Page - 51 - in Media – Migration – Integration - European and North American Perspectives

Heinz Bonfadelli | Media Use of Ethnic Minority Youth 51 2.3 Cultural Studies Perspective The cultural studies paradigm (Hall 1980; Hepp 1999) is contrary to the “media-centric” effects paradigm, since for the former the media user is the focus of interest and analysis. Media use, then, is seen as a purposeful selection of media, and the reception process is considered to be an active construction of meaning. This perspective does not simply assume an alternative between adapting to the new country’s culture through consuming host media on the one hand and bonding to the old country of origin and remaining culturally isolated by using homeland media on the other (Peeters/d’Haenens 2005). Instead, a third possibility is also taken into consideration. In this sense, members of ethnic minorities are seen to be able to use varying kinds of media, their homeland media and the media of the new host country. This dualistic position is not regarded as deficient or as a danger for the development of a cultural identity. Being able to participate in both cultures and using media from both countries and in both languages enables members of ethnic minority groups to bridge the norms and values of different cultures and to actively develop new forms of a so-called reflective hybrid identity. To promote mutual respect, social participation, and cultural integration, today’s pluralistic societies even seem to require that everyone attain an understanding of the everyday life, norms and values of other cultural groups. To this end, the mass media play a significant role by providing not only homogeneous images of the so-called home country in a national perspective, but by disseminating information and knowledge about the different minority groups and their everyday culture (Barker 1997). On the basis of these theoretical premises, new forms of cultural identities can be postulated. A first type of cultural identity is locally bounded and based on difference. Distinct traditions are kept separately in time and space. For instance, Swiss citizens perceive themselves as Swiss, or Turkish migrants living in Switzerland perceive themselves as Turks. They live in Turkish neighborhoods and interact and communicate mostly with Turks. A second type of cultural identity is similar concerning local “boundedness” and difference, but the separate traditions of Swiss and Turkish identity can be juxtaposed in the same person, insofar as different identities are expressed, depending on the situation. For example, the person behaves as a Turk with Turkish friends, but behaves like a Swiss in settings with Swiss people. A third type of identity is the result of the assimilation into a new culture and the absorption of new values and norms. This is the case for a youngster with Turkish parents who grows up in Switzerland, behaves like a Swiss, and has a corresponding self-image. Fourth, besides these locally bounded identities there are translocal and shifting