Across Borders: Eurocentrism and Exclusionary Transnational Media of Reality TV
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Type
Submission
Keywords
Eurocentric, reality TV, beauty standards, racial discrimination, race, afro-descendant, white privilege, beauty standards, Latin America, rebranding
Department
International Studies and Languages
Major
International Studies and Hispanic Studies
Abstract
This paper will examine how reality TV is utilized as a tool to rebrand national identity, which ultimately shapes how countries are perceived by international audiences. Unlike telenovelas, which are drama shows produced in Latin America, reality TV offers an authentic and unscripted version of the host country’s reality, including a demonstration of culture, daily life, and core values. However, reality TV can also offer a version of reality of a country that does not accurately represent the country as a whole, including populations who are recognized and others ignored. A prominent issue in existing scholarship is the limited research on how Eurocentric casting practices on reality TV control narratives of who is being represented and what images of national identity a franchise wants to send to audiences. This essay will argue that reality TV, focusing on Love is Blind: Mexico and Love is Blind: Argentina, constructs curated versions of national identity through selective casting practices that idealize and standardize Eurocentric features and elite socioeconomic status. To further analyze this, this paper will look at the presence of Eurocentric white privilege and representation within Latin American shows in social contexts, like the politicization of beauty standards. It further considers which populations are excluded or included, particularly Afro-descendant communities. This study aims to showcase that reality TV shapes, not accurately reflects, reality by boosting homogenous dynamics and Eurocentric characteristics, influencing global perceptions of Latin American identity through transnational media.
Faculty Mentor
Amanda Rizkallah
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
10-4-2026 1:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2026 2:00 PM
Across Borders: Eurocentrism and Exclusionary Transnational Media of Reality TV
Waves Cafeteria
This paper will examine how reality TV is utilized as a tool to rebrand national identity, which ultimately shapes how countries are perceived by international audiences. Unlike telenovelas, which are drama shows produced in Latin America, reality TV offers an authentic and unscripted version of the host country’s reality, including a demonstration of culture, daily life, and core values. However, reality TV can also offer a version of reality of a country that does not accurately represent the country as a whole, including populations who are recognized and others ignored. A prominent issue in existing scholarship is the limited research on how Eurocentric casting practices on reality TV control narratives of who is being represented and what images of national identity a franchise wants to send to audiences. This essay will argue that reality TV, focusing on Love is Blind: Mexico and Love is Blind: Argentina, constructs curated versions of national identity through selective casting practices that idealize and standardize Eurocentric features and elite socioeconomic status. To further analyze this, this paper will look at the presence of Eurocentric white privilege and representation within Latin American shows in social contexts, like the politicization of beauty standards. It further considers which populations are excluded or included, particularly Afro-descendant communities. This study aims to showcase that reality TV shapes, not accurately reflects, reality by boosting homogenous dynamics and Eurocentric characteristics, influencing global perceptions of Latin American identity through transnational media.