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    • ABOUT US
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  • PROJECTS
    • CULTURAL AUDITS >
      • What is a cultural audit?
      • Charitable Giving
      • Criminal Justice
      • Health Equity
      • Poverty Narratives
    • ENTERTAINMENT >
      • Climate & Sustainability
      • Domestic Workers
      • Gun Safety
      • Ideology & Entertainment
      • Immigration
    • DOCUMENTARY FILM >
      • America Divided
      • Food, Inc.
      • The Social Dilemma
      • Waiting for Superman
    • INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH >
      • Africa Narrative
      • Film & TV Diplomacy
    • JOURNALISM >
      • Case Studies
      • Impact Journalism
      • Science Journalism
      • Virtual Reality
    • SCIENCE & EVALUATION OF MEDIA IMPACT >
      • Resources
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DOMESTIC WORKER REPRESENTATION

Spotlighting Domestic Workers
Representation in Film and Television

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Our research team partnered with The National Domestic Workers Alliance for this report analyzing the history of domestic worker representation across scripted film and TV from 1910 to 2020. Through two phases of research, a frequency analysis and a content analysis of 100 domestic worker characters, the findings explore how often domestic workers have been referred to and with what terms, and examine character demographics such as race, gender, immigration status, and speaking role.

The purpose of this research report is to set a baseline for domestic worker representation and use it as a catalyst to change the narrative and start more conversations in the industry about accurate and authentic portrayals of domestic workers.

Read the summary. | Read the full report.


The Norman Lear Center's Media Impact Project researches how entertainment and news influence our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and actions. We work with researchers, the film and TV industry, nonprofits, and news organizations, and share our research with the public. We are part of the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.