New York—From Amos N Andy and Good Times to Family Matters and the Wayans Brothers, why are TV shows that depict African-American life almost always situation comedies? In a recently released book, “African American Viewers and the Black Situation Comedy: Situating Racial Humor,” NYU Culture and Communication professor Robin Means Coleman provides new insight into the depiction of African-Americans in television and the meaning that black audiences assign to such representations.
Through her analysis of black viewers’ perceptions, Dr. Coleman reveals how “blackness” is defined through television and the impact of stereotyping on society’s perceptions of the black experience. Dr. Coleman highlights the ways in which race is encoded into viewing experiences and illustrates how political and ideological struggles are central to the analysis and debate over race and representation in the media.
To obtain a review copy please contact Damon Zucca, at Garland Publishing at 212-414-0650.