Labor Beat: Demonizing the Inner City - Ideology and the Urban Poor

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1808948055843475610

In this presentation, Steve Macek-- author of the book "Urban Nightmares: The Media, The Right and the Moral Panic over the City" (University of Minnesota Press, 2006) – analyzes the hysteria over the central city and the urban poor that permeated American politics and popular culture in the 1980s and 90s. He dissects the way mainstream politicians (Rudolph Giuliani, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr.) , conservative intellectuals and the corporate media conspired to demonize inner city neighborhoods and their residents. In particular, he discusses the way that TV news reproduced and validated the right’s stigmatizing, victim blaming images of the urban poor. Ultimately, he critiques the reactionary political interests served by this divisive discourse on urban pathology and points to what activists can do to counter its destructive influence. Assorted visuals. Produced by Labor Beat. Labor Beat is affiliated with IBEW 1220. Views expressed are those of Labor Beat, not necessarily of IBEW. Labor Beat is a CAN TV Community Partner. For more info: mail@laborbeat.org. 312-226-3330. www.laborbeat.org