Instructor: Dr. Lalia Hekima Kiburi
Winter Quarter 2014
The socialization of human behavior
via television is an ongoing subject of research. Miscegenation, defined as sexual relations or intermarriage
between races, is currently featured in Scandal--one of the most highly rated
television shows debuting in 2012.
This series is about an interracial affair between a European American,
married, republican president and a beautiful woman that is African American,
single, republican, and head of a Washington D.C crisis management firm. The love affair reveals a
powerful personal, political and sexual reality. Utilizing the concept of miscegenation and course material
to date, do you think that this television series will promote greater
acceptance of interracial dating and mating specifically between African
American women and European men? Why or why not?
I believe that this television series will have both positive and negative effects concerning the acceptance of interracial dating and mating. As we have discussed in class, the media has a large influence on what people consider socially acceptable. By promoting a show that is centered around an interracial relationship between an African American woman and a European man, the media is showing that there is nothing abnormal or “wrong” with interracial dating. In this sense the television series will encourage people to accept interracial relationships. On the other hand, it is important to note that this isn’t a relationship between two formerly single people, but instead a relationship between a married man and his mistress. In Interracial Relationships in the 21st Century, it states that “Since the earliest moments of the colonization...by European conquerors...it is well documented that both consensual and non-consensual relationships among White men and women of African descent were incredibly common” (Pg. 5). The fact that the mistress is portrayed by an African American woman shows strong parallels with the idea of a White man in colonial America having a black mistress. This could potentially give the wrong idea about interracial relationships; however, I do think that this could be lessened by the fact that the woman is the head of a firm, showing that she is powerful as well. Overall, I feel that the portrayal of a relationship between a successful African American woman and a man will have a positive effect of people’s views of interracial dating.
ReplyDeleteI feel this specific television show, just by portraying this interracial couple – by itself– would not directly cause a greater acceptance of interracial couples. Even though in class we did discuss how media does heavily influence society and its beliefs, but I do agree with our classmate, Edward's, idea that specific cases of interracial dating in pop culture, such as between Kim and Kanye does not strongly affect the public; their personal achievements and their image proceeds the concept of the interracial relationship. Likewise, for this show, it would be the same case. However, this show may prompt the acceptability of portraying more interracial relationships in other shows, and I feel this change in mass media would in turn slowly change people's views on attractiveness and interracial dating.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhile the television series featured in Scandal features the interracial affair between a European American man and an African American woman, this series is not geared towards promoting greater acceptance of interracial dating and mating. Instead of coverage of two individuals of different race, the topic likely heavily investigates the scandal between two powerful political figures. Because the focus is not based on the element of interracial dating, the concept of accepting miscegenation is very subtly hinted to the public and makes little to no impact. Even though the media may make small contributions to public acceptance of interracial relations through coverage, the power of promoting acceptance ultimately lies in education and not so much within the media.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this television series will neither promote or discourage greater acceptance of interracial dating and mating between African American women and European men. The audience watching the show most likely already accepts miscegenation, or else they would not support the series by watching it. For example, Fox news viewers are typically Conservative and in support of the news anchors’ biased viewpoints (and vice versa with CNN having a liberal fan base). However, I think the more prominent fact that the series addresses is the gender divide that still exists between males and females where the male is the dominant, powerful boss and the woman works below him. I do not think it would make a difference the race of the woman, and because of this, does not promote or discourage acceptance.
ReplyDeleteAccording to The Guardian, Scandal is the first network primetime drama to feature an African American female lead in close to 40 years. Lead actress Kerry Washington herself stated that although she knows Scandal "could have been written pre-Obama, because Judy Smith worked in the George Bush White House", she is unsure whether "it could have made it to air" or if "people would have tuned in".
ReplyDeleteI do believe that Scandal would have been successful before Obama's presidency; Kerry Washington's character is heavily sexualized despite her intelligence and position of power. Sex sells; well written series with a dose of nudity scattered throughout have historically done well in their Nielsen ratings (Game of Thrones, Mad Men, etc). Even badly written series with a proper dose of nudity have done well (Sex and the City, True Blood, Gossip Girl).
