University of Washington Tacoma
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Access*: Interdisciplinary Journal of Student Research and Scholarship

Author Biography

Asia is a senior at the University of Washington Tacoma pursuing a BA in Arts, Media and Culture. As an African American woman Asia has a passion for bring awareness to different aspects of being black in America in today's society.

Document Type

Undergraduate Research Paper

Abstract

The following analysis takes a look at how Marvel Studios portrays the treatment of African American men in heroic positions and how it connects and compares to the treatment of them in the real world through a sociological lens in one of their latest television series Falcon and The Winter Soldier. To find the connection I looked at how Marvel Studios put the key African American characters, Sam Wilson and Isaiah Bradley, in the position of deviant and alienation roles compared to the key white characters, Steve Rogers, John Walker, and James ‘Bucky’ Barnes. When it comes to real world connections, I looked at the treatment of African American men in the military during WWII, Korean War, and the Vietnam War plus the treatment of African American men when it comes to policing. As a result, I found that Marvel Studios does a good job showing how African American men are viewed as deviant making society believe that they aren’t allowed to be in heroic positions leading to them being alienated or being pushed to alienated themselves because of society while white man can do what they want and still be honorable. This is comparable to the treatment of African American men in the real world. In conclusion, the portrayal of the treatment of African American men when it comes to heroic positions is not the same as the treatment of white men in the same positions.

University

University of Washington Tacoma

Course

TCOM 444: Gender, Ethnicity, Class, and The Media

Instructor

Dr. Ellen Moore

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