TV Drama:Context

• Society is a community within which people live and interact with one another. 

• Social refers to the people who live in a specific place and interact with one another within the social environment. Social context refers to these people and the structure and function of institutions that operate within a society such as family, education, religion, communications, government etc... It also helps us to understand social conflicts that may arise as a result of the structure, functions and interactions of the people who live within it. We all live our day to day lives in the same society following the same structures and functions. Social context focuses on the relationship between media products and the society within which they are made in relation to social groups, attitudes, changes, conflicts and inequalities.

• Culture is the way the different people who live in that society behave - you can have one society or social structure (American, British, Swedish, German) but many cultures or sub-cultures within that society. 

• Cultural refers to what creates the identity of the people who live in any given society. Culture refers to the beliefs, meanings and practices that guide the shared behaviour of individuals within a group in any given society. This includes the attitudes, values, habits, customs and traditions of the shared culture. Culture can be seen to include all aspects of ‘life’ including language, the products we make, the things we do and how we do them. There can be lots of different cultures and sub-cultures within a society, which is why we might all behave, think and act a little bit differently even though we are all living our day to day lives in a similar way.

1. 1. In which country is the drama set? 
2. Hawkins, Indiana

1. 2. In which country is the drama made?
2. America 

1. 3. What is the social identity of the people in the drama? 
2. Suburban American families 
3. Small town
4. White middle class (mainly)
6. 4. Who makes the drama?

• The Duffer Brothers

1. 5. Are they a small independent organisation or a large multi-national / global conglomerate? 

• Netflix is a multi-million company founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph on August 29, 1997, in Scotts Valley, California. It specialises in and provides streaming media and video-on-demand online and DVD by mail. In 2013, Netflix expanded into film and television production, as well as online distribution. As of 2017, the company has its headquarters in Los Gatos, California.
  The Duffer Brothers also directed the series as they have with other productions of theirs. So Netflix are a large multi national business. 

1. 6. How is the social identity of the country of production reflected in the drama? 

Its a suburban town and the people are suburban
The social classes are varied- Joyce Byers works, whereas Mike mother is a house mother
The sheriff represent a country if production
High budget, dramatised, researchers so probably more realistic.

1. 7. What aspects of social and day to day life are reflected in the drama (being with families, going to school, legal and political systems, being religious etc.)? 
2. 8. How are these structures reflected in the drama – as usual or to be questioned? 
3. 9. How does the drama influence our own participation within the social structure (confirms it as the right thing to do or questions it?) 
4. 10. Is there any social conflict apparent in the drama? 
5. 
   
6. Is there any social conflict apparent in the drama? There is only a slight social conflict presented in the drama through two instances; Will's family and the two bullies at school. The lack of a nuclear family creates social conflict as Will does not appear to have a dad who is around and the family is therefore troubled for money. The school bullies cause social conflict through name calling and possible racism as they refer to Lucas as 'Shadow'. 

1. 11. How does the drama represent social changes?
2. 
   
3. Social changes are barely represented in the first episode however from a feminist perspective the characters of Nancy and Joyce represent social changes as they go against stereotypes of the time. Nancy represents a strong willed character with a strong  moral compass. Joyce represents a single mother who despite her struggles provides for her family.