Representations- Gauntlett, Van Zoonen, bell hooks

Representation Theory: Gauntlett

David Gauntlett is a media scholar well-known for his theories on media’s role in identity formation.
Gauntlett’s “identity theory” states that media gives people the “tools” and “building blocks” to construct their identities. Importantly, this idea is not unidirectional - individuals also influence which media they consume and how they interpret it.
Magazines play a significant part in this process, offering representations of gender, race, lifestyle, etc., that readers can use to construct their own identities.
Gauntlett also advocates for the increasing plurality in media representations. As media broadens, so do our options for identity building blocks.
By using Gauntlett’s theory, we can analyse how magazines offer a spectrum of representations, allowing for a diversity of identities amongst their readership.

Liesbet Van Zoonen is known for her feminist interpretation of media, most notably her theory on gender and representation.
Van Zoonen argues that gender is a social construct, and that it is continually redefined and reinforced by media.
Looking at magazines, Van Zoonen’s theory helps us interpret how they might perpetuate gender stereotypes through their content, or challenge them.
Magazines, particularly women’s magazines, can be analysed using Van Zoonen’s theory to uncover how the representation of femininity and masculinity is constructed and communicated.

American scholar Gloria Jean Watkins, better known by her pen name bell hooks, advocates an intersectional approach to media analysis.
Intersectionality, as per hooks, involves understanding that identities are multifaceted - consisting of gender, race, class, etc., and these aspects do not exist independently of one another.
In magazines, it’s essential to analyse the representations from an intersectional lens. For instance, understanding a portrayal of a character is not just about their gender - it’s also about their race, age, socio-economic status, etc.
bell hooks’ intersectionality theory reminds us to consider the complexity of identity when analysing magazine content, and to look beyond single-dimension interpretations.