The Fact(s) of Michael Jordan’s Blackness: Excavating a Floating Racial Signifier

Abstract

This genealogical examination of Michael Jordan’s popular signification reveals a complex narrative that incorporates many of the historically grounded racial codes that continue to structure the racial formation of the United States. Borrowing judiciously from cultural studies, poststructuralist, and postmodern theorizing, this paper critically analyzes the imaged persona of Michael Jordan as an important site of mediated popular culture, at which specific racial ideologies are publicized and authorized in support of the reactionary agenda of the post-Reaganite American imaginary. As such, this paper attempts to develop a critical media literacy that encourages readers to interrogate their engagement with the racially oppressive discursive tracts circulated by the popular media.

Impacts of Black Athlete Media Portrayals on Canadian Youth

“…These depictions contrast with media accounts of the white athlete, who is more often said to be "smart" and "hard working" (Coakley, 1990;Davis, 1990;Jhally 1989;Staples & Jones, 1985). The biological theories underlying this stereotype were described by Andrews (1996, drawing on Dumm, 1993, and Omi & Winant, 1994 who pointed out that biological theories of race reinforce black inferiority (or in the modern case, "natural" physical superiority and mental inferiority) by creating racial hierarchies that define blacks as a racial Other "in terms of interconnected sociocultural, phenotypical and genotypical differences" (p. 128).…”

“…Wenner contended that these limitations were magnified within the "preferred reading" of the television commercials, that is, the understanding that he felt most audience members would have of the television commercial (Hall, 1980). Andrews (1996) presented a similar argument about the mass-mediated image of Michael Jordan, who he described as "embodying personal drive, responsibility, integrity and success" (pp. 138-139).…”

“…138-139). According to Andrews (1996), Jordan has been able to "pander the racial insecurities and paranoia of the white majority," primarily because he has been able to shed his black identity in promotional contexts (p. 139). For Andrews (1996), Jordan has achieved a "degree of popular approval that superficially would seem to legislate against the presence of race-based discrimination within American society" (p. 139).…”

‘Race’ talk! Tensions and contradictions in sport and PE

“…This paper highlights how overt and subtle forms of racialised conversations can be manifest through relatively benign topics in the sport and PE classroom (Andrews 1996;van Sterkenburg 2011van Sterkenburg , 2013.…”

Marketing Immigrants in Czech Basketball

“…This perception that fans want a spectacle and the consequent reaction of buying more foreigners was found by others (Falcous & Maguire, 2005;Olin & Penttila, 1994). The consequent shift to blackness has also been researched extensively (Andrews, 1996;Araton, 2005;Farred, 2006;Lane, 2007;Leonard, 1997;Olin & Penttila, 1994;Zirin, 2010).…”