http://www.56thparallel.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Russian-Stereotypes-d.jpg
Belief that russians are cold and angry people. Russia has some of the lowest temperatures in several northern cities around the world, and this leads to the correlation of cold weather with cold people.
I have a roommate who is russian and this is a stereotype that comes up almost daily to her as we meet new people.
2. Russian Spy in Avengers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB4__mvTyL0
This scene in this movie supports the belief that Russians in America are spies.
This is also a stereotype that I have seen in real life through my roommate who is russian. As we meet new people there are constant jokes made about her being a spy. And it may sound funny, but after you hear it every day, for your whole life, its not.
3. Post Cold War Movies with Russian Antagonists
Sex and the City, 2 Broke Girls, the Big Bang Theory, and the Americans
Sex and the City
"While Carrie Bradshaw wasn't perfect (hello, affair with your married ex-boyfriend), she certainly didn't deserve to date one of the worst characters of all time; Aleksandr Petrovsky. "The Russian” was played by Mikhail Baryshnikov who was apparently a sex symbol back in the day."
2 Broke Girls
About two girls working at a restaurant with an overly flirtatious russian cook. There are many parts throughout with crude jokes and subliminal messages about russians.
Video Clip of the perception of russians in this show through the russian waitress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTJ0l6aZbCo
The Big Bang Theory
Link to The Russian Rocket Reaction Episode.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plCcmK1vjkc
The Russian cosmonaut lurks around every bend on the space station. Still referring to Howard as "Froot Loops," Dimitri pokes his head in to further take Howard aback while Wolowitz fears both rebelling against his domineering mother and displeasing his new wife with their living arrangements. He bluntly refers to Mrs. Wolowitz as a woman who says she’s Howard's mother but sounds like his father, as well as mutters to himself that Howard is just putting himself in a bind and that it is unbelievable Americans won the Cold War.
The Americans
The Americans, is about the first hand account of KGB officers, following a KGB couple living undercover in Washington. Being in the perspective of Russian KGB associates is what makes these shows alike. However, even while the plot is about Russians themselves, they are still portrayed as enemies to the West, and gives the viewers of the shows a chance to be uncomfortable whenever rooting for the Russian characters.
These are all examples of shows that were filmed post Cold War, but hold the Cold War enemy close to their script.
4. Anti-Communism Poster
http://the-artifice.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Cold-War-Ads-How-Communism-Works-300x450.jpg
Along with its political agenda, American culture turned to its entertainment industry to further carry out the country’s ideals. Russia, the largest country in the world, had also become the greatest threat to the new American Dream idealistic society. The land and its people were marked as communist enemies of the west, and so naturally, this became depicted through American culture and media.
5. Alcoholism: The Pessimistic Drunk
The Big Bang Theory- The main Russian astronaut with him, named Dmitri, is pictured with a low husky voice with a thick accent, constantly commenting on his own superiority and ability to withhold a lot of alcohol and extreme colds.
6. The KGB
Belief that most russian men are affiliated with the russian mafia or the KGB.
Allegiance
The show Allegiance follows a detective who is specializing in Russian affairs and has direct family ties to the KGB. The show follows the main character and his ex-KGB parents, and essentially covering up a plot to destroy America.
The Americans
The Americans, is about the first hand account of KGB officers, following a KGB couple living undercover in Washington. Being in the perspective of Russian KGB associates is what makes these shows alike. However, even while the plot is about Russians themselves, they are still portrayed as enemies to the West, and gives the viewers of the shows a chance to be uncomfortable whenever rooting for the Russian characters.
7. The Prostitute
belief that a beautiful tall, blonde hair, blue eyed beauty is either caught up in the world of adultery or choose it for herself. (common russian genetic trait) this belief was also born from the high rates of prostitution and human trafficking in eastern europe and slavic countries
One example is a crude joke made in the show 2 Broke Girls,
"Putin it out!" uses a pun of using the name of the controversial Russian president synonymously with “putting it out” a slang term in modern culture which refers to a woman giving up her sexuality to a man.
Pilot Episode of CBS 2 Broke Girls
What message(s) (consistent or conflicting) are being sent about this cultural group through these artifacts?
Consistent messages are being sent that Russians are:
-cold and angry
-slutty and/or prostitutes
-sneaky and can't be trusted (and possibly are spies)
-most russian men are involved in the mafia or KGB
-persimistic and drunk
How might this message(s) impact how a child from this cultural group is viewed and treated in the classroom?
How will Russian Children be treated and portrayed in the classroom?
Russian Children could be treated or portrayed following any of these stereotypes. Either for the child themselves or towards their parents or family. This is bad because when we are treated or expected to be a certain way often times we believe it and do become that way. This can have a very negative impact on the development of the children when they are assumptions made about them.
Why is it important for teachers to examine how cultural groups are represented in the media, curriculum, and policy? Why is it important for teachers to examine how cultural groups are represented in the media, curriculum and policy?
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