racial/american bias in Stargate Atlantis?

[tielan]

It's recently come to my notice that the manner in which 'native races' are portrayed on Stargate is, if not racist, then certainly strongly jingoistic.

This is going to focus on the broader perception of races and how they get portrayed in the show - mostly Atlantis, although SG-1 will be in there, too.

Basically, it seems that the native races of Pegasus are either technologically inept (primitive) or 'the bad guys'.

We have societies like the Athosians, who are still in the 'hunter-gatherer' stage of civilisation, who are on the side of the Atlantis expedition but primitive; and at the other end of the scale, we have societies like the Gennii, who are close to the 'information revolution' stage of civilisation, but are at best wary allies, and at worst, frank enemies.

Then there are the Satedans, who must have had a pretty technologically advanced civilisation before the Wraith took them out - Ronon's weaponry speaks to that - but who don't even get a mention on the 'we could pick over their bones and see if they developed something we haven't' scale. Hell, I don't think anyone's mentioned even asking Ronon if they can take apart his weapons to see how they tick.

Granted, Ronon's likely to look at them and say flatly, 'No,' but the man came from a world that nearly fought back against the Wraith! Just because he doesn't speak much doesn't mean he's a savage. He's probably no more of a savage than any man who comes home from his work, sits down in his lounge chair and can't be prevailed on for more than a grunt or a dozen before dinner, let alone bed.

The episode that's supposed to deal with Ronon's background will be interesting: if only because it took them about 30 episodes to even revisit Teyla's background with the Athosians, and they were relegated to a side plot, a funeral, and some very lovely singing by Rachel Luttrell that had almost no relevance to the plot.

The race issue is another thing that's slowly been coming upon me.

SG1 - Teal'c is the 'native guide' - black, primitive people.
SGA - Teyla is the 'native guide' - mixed race, primitive people.
SGA - Aiden is the 'yes, man' - black
SGA - Ronon is the 'grunt and muscle' - with a polynesian background (? I think - but even if not, the point with Teal'c, Teyla and Aiden still stands)

You know, I'm waiting for the episode where they come across an Asiatic civilisation that's either run like the Japanese samurai or full of Asian crime gangs.

It's a bit worrying, not that there are characters who are relegated to the background and they're non-white(other characters are background, too: Janet, Carson, Zelenka, etc), but that the non-white characters seem to be inevitably relegated to the background in the Stargate universe.

To some degree, I'm sure it's symptomatic of TV shows: white people want to watch white people. Still, I find it disturbing that the nominated 'leaders' of the primitive peoples - and therefore their representatives - are almost always non-white. (Plus, the leaders of the 'white people with civilisation' are evil if their cultures aren't.)

Finally, I'm curious about the fact that the 'jumper driver seat is on the left. Not all civilisations drive on the right-hand side of the road. It's like the assumption that people in the Northern Hemisphere have that birds fly south for the winter, and that things get warmer the further south you go.

Atlantis does not necessarily have to be in the northern hemisphere of its planet. I mean, it very well may be - I haven't studied the shots of the planet all that well. But, coming from the other half of the planet (where Christmas is in summer and we build our houses facing north for the best sun) I think it would be cool to have all the people from up north completely turned around by the fact that the sun's path lies northwards and not south, while the people from the southern hemisphere are all "what are you guys going on about?" While secretly snickering behind their hands.

The idea of a culture that influenced Earth (instead of American-Earth influencing it) is intriguing: but it would have been nice to see some of the standards turned upside down - perceptions changed and rearranged - to make people think.

And if you can sandwich some perception adjustment in between entertainment, I don't think that's entirely a bad thing.

Comments

[toasteronfire.livejournal.com]

I was under the impression that the Athosians used to be more technologically advanced but they either chose or were forced to become more primitive and nomadic to flee the wraith. I don't know if that's canon or speculation though. It might have been hinted in Rising when Teyla lit the torches with that device.

One thing I've never understood is how the background characters - both scientists and military - on Atlantis are almost always Caucasian. One would think that there would be more diversity seeing as how this is more of a global team. I imagine the real life answer is that they have a limited actor pool of stand-ins over in Vancouver, but I do wish TPTB would make more of an effort.

[tielan]

Ooh, yes, the lighter thing. Don't get me started on that...

I've never heard that interpretation of 'Rising' actually - the fans and the writers seem to have mostly dismissed the Athosians as 'not worth their time' with the implication that they're 'primitive', in spite of the lighter thing (there's been no reference to any other technological advancement by the Athosians since then).

And I fully agree that it would be nice to see a few non-white faces in the expedition team, although I can see why there'd be difficulty in finding non-white actors to play them.

[terrie01.livejournal.com]

A couple of interviews have mentioned the primitive/tech blend. But then they put the Athosians on the mainland and forgot about it. OTOH, we know they did a fair amount of trading with more advanced cultures, which suggests they rejected some tech as simply not adaptive to their lifestyle.

I would also argue that the Jaffa are NOT primitive. They have more ships than Earth, for one.

[tielan]

Yes, but those were 'inherited' or stolen from the Goa'uld, as I understand it. (Who, themselves, stole it from other cultures - which other cultures and where are they now?)

And I find the depiction of them as 'a slave race', with their communities as tent cities (or rather dilapidated villages), and the attitudes of the SGC towards the Jaffa tended to land them firmly in the 'culturally inferior' bucket.

[teaphile.livejournal.com]

although I can see why there'd be difficulty in finding non-white actors to play them.

There shouldn't be. Vancouver has a large population of natives and Asians, and that should be reflected in the acting world, too. Toronto has a large Jamaican population. Again, should be reflected in the actors.

[cofax7]

There's a ton of black actors and other ethnicities used in casting the Jaffa, actually. In fact, I posted last year about some concerns I had about the othering of the Jaffa, about how they were slaves seeking freedom and predominantly played by minority actors, and the subtext that that seemed to be conveying.

But then the Jaffa have made very little sense for a long time. They are clearly ethnically diverse, and yet culturally monolithic, despite living on hundreds of different worlds for millenia, and serving different Goa'uld. Anthopologically and sociologically, they make no sense.

[wychwood]

One thing I've never understood is how the background characters - both scientists and military - on Atlantis are almost always Caucasian.

Much though I hate to say it, that could be a genuine reflection of the actual real world situation. At least with the scientists. Military I know less about. Same thing could explain why there are so many more men than women.

[jaebi-lit.livejournal.com]

that could be a genuine reflection of the actual real world situation

I find that unlikely, since most of the science majors I know are Asian and the sciences tend to be pushed more over humanities in my experiences with East Asian cultures. One of the quips on campus about taking math or science courses is that you won't understand the professors and TAs if you don't speak a foreign language.

[wychwood]

Hmm, that's interesting. I hadn't really noticed that (outside of the Engineering department, anyway!); perhaps it's a regional difference? (I'm in the UK). I stand corrected :)