I think the miscegenation factor is widely accepted in the case of Scandal because the female lead, although African American, is still in the role of the subordinate woman to the more dominant white male. I do believe that the unconventionality of an interracial couple on primetime television does still further the miscegenation agenda, but the device probably only manifests in a subconscious manner and therefore is not as effective nor direct as a real life interracial couple that speaks out about their relationship and its dynamics (ex. Robin Thicke & Paula Patton).
Source: http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/jun/28/kerry-washington-scandal-interview
While I have not watched Scandal, from its description I don’t believe that this show will help to promote a greater acceptance of dating interracially. The premise of this show is that a married, heterosexual, European American man in a respectable and powerful position takes part in a “scandal” through his dating of an African American woman. This sets up the premise of the show as a white man being seduced and led away from his wife by a black woman. This causes the audience to view the relationship as a negative influence on the white male, and subsequently gives another reason to people who are initially against the idea of dating interracially that interracial couples should be seen as “scandalous”. The media needs to start producing shows that feature interracial couples where the partners are together in less compromising situations. The purpose of this show was not to be an advocate of interracial couples by any means, but it demonstrates how poorly the media has done to capture the reality of average interracial couples that this is one of the only shows talked about when the topic of cross cultural dating is discussed.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that I notice when asked this question is the title of the series: "Scandal." This word houses the negative feelings that I feel may be aroused by having a European conservative president partake in infidelity involving miscegenation. While I do not believe this show will necessarily have a negative effect on the acceptance of miscegenation, it does have the potential to do harm. It is not hard to visualize those who oppose miscegenation fostering absurd stereotypes about how African American women cause infidelity or how European American males all cheat on their wives. Although I support the continued exposure and acceptance of interracial relationships, I think the premises of this show set up a circumstance that is rather volatile and perhaps not the best portrayal of miscegenation in America in the eyes of those who promote it.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that the affair portrayed on this show will generate acceptance for miscegenation in the broader context of American culture. While Scandal does an admirable job of portraying a relationship between a white male and a black female, that does not necessarily mean the relationship is viewed in a positive light.
ReplyDeleteThe show seems to me to be promoting having a fleeting relationship on the slightly less "safe" side of things, while still having what is seen as an acceptable relationship outwardly. In other words, I think all the show does is reinforce nation-building by demonstrating that the white male remains safely married to his white wife. His wife and children are white, so he can preserve the ideals of a purist society while still having a less serious relationship with a black woman.
I think the show would have had a much more positive impact if the President had already been in a serious interracial relationship. Seeing a happy interracial family instead of a cheating scandal would do significant good to improve people's opinions about interracial relationships. As it is, the show only seems to condone miscegenation as long as it doesn't cross the border into a serious, publicly known relationship.
I think that the television series will promote greater acceptance of interracial dating and mating, specifically between African American women and European men, because the woman that the president is having an affair with is beautiful and is represented as such. Some people are socialized to think that beauty is defined by specific characteristics. European men who may have been socialized to think that characteristics such as blonde hair, blue eyes, and light skin represent beauty may redefine their idea of beauty after watching the show. The character that Kerry Washington plays is portrayed as a successful and very attractive; the republican president, who is most likely under public scrutiny and has a spotless reputation to uphold, lusts after her. There could be viewers who highly identify with the male lead on the show, and without realizing it, these viewers may come to see beauty differently. Furthermore, the fact that Scandal was one of the most highly rated television shows of 2012 says something about the attitudes that the general public has about interracial dating. People who highly disapprove would not watch the show. Making an interracial relationship central to the plot allows interracial relationships to become more publicized and become more of the norm, so to speak. The only possible problem I see with the show promoting this specific interracial relationship is that they promote the relationship as an affair, something that is hidden and taboo and not something to be proud of, and in my opinion, this does not promote an interracial relationship in a healthy or a new way. People are probably used to or have been exposed to others doing things secretly, and while the plotline of the show may be scandalous for them to watch, they might not think, "Wow, this is really promoting public acceptance of interracial relationships."
