Task 1: Monitor either The Toronto Star or The Globe and Mail over the course of the semester (between January 10 and March 20 was suggested) with attention to issues of race, ethnicity, racism and related issues that appear in all sections of the newspaper you selected to monitor. A complete list of these should be included in a separate appendix of your report. Note: the list should include at least 25 entries but you may have more than this.
Task 2: Write a 6-page report (typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 pt, not including references/appendix) that summarizes your analysis of at least six chosen stories. (Guidelines for analysis are included below.)
Worth: 25% of total grade
Guidelines for Analysis and Report
Introduction
• Sets the stage for your report
• Something about the news media having an impact on how we think about important social issues such as race/ethnicity, racism, and inequality is probably a good start along with a statement about the aim of the report that follows.
Summary of Analysis
• Pick six of your articles and focus on the six stories that you select as important but you can include more in your analysis if you wish.
• Try and integrate course and tutorial materials into your analysis.
• What to consider/talk about (these are just suggestions):
• How is “race” generally conceptualized in the pieces? For example, is the framing of “race” primarily binary – Whites vs Non-Whites – or are there aspects of racial/ethnic diversity presented?
• Is race presented as a central topic or as a secondary topic? For example, is race the explicit focus or simply mentioned in passing? Are the pieces given front-page coverage or relegated to back-page or other sections in the newspaper?
• Is the piece problem-oriented with focus on, for example, connections between race/ethnicity and crime, unemployment, poverty, hardship?
• Is race/ethnicity connected to immigration, immigrant identities or displaced populations?
• Are stereotypes presented/reinforced through aspects of the piece (such as headlines, photo captions, descriptions)?
• Is race/ethnicity connected to culture or cultural diversity in any way?
• Is ethnocentrism or ethnocentric attitudes demonstrated in the pieces?
• How is racism framed in the pieces? Is racism framed as personal (some people are racist) or more structural/systemic (society and social institutions are racist)?
• Is adequate context (history of colonialism, multiculturalism, for example) provided in the piece for discussions around race and racism?
• Is the larger idea of social inequality discussed in relation to race and ethnicity? Are considerations of gender, class, and power connected to race and ethnicity in any way?
• Are there elements of racial bias in the pieces? How so? Is the author’s position/standpoint oppositional, supportive, advocacy or activist-driven?
• Are some perspectives prioritized over others in the pieces? What might this say about race relations, ethnic conflict and/or positions of privilege?
• Consider whether what is not said/shown may be as important as what is said/shown.
Conclusion/Potential Implications
• Brief statement that succinctly summarizes your above analysis along with a few comments on the likely implications of such presentations of race/ethnicity, racism, etc. on those who are exposed to these news stories. Tie these implications to what you found in your analysis.
• Be sure to situate yourself as well as other readers within these representations to help you understand likely impacts. For example, might these representations create counterproductive understandings of race, racial inequality, and racism within Canadian society? How so? For some populations more so than others?
• How might misunderstandings undermine effective policy development and service initiatives?
• Integrate course and tutorial materials into your discussion of potential implications.
References
• Include all supporting sources used in the report such as course readings, lectures, tutorials, etc. (the focused 6 articles)
• Reference using social science citation format such as APA.
Appendix
• List of all newspaper stories, editorials, cartoons, etc. that were gathered during the monitoring period, including the six chosen for analysis.