Seen on the screen: The cinematic conceptualization of culture in Reagan's America

Many individuals dismiss teen films as escapist drivel that only exists to bolster the social self-confidence of teens. This interpretation is erroneous, since it does not address the role that movies play in teenage socialization. As agents of socialization, movies mirror the socio-cultural climate of the era in which they are produced. Seen on the Screen: The Cinematic Conceptualization of Culture in Reagan's America argues that teen films of the 1980s reflect the hegemonic ideology or the prevailing attitudes, beliefs, and values inherent in Reagan America. Thus, the preferred reading of teen films should be one that highlights the prevailing socio-cultural policies of America during the 1980s as opposed to one that merely works as an affirmation of teen culture.; Studying how teens come to learn who they are in a socio-cultural sense what this knowledge means in terms of their position relative to other segments of society is essential for an comprehension of the breadth and depth of mediated socialization. Additionally, the knowledge gained from the social enculturation process is vitally important for understanding how the social enculturation process impacts the successful integration of subgroups, especially marginalized ones like teens.; Since films are reflective of the culture and era in which they are produced, it follows that they can be read in terms of the hegemonic ideology and the social position of the various individuals viewing them.