Slumdog Millionaire for popular educators: Globalization, feminism, and media

Abstract

A globalization-era fairytale, Slumdog Millionaire has exposed millions of viewers to a story of redemption amid grinding poverty and hardship in urban India. The compelling story can serve as a valuable educational tool for youth to recognize the complex processes at play in the production of media such as Slumdog Millionaire, and its delivery and subsequent celebration by Western audiences. This paper places the film within the context of the global expansion of markets for corporate profit and resulting inequity – namely, Western audiences' consumption of a specific narrative from the so-called ‘Global South.’ Additionally, it critiques Slumdog Millionaire's representations of the South Asian working class, particularly the lack of agency for female characters in the film, who serve as little more than symbolic prizes to be won. Finally, the paper provides a popular education-based lesson plan for educators interested in utilizing the film as a point of departure to discuss present-day manifestations of neoliberal economies and the process of globalization.