Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Stereotypes sell . . . but we're not for sale

Can you think of anything good about stereotypes? I can't.

The Italian American community has published the book Anti-Italianism (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010), which documents how Italians of all stripes are stereotyped in North America. My article, Stereotypes sell, but we're not for sale, is the only Canadian contribution to this collection of essays by American scholars, media, writers.

Two steps forward. One step back. For all the gains Italians have made in North America, the mobster and the gum-chompin' bimbo still manage to portray us on television screens and publicity ads. Two steps forward. One step back.

We've come a long way . . . but not far enough - yet!



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