ReplyDeleteThe writers of Scandal have definitely spurred some discussion about interracial dating by featuring an affair between an African American woman and a white man. I think that this show may prompt some people to increase their acceptance of interracial dating and mating while reinforcing others’ disagreements with miscegenation. For example, some may consider the relationship between the white male president and the African American woman to be two people falling in love across racial lines regardless of the debilitating factors such as the married status of the man. These people may think that both the political tension of the president’s affair and the passionate interracial relationship that ensues exemplify the strong attraction that can take place between two people of different races; therefore, support of interracial dating and mating could be heightened. However, the context of this relationship in Scandal could also reinforce ideas about interracial dating that are unsupportive. This show’s story could be viewed as a white man who is the leader of a nation experiencing imbalance and stress as a result of his sexual affair with an African American mistress. Viewed in this way, the context of the relationship could reinforce the idea that interracial relationships are as unacceptable as a president’s affair. In this case, one’s concept of miscegenation as taboo could be strengthened.
ReplyDeleteObviously one’s pre-existing ideas about race influence how the relationship presented in Scandal is interpreted. For instance, someone who sees relationships between European men and women as most “normal” would likely interpret the president’s open marriage to his white wife (in contrast to his secretive affair with an African American woman) as a sign of the superiority of such a marriage. Therefore, I think that this television series could promote or discourage acceptance of interracial dating based on how different people interpret the relationship in the context of the story. -Smedlund
Although I personally have not watched the television show, Scandal, I feel that it, like most other things, will have its pros and its cons. On one hand, it brings interracial dating into the front of the average American’s mind. Very few other shows on American television feature an interracial couple as their lead character roles and with the addition of Scandal and other such shows, couples with differing cultures (especially race in this scenario) will begin to dealienate the xenophobic notion that interculture relationships should not be pursued. In contrast, the cons in this representation are also numerous. For instance, the fact that this interracial relationship is meant to be covert and immoral adds a passive negative connotation to the entire interpretation of their relationship. Although this television show will give interracial dating exposure to the public, it may not provide the optimal interpretation. By demonstrating it in a negative light, all the benefits may become undermined by the psychological association between interrace and immorality.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I have noticed that media has had an enormous impact on the population, especially on the younger generations. For example, certain T.V shows like "Keeping up with the Kardashians" shaped the way girls dress, the way they act, and the entire fashion industry for the female youth. Basketball players, and Football players shaped the way kids dressed, and the way they played their sports. Media definitely has the power to control the cultural norms to certain extents. That being said, I definitely believe this T.V show has the ability to impact the population's mindset in regards to interracial dating. I think that if enough of the younger generation watches this T.V show, more people will see that interracial dating is the new cultural norm, and then change or base their ideologies off this. Of course, that being said, this T.V show needs to become a major hit in order to make a major impact. If this ever reaches the level of "Glee" for example, I think it will positively impact our youth.
ReplyDeleteI think this television program could indeed increase the number of interracial dating, however I personally believe there is a distinction between the reality of more interracial relationships and fully formed acceptance. One power of modern media is to create what is considered attractive or hot in the public’s mind. Due to the dramatic, highly sexual nature of miscegenation in this program, I would argue the message that a relationship between an African American women and a European man is ingrained in the audience’s subconscious as enticing and promiscuous. Consequently, there may be more interracial couples however this change may not be a repercussion of people going through the internal reflection and analysis of understanding what race means to them, why it should not limit love, and what behaviors constitute compassionate, open-minded acceptance. In other words, just because external changes occur does not mean people have actually put the effort towards thoroughly evolving their way of thought. I believe real change, real acceptance, requires active examination of race’s significance in society and conscious awareness of subtle race-based distinctions. Nonetheless, as we discussed in discussion last week and concerning the Kim Kardashian and Kanye West blog, simply making interracial couples more visible does plant the seed in making interracial dating more normative.
