Essay On Racial Profiling

Media portrayal of societal issues is a form of propaganda. The implicit persuasion or depiction of certain circumstances has the ability to sway the judgment of the people. Racial profiling is not a novel subject in society, but it has become a hypersensitive topic in today’s society that significantly affects the way of life for minority and ethnic groups. Racial profiling is “any arbitrary action initiated by an authority based on race, ethnicity, or national origin rather than on a person's behavior.” (Schaefer, 2010) In this case, it is more specifically described as the use of racial or ethnic characteristics by law enforcement as the determining factor in the likelihood of committing an illegal act. My research question is; Has the Media Played a Role in Exposing Racial Profiling Among African Americans? Through the use of three theoretical perspectives, conflict theory, labeling theory, and symbolic interactionism, I will attempt to discuss racial profiling within our societies. Then I will present the media’s representation of racial profiling in correlation with these perspectives and discuss to what extent the media has exposed racial profiling; has the media coverage been insufficient and/misrepresentative of recent racial profiling cases that have occurred?

But, labeling theorists would argue that the phenotypical, such as skin color, and physical characteristics, such as dress code, and the type of vehicle one drives, leads to the distinct singling out of African Americans by law enforcement officers. On the other hand, symbolic interactionists would discuss how the interactions among African Americans and officers would contribute to certain behavior in response. The media’s representation of racial profiling focuses more on conflict and labeling