ABSTRACT

This chapter will explore ‘race’ in British media history. The historical trajectory of ‘race’ will be critically investigated with specific reference to media examples. The aim of this discussion is to first, draw attention to the persistent nature of ‘race’ in media discourse and second, highlight how this concept has mutated, advanced and survived over time. Before we begin to apply ‘race’ within a media context, it is important that we first discuss ‘race’. Following this, we will explore early media accounts of ‘Others’. Third, representations of non-European groups will be analyzed within a colonial context. The work will then investigate twentieth-century news media representations of Commonwealth migrants before examining inscriptions and depictions of ‘race’ in film and television. Finally, we will explore Islamophobia, thus locating ‘race’ within a contemporary media context.