ReplyDeleteI feel that in today's America, media plays a huge role in how normal citizens live their lives. Children often look to their idol athletes, pop stars, or favorite actors and model their behavior and style after them. Even adults are prone to this. For example, women often try to dress and put on make-up in order to look like the models they see on TV. The Scandal, one of the most popular TV shows in America right now, has a lot of influence on the American public. I don't think it would dramatically increase rates of dating between African American women and white men; however, it would certainly lessen inhibitions on both sides towards interracial dating. Watching two A-list celebrities engage in an interracial relationship on television could let people know that interracial relationships aren't that bad after all. I haven't watched the show, so I don't know exactly what type of relationship the Scandal is portraying, but it certainly will have an impact on promoting African American women and white men being together.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Lai:
ReplyDeleteEven though I have never watched Scandal, the title of the television show itself provides a negative connotation of the entire relationship. Although it is evident that the “scandal” itself is the fact that there is an affair occurring, it also suggests that the relationship between the European American and the African American woman is something to look down upon. The love affair does not promote greater acceptance of interracial dating whatsoever because that is not the focus of the television show at all. In fact, the series appears to be focusing on the fact that this powerful man is having an affair with another powerful woman. In my opinion, race seems to be an almost insignificant in the development of this show.
Although Scandal's popularity on primetime is somewhat indicative of widespread acceptance of interracial relationships, the show better serves to promote the sexual aspect of miscegenation and less of interracial dating and serious relationships. The adulterous nature of the characters' relationship coupled with the fact that as a leader, and politician the president must uphold a wholesome and positive image which means no affairs, makes it difficult to imagine that the couple will ever come out publically on the show about their relationship nor will the president leave his wife, yet the relationship continues to progress especially when it comes to sex.The show often depicts sex scenes between the two characters and this passionate affair portrays the lead as the black mistress of the white president which subtly perpetuates the jezebel stereotype of black women as being hypersexual These circumstances the show has created help promote sexual curiosity among African American women and Caucasian men rather than the possibilities of interracial dating or marriage.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching a fair number of television shows on TV that display interracial relationships, I feel a little different about the message that Scandal presents. In Scandal, the series follows an interracial affair between a female African American crisis management director and a male European American president. Rather than promote a greater acceptance of interracial dating, this show does quite the opposite in my opinion. The element of an interracial relationship is present in the show, but it’s a small factor in the show’s main focus. Although the scandalous miscegenistic relationship between the characters is main theme, the details and importance about them being individuals of different races is never addressed as a big issue of their relationship. This show could have easily taken occurred without an interracial relationship and it would still receive the same acclaim from audiences. The reason for this is because in the media’s eyes, sex and scandals sell well to audiences across the United States. Due to the scandal and the other various actions that take place within the show, there isn’t enough emphasis on the interracial relationship. The show is beneficial in acting as an example for future television series to follow with the implementation of interracial couples, but it’s not an effective way to draw in support for interracial relationships. The most effective way to draw in support for interracial relationships is at the educational and community levels of society, not so much the media despite its influential power over large audiences nationwide. Overall, this show does a mediocre job at presenting miscegenation in society because of it displays an interracial relationship that’s scandalous and secretive in nature, rather than open and public.
ReplyDeleteI think there are many factors in this show Scandal that would contribute to its power as an advocate for or enemy of interracial dating. I have never heard of this show so I do not necessarily feel qualified to answer this question, so instead I will discuss the factors which would contribute to its miscegenistic properties. On first glance, the show title “Scandal” and its featured relationship, between a white male and an African-American woman, seem to contribute to an overall implication that the relationship itself is indeed a Scandal. This could have some scary repercussions as the general title applies the connotation of “Scandal” to everything about the relationship, including its interracial nature. However, things that I have not accounted for are the character’s portrayals on the show. From what I understand, the African-American woman holds a position of high esteem and power, as well as is written to be very witty and cunning. With that in mind I would not consider the show to be promoting miscegenistic ideals. I believe that if I am right about the character’s portrayals on the show, the show’s existence may have a beneficial effect on increasing the acceptance of interracial dating. I don’t believe that the show “Scandal” will cause a radical acceptance movement, however its prominence on television will work towards normatizing the idea of interracial dating by displaying it as such on national television.
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