ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses television representations of particular groups, especially those defined by gender or race, with attention to their differences in different television forms and genres. This involves considering the different methodologies that can be used in Television Studies to approach these issues, and the strengths and weaknesses of different means of answering related questions. The chapter includes a case study on the representation of women in factual television, noting the significance of the long-running factual series Wife Swap, and exploring the critical arguments advanced about this programme. Activities in this chapter include suggestions for applying a range of methodologies to the issues of television representation and the underlying assumptions about television’s role in society on which this depends.
