Audiovisual Alterity: Representing Ourselves and Others in Music Videos

Drawing on a wide range of examples and case studies from a wide range of genres of popular music, Audiovisual Alterity explores the representation of “others” from marginalized, subaltern communities in music videos since the 1950s. This book continues the academic discussion regarding depictions of race, ethnicity, and gender in music videos, but also extends the conversation to include representations of Asians and Pacific Islanders, Indigenous communities, the LGBTQIA+ community, religious minorities, the incarcerated, and other “others.” It accounts for the expanding definition of “music video,” and examines depictions of alterity in both traditional music videos and those created for emerging and social media, such as online video-sharing sites and smartphone apps. It also includes analyses of several recent controversies involving cultural appropriation and the representations of culture, race, indigeneity, gender, class, sexuality, and sexual orientation in music videos. Further, it considers music videos in which “others” represent themselves, with their own voice, and on their own terms.