South asians on the u.s. screen just like everyone else?

• Main Author: Thakore, Bhoomi K
• Format: eBook
• Language: English
• Published: The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group 2016; Lexington Books
• Subjects: Asian American Studies; Ethnic Studies; Motion pictures; SOCIAL SCIENCE; Sociology; South Asians in motion pictures; South Asians on television; Stereotypes (Social psychology) in motion pictures; Stereotypes (Social psychology) on television; Television broadcasting
• ISBN: 1498506569; 9781498506564

How does the media influence society? How do media representations of South Asians, as racial and ethnic minorities, perpetuate stereotypes about this group? How do advancements in visual media, from creative storytelling to streaming technology, inform changing dynamics of all non-white media representations in the 21 st century? Analyzing audience perceptions of South Asian characters from The Simpsons, Slumdog Millionaire, Harold and Kumar, The Office, Parks and Recreation, The Big Bang Theory, Outsourced, and many others, Bhoomi K. Thakore argues for the importance of understanding these representations as they influence the positioning of South Asians into the 21 st century U.S. racial hierarchy. On one hand, increased acceptance of this group into the entertainment fold has informed audience perceptions of these characters as "just like everyone else." However, these images remain secondary on the U.S. Screen, and are limited in their ability to break out of traditional stereotypes. As a result, a normative and assimilated white American identity is privileged both on the Screen, and in our increasingly multicultural society.