The glocalised telenovela as a space for possible identifications for diaspora girls in Northern Belgium?

Authors

  • Fien Adriaens Ghent University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS442010380

Keywords:

Telenovela, glocalisation, identification, audience cum content analysis, thematic interest, Northern-Belgium

Abstract

Because research on glocalised telenovelas in Western Europe is absent in literature and telenovelas seem highly popular among diaspora girls from Moroccan descents living in Northern Belgium, this paper studies the embedded themes and identification possibilities of telenovelas and explores its thematic interest and meanings for diaspora girls. By means of an audience cum content analysis on the case study Sara, text and audience are combined. Sara is predominantly a ‘Cinderella story’ with a clear ‘love’ and ‘class and social mobility’ discourse where emotional identification is triggered through different parameters. Belgian girls from Moroccan descent mainly watch the Sara for reasons of entertainment and escapism. They negotiate between lived and telenovela-created experiences and consequently formulate aspirations and dreams for future partners, gender roles, careers and (family) life.

Author Biography

Fien Adriaens, Ghent University

Fien Adriaens is a Researcher funded by the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO) (2008–2012) and a member of the Centre for Cinema and Media Studies (CIMS) at the Department of Communication Sciences of Ghent University, Belgium. Her research focuses on Diaspora youth and the possible role media and television fiction, in particular, can play in their identity construction.

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Published

2010-12-10

How to Cite

Adriaens, F. (2010). The glocalised telenovela as a space for possible identifications for diaspora girls in Northern Belgium?. Observatorio (OBS*), 4(4). https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS442010380

Issue

Section

Articles