Introduction: Class in/and the media: On the importance of class in media and communication studies

Abstract

Social class is one of the most enduring concepts in the social sciences and is associated with many of the key themes and topics across multiple disciplines. Thus, there are many uses to which the concept of social class in media and communication can be put. The ambition of this special issue is to offer a glimpse into the heterogeneity of its uses in the field. While attuned differently in relation to the various approaches and definitions of class, the eight contributions to this special issue collectively focus on the relationship between media and class. One of the ambitions of this special issue is to report on some of the current Nordic scholarship in this growing field of research and to highlight the particularities of the relationship between class, inequality and media in this region. While the special issue also includes contributions from other regions, the main focus is on social class in the Nordic countries.This introductory article begins with a discussion on the concept of social class and its analytical relevance in the contemporary social landscape. We detail the relationship between media and class as manifested in a growing body of research, followed by a brief presentation of the individual contributions to this special issue. Finally, we identify the road ahead and potential research areas for scholars of media and communication concerned about class and social inequality in the twenty-first century. Class: A key concept in an increasingly unequal worldDespite its long history of playing a key role in the social sciences, the concept of social class is a contested term. First, because of the definitional uncertainty that stems from a range of academic traditions applying the concept in different ways to different objects of study. Second, due to changes in the sphere of production, social structure, and in the lifeworlds of citizens in many parts of the world, which has made it more difficult to ascertain the empirical reality of social class.

The Asian Conference on Media, Communication and Film 2021: Official Conference Proceedings

“…Furthermore, scandals with a voyeuristic tendency can also provoke audiences' curiosity (Grabe et al, 2001;Vettehen et al, 2005), which can explain why Deviance and criminal agenda, highlighting violations of social norms and laws among Baomu (Li, 2018), is preferred by social media as well. Furthermore, social media has a certain tendency to cater to the taste of elite groups and support their values (Jakobsson, Lindell & Stiernstedt, 2021), and thus the coverage on social media are more focused on their needs and satisfaction (Chen, Shi, Guo, Wang & Li, 2019). That is why Baomu, a group that serves the middle or elite class, is often portrayed as Threat image, accompanied by a negative tone.…”