CSP - Postmodernism + Deutschland 83
Media Magazine - A Postmodern Reimagining of the Past
Media Magazine 73 has a feature exploring Deutschland 83 as a postmodern media product. Read ‘Deutschland 83 - A Postmodern Reimagining of the Past’ in MM73 (p18). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:
1) What were the classic media representations of the Cold War?
Representations of Cold War-era Germany often fit a stereotypical binary ‘good vs evil’
2) Why does Deutschland 83 provide a particularly good example for postmodern analysis?
Because these texts often present the East and West as binary opposites through codes and conventions.
3) Pick out some of the aspects of the opening of episode 1 and explain why they are significant.
A woman is listening to US president Ronald Reagan’s ‘Evil Empire’ speech on a television set. This intertextual footage with its message to ‘pray’ for those who live in ‘totalitarian darkness’ creates ambiguity
4) How does the party scene at Martin's mum's house subvert stereotypes of East Germany in the Cold War?
This scene reimagines the representation of the East beyond the operators of the restrictive state to the humanity, care and affection of everyday family and friends.
5) What aspects of the episode set in West Germany offer postmodern elements?
telephones, music, full supermarkets with fruit and veg and many products
6) Finally, how does the article apply postmodern theory to Deutschland 83 and link it to the potential target audience?
Postmodern theorist Baudrillard reveals that there is no fixed, absolute truth; and Deutschland 83 certainly challenges our preconceptions of this period of history. This links to how the audience can be mixed with people who feel nostalgia when watching and also people who just want to learn more about history through a modern point of view.
Postmodernism Factsheet
Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #54: Introduction to Postmodernism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. If you need to access this from home you can find our factsheet archive here (you'll need to use your Greenford login).
1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?
2) What is Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness'? How can the idea of 'historical deafness' be applied to Deutschland 83?
3) What examples and theories are provided for the idea of 'style over substance'?
4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83?
5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83?
Bricolage is the juxtaposition of old and new texts, images, ideas and narratives to create new meanings.
6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.
1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?
- Advertising can make or break a company
- The X factor
2) What is Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness'? How can the idea of 'historical deafness' be applied to Deutschland 83?
He argues that as media-isation increases so the culture finds itself losing a sense of historical context. History is now reduced to ‘talking heads’ documentaries and historical knowledge is often based on media representations. This can be linked to Deutschland 83 as it is not purely all real and has had adaptations to it which makes the audience more influenced and taught by the media representation of the cold war rather than real representations
- People are strongly influenced by branding when buying products
- The modern rise of celebrities launched through reality television
4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83?
- Andy Warhol paintings
- Pop music often sample classical music
- Advertising often makes reference to visual art
-The supermarket scene music playing (Eurythmics)
5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83?
Bricolage is the juxtaposition of old and new texts, images, ideas and narratives to create new meanings.
6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.
Meta-narratives are broad ideas that explain the world and how it should be.
In Deutschland 83 surveillance educates the audience about the Cold War in East and West Germany. Postmodernism helps analyse both of texts and the relationship between audiences and the media they consume.
7) Now look at page 4 of the factsheet. How does Deutschland 83 demonstrate aspects of the postmodern in its construction and ideological positioning?
Deutschland 83 is based on real life events where some audience may feel nostalgic and relate to those times. It is a series and story that implements postmodernism with deliberate chosen emotions to fictional characters and hyper-reality therefore creating a new meaning for different audiences.
8) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?
Deutschland 83 is based on real life events where some audience may feel nostalgic and relate to those times. It is a series and story that implements postmodernism with deliberate chosen emotions to fictional characters and hyper-reality therefore creating a new meaning for different audiences.
8) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?
The supermarket scene in which the shelves are stacked perfectly and music is playing (Eurythmics)
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