation of sexual identity. It will analyze how different homosexual identity disputes are situated within cinematographic representations, comparing national and diasporic audiences. The main argumentative conclusions propose that the construction and contestation of sexual identities is an individually unique, culture-specific and constantly evolving process unfolding at the intersection of macro and micro levels.
- The role of popular culture in constructing and contesting identities
- The influence of hegemony theory on understanding popular culture
- The dynamic nature of identity formation and its relationship to individual, social, and cultural factors
- The impact of Bollywood cinema on representations of homosexual identities
- The role of transnational spectatorship in shaping the reception and negotiation of media texts
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the stage for the essay, discussing the significance of popular culture as a space for exploring identity conflicts, particularly in the context of postmodern society. It highlights the importance of understanding how popular culture, through its representations and discourses, contributes to the construction and contestation of identities, especially for minority groups like homosexuals.
The chapter on "Struggles around Identity in Popular Culture: Bollywood" delves into the concept of popular culture and its relationship to hegemony theory. It defines popular culture as encompassing both material and non-material cultural expressions within a society, and explores how popular culture is influenced by and simultaneously permeates societal values and practices. The chapter then examines the concept of identity, outlining its multifaceted nature as a process influenced by individual, social, and cultural factors.
The chapter on "The Contestation and Negotiation of Identities in Bollywood" focuses on the specific case study of Bollywood cinema. It explores how Bollywood films represent and negotiate homosexual identities, highlighting the significance of transnational spectatorship in shaping the reception and interpretation of these representations.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key terms and concepts explored in this essay include: popular culture, hegemony theory, identity, sexual identity, homosexual identity, Bollywood, transnational spectatorship, representation, contestation, negotiation, cultural studies, media discourses.
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- Christoph Rosenthal (Autor), 2013, The Construction and Contestation of Homosexual Identities in Contemporary Popular Culture, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/300994
