Terms To Explore Communications And Media S

Terms to ExploreNameCommunications and MediaTutor’s NameDateOne of the first scholars to use the notion of racism is Ruth Benedict in her book Race and Racism. According to her racism is “the dogma that one ethnic group is condemned by nature to congenital inferiority and another is destined to congenital superiority” (Benedict, 1945, p. 87). This definition has been the foundation of modern definitions of the concept of racism that have tended to concentrate on the idea or beliefs on racial superiority or inferiority. These beliefs have the potential to lead individual to develop negative attitudes towards an entire race. Further prejudicial attitudes arising from racism may motivate individuals to act or discriminate against racial minorities (Schaefer, 1990). For minorities the consequences of racism are discrimination, disempowerment and bias. Throughout history media has tended to promote racism by supporting the power of the dominant group to the public and presenting highly negative images of minority groups. Mass media is targeted at the dominant groups while the minority groups are treated as fringe audience not large enough to influence the content of mass media. (Luther, Lepre,