Date of Award
6-2016
Document Type
Union College Only
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Organizing Theme
First Advisor
William Garcia
Abstract
This thesis explores the structural bias that exists in Hollywood today by examining the dynamics of casting in the industry. Since the beginning of the early 20th century, the heads of Hollywood have perpetuated exclusionary hiring practices for both financial and political reasons, which have in turn led to a very white, very homogeneous film industry. The majority of talent agents, studio heads, writers, directors, actors, and actresses are white. Hollywood simply does not represent enough minority groups to bring diversity to films. Therefore, the movies that come out of Hollywood each year are non-diverse narratives that cater to and represent only a small sector of the population. I also examine how the standard practice of whitewashing erases the idea of a diverse nation. It creates an insular imagining of communities both on and off screen that suggests minorities barely exist. I argue that through diversified hiring practices from the top down, Hollywood should open its doors in order to better reflect the country’s population in film narratives that depict a more hybrid, inclusionary society.
Recommended Citation
Conroy, Emma Katherine, "#So White: Structural Bias and the Politics of Casting in Hollywood" (2016). Honors Theses. 109.
https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses/109