formation- representation

Describe and analyse the ideologies conveyed through the representations in this music video (Formation). In your answer, you must:- consider how representations convey ideologies (gender and race/ethnicity)
- make judgements and draw conclusions about how far social and cultural contexts affect the representations.

  The music video 'Formation' by Beyoncé represents gender and race/ethnicity strongly within the music video. The music video is based upon the struggle of the black Americans in New Orleans during the time Hurricane Katrina. As well as looking at racism and slavery.


Within the music video we see women have a strong presence. There are big group of girls surrounding Beyoncé throughout the music video dancing with her. This can represent unity within the group. this can also convey how even though Beyoncé is the person holding the star image, all the girls are all on the same level, showing that her stardom doesn't make her any different in being a victim of racial discrimination faced by a large percentage of the black population. From a Feminist point of view the video explores a strong message of gender. This can be connoted by the references to male genitalia, " Paparazzi, catch my fly and my cocky fresh". This refers to how men achieve dominance within a relationship due to his genitalia. This can demonstrate how Beyoncé is opposed the oppression she feels within this patriarchal society, however as the main reason for the video is more to spread awareness of racial discrimination, rather than gender discrimination. Her views may
contradict a difference feminist perspective, like Bell Hooks. The idea of difference feminism is they prefer to live in a patriarchal society, where their families offer a safe haven from the racial discrimination which they may be attacked with outside the house. Therefore this is opposed to what Beyoncé may be talking about.


Throughout the music video we see a difference in the way Caucasian and African American  people
 are portrayed within the music video. The only real clip we see of any Caucasian people I the police officers raising their hands to a small boy. This could represent police brutality, which has been an issue within America for years. As well as this it is also showing binary opposites within the music video. This can demonstrate how the racial discrimination which is received through the police, is through Caucasian police officers. This can be shown in a real life example by the countless police brutality cases by Caucasian officers hurting, injuring and even killing African American people,. During the music video we see the  unity of the African American people, as they are stood up together as if they were a unit within the army. This can be reinforced by the lyric, " okay ladies now let get into formation". This can represent how communities can work together to make a stand and to make the government understand the hardships in which the African American community have faced over the past two decades.

The idea that colonial discourse informs contemporary attitudes towards race and ethnicity within the modern era is an idea from post colonial theory, by Paul Gilroy. This can be shown as slavery has been referenced heavily throughout the song. This can be represented by the use of Beyoncé overthrowing the typical white, patriarchal power. This is connoted through the fact that in one of the scenes, Beyoncé is the main figure, with men around her, acting as if they are her bodyguards, making it look as if she is a important figure within the narrative. This juxtaposes the typical Caucasian patriarchal power as she is a woman and is of African American heritage