12D Cover Work - Monday 7/12, p1/2

The World of Mockingjay

This article looks at the dystopian representation of capitalist society. This is shown in the most recent Hunger Games film, and can also be seen in the previous ones. In the dystopian society of Panem, there are thirteen districts in the city of the country ( ‘The Capitol’ ) with the aim to survive. Each district is poor, and have to survive on little food and water. They therefore have to work to provide coal, technology, food, power and other services to the Capitol. The 'Hunger Games' is a game in which two children between the ages of 11-18 are sent from each district to partake in an annual event that involves forcing each child to kill one another until only one is remaining. The aim of the game is to keep peace in the districts, as well as keeping them under control. In terms of Marxist theory we can see that the ruling class keep the poor under control. The main ideology of the way Panem is run is that; the more powerful are the ones that control what goes on. President Snow believes that hope is the ‘only thing stronger than fear’ and scares the rebels by using the media and propaganda to show previous events of the 'Hunger Games'. 


Understanding Ideology - They Live:

This article analyses the complex aspects of Media Studies, it looks at the concept of 'Ideology'. It looks at the meaning of the term, as well as looking at the concept of hegemony. This article also looks at the work of three key theorists. Furthermore, it explore the term through a film from 1988: John Carpenter’s They Live. These  three features  are generally agreed to be part of the dominant ideology in Britain:

• People should put their families first.

• Women should behave in feminine ways, and look after their appearance.

• People should work hard for their money. 

Hegemony is the ability of the dominant class to project its own way of seeing the world so that those who are dominated by it (the masses), accept it as ‘common sense’ and ‘natural’. Slavoj Zizek is a current famous theorist, who looks at how we accept our control, yet we are still dominated. He argues that we are in a new global era where we cannot see how massively we are dominated by the elite 1%.


What does Gramsci's theory of hegemony suggest about power and ideology in society?

• Gramsci introduced the concept of hegemony, and its role in social control. He suggested that those who have power maintain the control they have, instead of using force. He argued that the power of ideology derives primarily from ideas and structures which support, and thus serve the purpose of, an elite social group which is able to dominate through ideas, rather than militaristic strength or fear. This implies that power and ideology in society doesn't have to be forced, but to remain constant. 

What does French theorist Louis Althusser suggest about ideology and consumerism?

• The French theorist Louis ALthusser suggests that ideology is the greatest material power and dominates our day to day lives through two key forms of control: Repressive State Control, also known as ‘Repressive State Apparatuses’ which are dominated by the ruling elite. These state agencies regulate social behaviour and repress the masses through violence, punitive law, and fear. And ‘Ideological State Apparatuses’ (ISAs), These looser institutions control and dominate implicitly through ‘common sense’ acceptance and social norms, rather than through fear. This echoes Gramsci’s concept of hegemony, by which ideology’s power derives primarily from consent as opposed to the use of force.