![Picture](/uploads/2/2/9/9/22996436/5280176.jpg)
Levi Strauss' 'Binary Opposition Theory'
Levi Strauss' binary opposition theory suggests that through portrayal in media, a bias is created towards a different person/ situation; they do this through the way that techniques, actions and emotions are used to create contrast. A common way that we see this in everyday life is through the news and their portrayal of terrorism and war.
For example in the news Terrorists/The Taliban are consistently seen holding guns, suggesting that they are violent people. They are also shown a lot older, wearing turbans which , when linked, could suggest that religion is the cause for the violence among these groups. As well as this when we are let into footage of them when they aren't fighting,which is most commonly footage of them praying or actively visiting places of worship. These two connotations link in our head and create the ideology that religion and violence are linked among terrorist groups.Through the portrayal of the US/UK Soldiers, a bias is created; for example, when we see US and UK soldiers they are portrayed in a heroic and patriarchal light, any weapons they carry are portrayed as methods of protection and our injured are also highly publicised. As well as this, if we see footage of our soldiers off duty, typical images would be taken of soldiers playing with children and religion is not linked inherently with the army. Through these two opposite connotations of the Taliban and the US/UK soldiers, a bias is created through the dehumanisation of one of the groups- in this case the Taliban.
Levi Strauss' binary opposition theory suggests that through portrayal in media, a bias is created towards a different person/ situation; they do this through the way that techniques, actions and emotions are used to create contrast. A common way that we see this in everyday life is through the news and their portrayal of terrorism and war.
For example in the news Terrorists/The Taliban are consistently seen holding guns, suggesting that they are violent people. They are also shown a lot older, wearing turbans which , when linked, could suggest that religion is the cause for the violence among these groups. As well as this when we are let into footage of them when they aren't fighting,which is most commonly footage of them praying or actively visiting places of worship. These two connotations link in our head and create the ideology that religion and violence are linked among terrorist groups.Through the portrayal of the US/UK Soldiers, a bias is created; for example, when we see US and UK soldiers they are portrayed in a heroic and patriarchal light, any weapons they carry are portrayed as methods of protection and our injured are also highly publicised. As well as this, if we see footage of our soldiers off duty, typical images would be taken of soldiers playing with children and religion is not linked inherently with the army. Through these two opposite connotations of the Taliban and the US/UK soldiers, a bias is created through the dehumanisation of one of the groups- in this case the Taliban.