Class and the Myth of the American Dream

Perceiving progress toward social equality: A model of signals and sense-making

“…This comparison, which is necessarily negative for members of the exemplars' groups, reduces perceivers' acknowledgment of structural obstacleseven when exemplars are framed as atypical members of their groups [11]. Thus, people come to form more negative attitudes toward the group as a whole [8,12]. Cross-sectional research indeed shows that after (vs. before) the election of Barack Obama, US Americans perceived significantly less racial discrimination in society [13] and less need for further racial progress [14].…”

“…The enlightened racism perspective [8] proposes that people perceive counterstereotypical exemplars of success as evidence that "anyone can make it." People therefore take counter-stereotypical exemplars of success as a comparison standard against which they evaluate the rest of the group to which these exemplars belong [9,10].…”

‘I cringe at the slave portions’: How fans ofGone with the Windnegotiate anti-racist criticism

“…Thus, it aims to move beyond a mere comparison between such divergent readings, as sometimes practised in reception studies (e.g. Jhally and Lewis, 1992). Indeed, ambivalent, negotiated readings of a singular cultural product are frequently reported but remain underexplored issues in fan and reception studies (e.g.…”

“…Some audience reception studies of particular works do discuss divergent readings by dominant groups, such as Vidmar and Rokeach's (1979) quantitative study on the sitcom All in the Family, featuring an openly racist protagonist that can be laughed at or laughed with. An interesting example of qualitative research is Jhally and Lewis (1992) study on The Cosby Show, the immensely popular 1980s sitcom about a Black upper-middle-class family, which audiences simultaneously praised for its realistic and non-stereotypical portrayal of an African American family and criticised for its unrealistic depiction of race and class relations. As they argue, the show functioned as an apology for a racist system that disadvantages most Black people, allowing White people the luxury of being both liberal (watching, enjoying, and identifying with the show and its characters) and intolerant (feeling suspicious of any Black people other than the protagonists).…”

“…Most of the interviewees disengage from certain 'aspects' of the film or feel a little uncomfortable while simultaneously still enjoying it. Comparable to Jhally and Lewis's (1992) analysis of 'enlightened racism' in their study on The Cosby Show, GWTW allows White viewers the luxury of being both liberal (showing awareness of its racism) and intolerant (turning a blind eye to its racism to be able to still enjoy the film). They overlook that only feeling a little awkwardness is a White privilege (see McIntosh, 1989).…”