Post-colonialism is an important factor that can affect how we see things within the media. There are two main theorists who explore the link between society and media and these are J McDougall and Natalie Fenton. Firstly, Natalie Fenton can link to post-colonialism because she created a 3 phase plan of action, which includes the assimilation of colonial structures that correspond to the “Mother country”, an immersion into an ‘authentic’ culture and media types should fight and create national literature, which can be seen as the “mouthpiece of a new reality in action”. Following Fanon’s 3 phase actions, it is apparent that the mother country in Letter to the Free is America and and mother country in Ghost Town is the UK (more specifically London). Continuing on with Fanon’s 3 phases of action, it is significant that following the third phase of action, both Letter to the Free and Ghost Town are radical and are bringing awareness and trying to enforce chnages. Similarly, J McDougall is a theorist that we can apply to Letter to the Free. McDougall wrote a book called “Fake News vs New Media”, and a quote from his book is “There are always points historically where populations have been discontented or economic hardships have been exacerbated”. This quote from McDougall’s book denotes how Letter to the Free is a song about the history of the mistreatment of black lives and discrimination, which further links onto historical events, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white man as it was a standard for black people to give up their bus seats and the sit-ins in Greensboro (North Carolina), where black people sat at the whites-only counter in Woolworth and refused to move. Therefore, Letter to the Free can be seen as radical because it is challenging the historic events that black people faced and the music video is asking for equal rights for black people and to end segregation and discrimination.
It is apparent that Ghost Town by The Specials and Letter to the Free by Common present society and the world in very contrasting ways. This is shown mainly through the narratives of the two music videos because Letter to the Free is about ending slavery and creating equal rights for all skin colours, however, Ghost Town is about the economic depression and the employment rates going up in London, which rose and spun out of control. Also, the music videos themselves are very different in their genres, as Letter to the Free is a hip hop rap style song, however, Ghost Town is a hybridisation on two very different music genres: ska and reggae. However, what is similar about both these videos are that they are radical and are bringing awareness to events that at the time of writing were currently happening around the world (and for Letter to the Free, are still sadly happening in the modern world today). Both these music videos are also seen as quite radical and show a prejorative viewpoint on society, such as Ghost Town being about the economic depression within the Uk and employment rates rising up and eventually running out of control and Letter to the Free is a plea from Common for equality for black people, which could be an event that had encouraged the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020.
It is very significant that both Letter to the Free and Ghost Town explore the concepts of post-colonialism. Two theorists who have came up with theories based around post-colonialism are Paul Gilroy and W.E.B Du Bois, who have both came up with theories based around post-colonialism. Gilroy wrote a book called “No Black in the Union Jack”, which can be seen as controversial because it challenges the ideas and messages that are brought across in Letter to the Free. Another concept that Gilroy explores originated from the ideas of W.E.B Du Bois and that is the idea that we as an audience has double consciousness. This idea of double consciousness links to both the music videos Letter to the Free and Ghost Town because double consciousness is the internal conflict which is experienced by subordinated or colonialist groups within an oppressive society. This links to both the music videos because the setting in Ghost Town is in the UK during the economical crisis, which left people out of work and refusing to leave the house. Similarly, Letter to the Free is set in an oppressive society in America because black people are experiencing discrimination and are getting a lack of rights compared to white people just because they are black and through historical events, it is evident that white people saw black people as Slaves and different to the white culture.
It is also suggested that through the use of post-colonialism, we are able to understand the concept of “the other”. Two theorists who explore how post-colonialism can show to concept of the other are Jacques Lacan and Edward Said. Jacques Lacan created a theory he called the “mirror theory”, in which he explored when an infant first sees their reflection in the mirror, it is the first time of them recognising themselves, however, for some infants, they may not recognise themselves in the mirror and instead see something else. This links very closely with both Letter to the Free and Ghost Town as by watching the music video and listening to the lyrics, it is apparent that many people will have different interpretations on the message of the song. Another theorist who explores the concept of the other is Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism. Orientalist is the link between culture, imperial power and colonialism and link very closely to the two music videos because by using the theory of “the other”, we can learn more about ourselves.
Finally, it is significant that music videos can change cultures and show the struggles they are facing. Two theorists who explore how music videos can change are viewpoint on cultures are Althusser and Gramsci. Althusser came up with the theory of ideological state apparatus’, which are used to describe how the structures of a civic society can serve to structure the ideological perspectives of society, which eventually will turn to form our own individual subject identity. Similarly, Gramsci came up with the theory of hegemony, which can illustrate how certain culture forms predominate over others, thus meaning that certain ideas can be more influential than others. Therefore, hegemony is not a total domination, but is instead a continual exchange of power through the use of ideas. Follwoing on from Gramsci’s theory, it is evident that post colonialism articulates a desire to reclaim, re-write and re-establish cultural identity and therefore maintain power of The Empire, even if the Empire has gone. These theories by Gramsci and Althusser also link to Letter to the Free and Ghost Town because hegemony is a struggle which emerges from negotiation and consent, linking to Letter to the Free because there is a lack of negotiation and equality given for black people compared to white people and in Ghost Town because there is a lack of negotiation of people fighting and cursing violence within the inner cities.
To conclude, it is apparent that the concept of post-colonialism can be applied to both Letter to the Free and Ghost Town and that music videos can be powerfully influenced by the dominant cultural and social attitudes of elements such as race, class and gender. This is shown in Letter to the Free as the song is heavily influenced by the mistreatment and discrimination of black people, which therefore makes Letter to the Free a plea to all for equality for black people and to end discrimination. Following on from this, music videos can change cultures and show the struggles they ar facing, such as how Letter to the Free is a plea for equality for black people and Ghost Town serves a purpose to bring awareness to the economic crisis and employment rates rising, as well as bring awareness to the violence that was occurring in cities across the UK. Post-colonialism also helps us understand the other, meaning we can learn about different cultures as well as learn more about ourselves. However, following on from the theory of the other, using the mirror phase by Lacan, it is evident that we may see the music videos’ messages differently compared to other, sung as how when a baby sees themselves in the mirror for the first time , they may understand it is them they are looking at, or they may see themselves as looking in the mirror at another person, thus identifying that people may interpret both Letter to the Free and Ghost Town differently, which is why it is important for music videos to ave a clear narrative structure and follow the tripartite narrative structure and therefore have a clear beginning, middle and end.
