Identity: Indentity can be argued to be something unique to each of us that we assume is more or less consistent (and hence the same) over time… Our identity is something we uniquely possess: it is what distinguishes us from others.

David Buckingham (2008) argues identity is complicated/complex.

Collective Identity: The individual sense of belonging to a group who share a set of traditions of traditions and values (part of identity)
 - Not just representation of the mainstream media but also from the self-representations of media users.

"A focus on identity requires us to  pay closer attention to the ways in which media and technologies are used in everyday life and their consequences for social groups" - David Buckingham

Representation: Any consideration of a 'collective identity' must take into account the role that representation plays within the constructions of a media text.

David Gauntlett - "Identity is now consciously constructed and the media provides some of the tools to help us construct our identities. The media contains a huge number of messaged about identity and acceptable lifestyles.
At the same time the public have their own set of feelings. The media and media consumers are in a dialogue in which neither over powers the other"

Anthony Giddens - "There is a social structure that which shapes our lives (traditions, institutions, moral codes, established ways of doing things), but it relies on individuals following these structures" - Changing social structure over time

"When they act differently, the social structure can change. Structuration is the process where human agency and social structure are in a constant relationship and the social structure is reproduced by the repetition of acts by individual people (and therefore can change).


Items representing youth:
Fast Food
Phones/New Technology
Social Media
Alcohol
Swegways
Popular Music - 1D, Justin Bieber
Parties/Clubs
Fashion - Brands
Football/Competitive Sports
Moped
Small Cars