Blogpost by Felix Hahn Yellow antigypsyism? On the reproduction and deconstruction of antigypsyist stereotypes in American prime-time animation
Since at least the 1990s, American prime-time animated series have become an integral part of the global fabric of Western popular culture. Formats such as The Simpsons, Family Guy or American Dad are no longer merely evening entertainment, but cultural reference points whose characters, quotes and visual worlds have become deeply ingrained in the collective memory. With over 800 episodes, The Simpsons is considered the longest-running animated series; its cultural reception ranges from internet memes to academic papers. The animated suburbs, futuristic cities and parallel worlds serve as projection screens for society’s self-understanding. They are both carriers and producers of social norms, for their punchlines draw on collectively available reservoirs of meaning and – whether intentionally or not – reinforce existing power and hierarchical structures. Whilst these mechanisms relating to race, class and colour have long been part of the established repertoire of cultural studies’ analysis of television series, there has so far been a lack of academic engagement with the portrayal of the Roma minority.
In his blog post, Felix Hahn makes an initial attempt to bridge this gap. Do American animated series merely reproduce antigypsyist motifs, or do they also challenge them?
