Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Character, dignity, and racial stereotypes

I couldn't help but be struck by the tired racial stereotypes that seem to be reinforced in images that accompany the print edition of SI's latest feature, "Nebraska Lost, Nebraska Found.". The subhead promises a story about ways the Huskers plan to restore "character and dignity" to the program -- with "homegrown" players. Apparently, although the roster includes many African-American players, it's the white ones, whose images dominate the article, that will restore the "character" to this team.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What in the world are you thinking and claiming? This isn't poorly thought-out; it's not thought-out at all. What article are you referencing, and what images did you see? The article at the link you provide shows a picture of only one athlete: the young man in the anecdotal lead. That makes perfect sense in terms of media representation. The story mentions six great Nebraska players of the past: three white and three black. Homegrown? Nebraska's population in 2006 was 4.4 percent black, which is about a third of the national percentage. What's your point?