TV: Postmodernism and Deutschland 83

 

1) What were the classic media representations of the Cold War?

This fits the stereotype binary of "good vs evil".

2) Why does Deutschland 83 provide a particularly good example for postmodern analysis? 

The representation of the East that it was bland and not lively at all and there were many limitations. The representations of the West that people had freedom and the cities were lively.

3) Pick out some of the aspects of the opening of episode 1 and explain why they are significant.

The party scenes show us the contrast between the East and West of Germany.

4) How does the party scene at Martin's mum's house subvert stereotypes of East Germany in the Cold War?

The party had a eerie and ominous vibe going towards it which subverts the warm nature of the East.

5) What aspects of the episode set in West Germany offer postmodern elements?

The 1980s song "sweet dreams are made of this" gives Martin a taste of the West.

6) Finally, how does the article apply postmodern theory to Deutschland 83 and link it to the potential target audience?

This show applies to an audience who can adapt to having different perspectives of how the Cold War happened. This is a media representation and possibly altered version of the real event.

Postmodernism Factsheet

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #54: Introduction to Postmodernism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. If you need to access this from home you can find our factsheet archive here (you'll need to use your Greenford login).

1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?

Cohen has only been interviewed in character so he doesn't have a voice rather his character does instead.

2) What is Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness'? How can the idea of 'historical deafness' be applied to Deutschland 83?

Historic knowledge is often based upon its media representations. 

3) What examples and theories are provided for the idea of 'style over substance'?

Many celebrities are now famous for being famous rather than being a talented individual.

4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83?

The show is based of the Cold War.

Pop music is often samples the classical music.

5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83? Bricolage is juxtapostioning old and new texts and narratives to form new meanings.

6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.

Postmoderism challenges the grand narrative of a single overarching story. 

7) Now look at page 4 of the factsheet. How does Deutschland 83 demonstrate aspects of the postmodern in its construction and ideological positioning?

The use of the 1980s pop music directs to nostalgia for the older generations who lived in that time era. There is a middle ground collective identity and individual freedom through the show. 

8) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?

For example the conventional ideas of ‘left wing’ and ‘right wing’

are still used extensively despite the general centralisation of politics where the ideologies of the

Labour and Conservative parties can be seen as largely similar.