1
<Name>
<Instructor’s Name>
<Course>
<Date>
America, Racism and Film
Racism is an important socio-cultural issue in America. Different people including
Americans and non-Americans think they have the idea of racism figured out. But in its essence,
the concept of racism is defined variably by different people. Long ago, the idea of racism was
based on having different biological roots – that people were either white or black. But over a
period of “me the term race has evolved into a group of people having similar socio-cultural
traits. Textbooks define races as groups of people with some common traits that are explicitly
recognizable.
Although the implica”ons of racism were meant to be reduced with the Civil Rights
Amendment, 1964, s”ll many people in power involved with poli”cs or media, use these ethnic
or racism ideas to their leverage for gaining edge in power dynamics. Research has been ever-
going on this subject to be,er understand why and how America is dealing with racism.
Theorists are divided on the validity of the approach that researchers should use in such
tremendous turmoil among the people. Some theorists say that the concept of racism should
not be talked about and erased from the media as soon as possible because it is the only way to
2
step forward to equality. But others argue that merely not talking about something doesn’t
guarantee that its consequences will be erased as well. Hence, it becomes essen”al to
thoroughly study and evaluate the details to prepare for a be,er future.
Hollywood has also contributed in shaping the idea of racism as perceived by the
Americans. It is more of a psychological phenomenon that when people are repeatedly
introduced to a similar pa,ern of ideas on racism, they’ll get condi”oned to them. But these
ideas aren’t inherently true to their core. The reality is that films always stereotype the concept
of racism. They underplay the level of chaos that is caused by these issues. But on the other
