The Comparison Group (Part 2)


Isakhan (2009) described the idea of the "other", a media driven discourse of Arab/Middle Eastern/Islamic people. This discourse is based on enduring negative social stereotypes. The idea of this "other" in itself denotes the use of the terms: "us" versus "them". This is simply another comparison. And as Isakhan states, "the construction of the... 'other' in the news media is not... a new phenomenon and arguably dates back to the very earliest days of the modern media industry" (p. 2). By this, Isakhan means the establishment of the printing press.

As mentioned in the previous post, the media will use this comparative function people possess to encourage the stereotypes which come to define the comparison war. These stereotypes, while constantly developing, are decades old as Isakhan illustrated. It began with colonisation of many Eastern nations who were portrayed as inferior ("intellectually, politically, culturally, and militarily" (p. 5)). This is a glimpse of the comparison group at work with different ethnic groups. Stereotypes would have been established pertaining to the idea of Edward Said's 'Orientalism' in such ways that the "Oriental was viewed as the 'other'" (Isakhan, 2009, p. 6).

In Australia, as more and more people from different cultures migrated to this country's shores, we found new and close to home comparison groups. Instantly the 'white Australian' community could be united against their comparison group, the "Oriental other". This reached such an intensity that government policies, such as the White Australia Policy, were created to marginalise culturally different people and reinforce negative stereotypes. 

There can be no real end to stereotypes and negative discourses until we eliminate the idea of the comparison group. We need to stop looking at culturally and ethnically different groups as the opposition before we can relinquish our hold on the ease and efficiency of stereotypes. 

References:

Isakhan, B. (2009). Orientalism and the Australian news media. Origins and Questions. In Rane, H., J. Ewart, and M. Abdalla, Eds., Islam and the Australian News Media. Carlton: Melbourne University Press. Ch. 1, 3-25