Ideology and Binary opposition

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Watch this clip from BBC Question Time with Russell Brand and Nigel Farage. The BBC deliberately placed the two against each other and the episode resulted in far more people watching and tweeting than usual.



1) What examples of binary opposition can you suggest from watching this clip?

The first binary opposition we notice is the contrast between Russel Brand's clothing of an unbuttoned shirt with his hair out and a scruffy beard where as Nigel Farage is wearing a suit which is formal and expected of him because he is a party leader. Nigel Farage has short hair and is wearing a tie which suggests he is trying to convey he is a serious politician, however, Russell Brand seems quite relaxed and laid back. Another binary opposition seen is 'Immigration vs No Immigration' where Russell Brand is left wing who is pro immigration and supports the working class compared to Nigel Farage who is right wing and is against immigration. 
2) What ideologies are on display in this clip?

The ideology on display is the belief that immigration is main cause of overpopulation, congestion, less spaces for schools and fewer GPs. Nigel Farage argues that immigration has caused difficulties for resources and employment and blames immigrants for all these issues as well as taking away houses. The rise in immigration over the years has caused this ideology to become dominant. Russell Brand believes that the problem in society is the rich people are avoiding paying taxes and that the immigrants are in fact helping the economy.

Ideology and your own choice of clip

Now do the same activity for a clip of your choice. Embed the YouTube video in your blog and answer the questions in detail:

 1) What examples of binary opposition can you suggest from watching your clip?

 - Good vs Evil
- Hero vs Villain
- Bravery vs Cowardliness 

 2) What ideologies are on display in your clip?

 The film follows the ideology of good vs evil, the hero Batman defeats the Joker by showing his bravery and saves the day. The dominant ideology is reinforced that good always wins in superhero movies. 

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