Karen Matthews and single mothers

Some more stuff on single mothers, linked to the Shannon Matthews’ case.

Daily Telegraph article defending single mothers (and lots of comments attacking the article).

Barbara Ellen in The Guardian on “why Karen Matthews really offended the middle classes”.

News of the World “Evil Karen Matthews two-timed pervert lover with sick kidnapper” (or something like that)

Social workers and children’s services

Following the horrific Baby P story, the papers have been full of vitriolic attacks on social workers in Haringey (and in general). Here’s a taste of some of the ways in which this social group and individuals such as Sharon Shoesmith have been represented comments on The Sun’s message boards.

Sun letters and texts

Daily Mirror – view from a social worker

Daily Mail – “bungling social workers put children at risk”

Daily Mail – social workers criticised for “flimsy abuse claim”

You can’t win with the Daily Mail, can you?

As an ENGA1 mode exercise, you might find the comparisons between Sun letters and text messages useful too.

Knife Crime reporting

Programme coming up on Monday night Radio 4 9pm which sounds good. I’m going to try to record it to use.

Binge drinking

Now that term’s properly begun, this is what I feel like doing every day. Here’s a link to Terry Kirby in The Guardian looking at the background to binge drinking in Britain and its representation in the media.

Youth crime – an historical perspective

Good article about moral panics over youth crime from Mick Hume in The Times.

Disarming Britain

Site supporting Channel 4’s season on gun and knife crime in Britain.

The programmes themselves could be good for use in class and might help with resources from other modes, plus there’s a blog and sets of links to other sites focusing on the issue.

ENGA2 – representation of Muslims in Britain

The Guardian – Inside the world of UK Muslim women:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jun/01/britishidentity.islam?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews

The Guardian – Recognise our role in society

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jan/21/islamandbritain.comment5

International Herald Tribune – Head-to-toe Muslim veils test tolerance of secular Britain

http://www.iht.com/bin/print.php?id=6263112

Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation in the media

http://www.mwsf.org.uk/media.html

Majeds Blog – Do Muslim Women Need Empowering?

http://majedsblog.wordpress.com/2008/02/04/event-analysis-do-muslim-women-in-britain-need-empowering/

The Daily Mail – Hairdresser sued for refusing to hire Muslim woman in a headscarf

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-492407/Hairdresser-sued-refusing-hire-Muslim-woman-headscarf.html

Muslim Parents Association UK – Shaping the Future: A Call to Parents

http://www10.brinkster.com/muslimpa/parenting1.asp

ENGA2 – representation of reality TV

· http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/may/27/bbc.television (news feature)

· http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/may/01/television.tvandradioarts (TV review, Sam Wollaston)

· http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/may/15/television (TV review, Lucy Mangan)

· http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/may/22/television.tvandradioarts (TV review, William Leith)

· http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article3628496.ece (TV review, Tim Teeman)

· http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-558517/Spare-pathetic-bleating-The-Apprentice-nasty-Britain-needs-winners—politically-correct-losers.html (Opinion feature, Piers Morgan)

ENGA2 – representations of mental health

· http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=frank+bruno&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&btnG=Search+Archives (Frank Bruno links)

· http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/news/btn/bruno_sun.shtml (on Bruno story)

· http://www.sane.org.uk/News/View/87 (on Bruno story)

· http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2005/10/20/sotv20.xml&sSheet=/sport/2005/10/20/ixothspt.html (on Bruno story)

· http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/nov/30/broadcasting.comment (Gail Porter)

· http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/story/0,,364026,00.html

· http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,368968,00.html

· http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/11/mentalhealth

ENGA2 resources

Representation of celebrity:

Snoop Dogg

Representation of immigration:

First hand accounts of coming to Britain