Mitigating Colorblind Racism in the Postnetwork Era: Class-Inflected Masculinities in The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, and Justified

Michael L. Wayne

doi:10.1080/10714421.2014.930271

Mitigating Colorblind Racism in the Postnetwork Era: Class-Inflected Masculinities in The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, and Justified

Michael L. Wayne

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

This analysis explores the relation between class-stratified White masculinities and moral ambiguity in FX crime drama. Conflicts between morally ambiguous White men in The Shield (2002-2008), Sons of Anarchy (2008-present), and Justified (2010-present) support colorblind racial ideology by positioning a central antiheroic protagonist in opposition to overtly racist characters who embody stereotypes associated with the White underclass. In comparison with traditional crime dramas, these juxtapositions provide realistic depictions of contemporary America by acknowledging the existence of racial prejudice while the antihero's ultimate victory stands as a rejection of anachronistic racial sensibilities drawing attention away from issues related to systemic inequality.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	183-201
Number of pages	19
Journal	Communication Review
Volume	17
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/10714421.2014.930271
State	Published - 1 Jan 2014
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Communication

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10.1080/10714421.2014.930271

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Mitigating Colorblind Racism in the Postnetwork Era: Class-Inflected Masculinities in The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, and Justified

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