Stereotypes & The City

Think to yourself: Has the way a city was portrayed in a movie or TV show ever given you a certain view of its residents or how it must be to live there? Perhaps listening to a song about a place, reading a poem, or seeing a photo, made you create an image of it in your mind?
Defined by the dictionary as “a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing”, stereotypes can perpetuate societal roles and heavily affect how people are treated based on an external characteristic – such as gender, ethnicity, style, etc. – and how they see themselves because of them. But can a city also be stereotyped? And if so, how does that affect someone who lives there?
The relationship between a city and the identity of its inhabitants is intricate and deeply intertwined. Urban environments shape individuals through cultural, social, and economic landscapes, contributing to a sense of belonging and personal identity (Al Fihri, 2023). When media representations align with or contradict these lived experiences, they can strengthen or challenge residents’ connection to their city.
Media portrayals of cities also often simplify complex realities, highlighting certain characteristics while ignoring others. This selective representation can lead to a distorted understanding of what life is like in these places (The Polis Blog, 2012), not only affecting how others see it, but also how its residents perceive themselves (Place Brand Observer, 2022).
Through this exhibition, you will go through various types of media and see how positive or negative portrayals can define a city’s reputation, influencing everything from the external image of the city to local pride (Place Brand Observer, 2023). Discover how the power of storytelling in media impacts urban life and how locals are seen, by themselves and others. After it all, ask yourself: How have the things you have seen or heard about your city in the media or arts influenced how you connected with it?