Essay Introduction

Explain how stereotyping in British TV drama and British film contributes to a sense of collective identity.

Collective identity is made to represent a certain group of people, whether it be based on their age, race, sex, religion etc. The idea of collective identity is commonly constructed through stereotyping. This is the easiest way to put people into a certain group as they are put together through one shared, basic characteristic. Within British TV drama and British film, stereotyping contributed to a sense of collective identity in different ways. It creates this sense of an image that the country portrays to the rest of the world, as well as this it also helps people to give an idea of what they are about as an individual and as a British person.