The Big Issue | Stuart Hall

Who is Stuart Hall?

Stuart Hall brings forward the idea that representation is the production of meaning through language, with language defined in its broadest sense as a system of signs. He also talks about the idea that the relationship between concepts and

signs is governed by codes. The idea that stereotyping, as a form of representation, reduces people to a few simple characteristics or traits.The idea that stereotyping tends to occur where there are inequalities of power, as subordinate or excluded groups are constructed as different or 'other' (eg: through ethnocentrism).

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Hall argues that stereotyping, as a form of representation, reduces people to a few simple characteristics or traits. It could be argued that The Big Issue breaks down certain stereotypes of subjects such as homelessness, addiction and mental health issues and in fact represents these issues through showing multiple characteristics of individuals.

For example, the way that the way that they tackle homelessness in their 'vendor profiles' and throughout the magazine is with depth and honesty. Instead of using simple characteristics and stereotypes to dehumanise the homeless (or ex homeless) they introduce them to the audience as a real person, give the readers an insight in to their lives, and make them seem relatable and honest.

Here, in the set issue, TBI represent homelessness through Danato, an ex homeless man who is a vendor for the magazine. Straight away this seems like a much more positive representation fo the issue than other media outlets my portray, such as the news or newspapers.

Aswell as this, the article about Danato, later in the magazine, uses friendly and lighthearted language such as, "I've been through the mil but I'm still standing" and "It was difficult at first but....", to represent the positive aspects whilst still raising awareness of the topic of homelessness. This can be seen to support Halls theory that representation is the production of meaning through language and shows how the language chosen has been pivotal in showing TBI ideologies.

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Hall believes that stereotyping tends to occur where there are inequalities of power, as subordinate or excluded groups are constructed as different or 'other'. The Big Issue makes it clear throughout the magazine, and on the front cover of some of its issues, that it does not see itself as more powerful than the individuals that it talks about. The manifesto and slogan of "a hand up not a hand out" is rife throughout the publication and represents the idea that the magazine does not want to, or encourage others to, offer hand outs to people in need, but actually offer them the opportunity to help themselves. Using Halls ideas, the fact that the magazine does not put itself on a pedestal or claim to do all of the work, perhaps suggests that that is the reason why it does a good job of not using stereotypes. It is made by people wanting to help, for people wanting to help, leaving little room for inequality of power.

By applying the theory of Stuart Hall to this text, we learn that by analysing the representations and lack of stereotyping used in The Big Issue, we can understand the key ideologies of the publication and their views on the issues that they represent. By representing homelessness, for example, so broadly, without the use of stereotypes, and with the language that it chooses, we can assume that TBI has positively thinking views on the matter.