Portrayals of Female Docility in Popular vs. Critical Media - PowerPoint Presentation

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Portrayals of Female Docility in Popular vs. Critical Media

A Correlation to Female Docility in Higher EducationSlide2

Presentation Outline

Overview of Thesis

Summary of Part 1

Variables and Authors

Framework Main findingsPart 2Introduction of Popular and Critical MediaIntegration of Media into FrameworkTheoretical analysis using course-kit themes throughout Opposing Argument and ResponseConcluding ThoughtsDiscussion QuestionsSlide3

Thesis

I argue that women in natural/physical sciences and graduate studies are turned into Foucault’s “docile bodies” (Discipline and Punish, 1995) through ‘disciplinary power’. The body is normalized, individuated, surveilled and objectified through social power that disciplines and controls it.

Literature regarding the experiences of university women in natural/physical sciences and graduate studies, show that the women in these fields endure gender inequities.

In my analysis, I will explore female representations of popular vs. critical media to examine the influence of media as the apparatus of the disciplinary power.

Persuasive and pleasurable representations of women’s ‘normalized’ behaviour and obligatory docility in popular media subjectivize and discipline the female body. In contrast, critical media expose the disciplinary inscription on the female body caught in the power matrix of these masculine fields. Slide4

Part 1: Variables and Authors

Stereotypes about female abilities

(Eschholz, et al., 2002; Lauzen & Dozier, 2005; Long et al., 2001)

Female enrollment/achievement in higher education and sciences

(Blackhurst & Auger, 2008; Cho, 2007)Experiences of women in natural/physical sciences and graduate programs(Barata et al., 2005; Herring & Marken, 2008; Herzig, 2004; McKinley, 2005; Morrison et al., 2005; Mottarella et al., 2009; Oswald, 2008; Steele et al., 2002; Wall, 2008)Slide5

Part 1: Framework

Creating the gendered body as a docile body through:

Normalization and Individuation

Surveillance and Objectification

Control and DiscipliningSlide6

Part 1: Findings

NORMALIZATION AND INDIVIDUATION

Media presenting gender stereotypes

(Eschholz et al., 2002; Lauzen & Dozier, 2005; Long et al., 2001)

Males as socially dominant (Eschholz et al., 2002, p. 322 )Females as outsiders in fields of higher education (Herzig, 2004, p. 392)Primacy of male knowledge and ability (Hart, 2006, p. 56; McKinley 2005, pp. 488-489; Wall, 2008, p. 220Slide7

Part 1: Findings Cont’d

SURVEILLANCE AND OBJECTIFICATION

Gender discrimination

(Morrison et al,. 2005, p. 158; Steele et al., 2002, p. 49)

Judgment about mothering (Mottarella et al., 2009, p. 230)“Good mother stereotype”Surveillance: seen/judged in terms of gender (Morrison et al., 2005; Steele et al., 2002)Objectified: abilities/character linked to gendered bodies (Morrison et al,. 2005; Mottarella et al., 2009)Slide8

Part 1: Findings Cont’d

CONTROL AND DISCIPLINING

Control: face challenges and experience discouragement

(Morrison et al., 2005, p. 158; Mottarella et al., 2009, p. 230, Steele et al., 2002, p. 49)

Disciplining: Do not want to acknowledge gender discrimination, lose self-belief, leave studies (Barata et al., 2005, p. 239; Herzig, 2004, p. 392; Middleton, 2005, p. 522; Morrison et al., 2005, p. 150)Despite increasing enrollment still education and workplace inequities (Bradley, 2000, p. 1)Inconclusive re: solutionsSlide9

Overview of Media

POPULAR MEDIA

Film: The Proposal and TV Series: Nurse Jackie

Processes of Obligatory Docility

Television AdvertisementSong Lyrics: “Just a Girl” by No DoubtCRITICAL MEDIACartoons:www.cartoonstock.comSlide10

Synopsis: The Proposal

Margaret: high powered, cruel Book Editor in NYC

Andrew: Margaret’s assistant

Margaret discovers she will be deported to Canada due to expired visa

Bribes Andrew to marry her as solutionFocus on Margaret’s work life vs. personal lifehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPgZcW8MCaASlide11

Synopsis: Nurse Jackie

Married with children

Hides this at work

 work affair

Battling addiction to prescription drugshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EivnE-Qy8wSlide12

NORMALIZATION

AND

INDIVIDUATIONSlide13

Popular Media:

The ProposalComedic portrayals of Andrew as a female’s assistant

Uncritical portrayals of Margaret’s male bosses

Normalizes male work hierarchy

Margaret isolated – no relationshipsIndividuated as an outsiderSlide14

Popular Media:

Nurse Jackie

Females as nurses – males as doctors

Normalizes male hierarchy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5W8rKYP9wYIndividuation: Public sphere vs. private sphereKeep lives separateSlide15

Critical Media: Cartoons

www.cartoonstock.comSlide16

Critical Media: Cartoons

www.cartoonstock.comSlide17

Course Themes and Analysis

Eschholz et al. (2002):Normalizing male dominance (p. 322)

Stern (2005):

Media framework impacting views and behaviours (p. 23)

 Giroux (2002): Critical thought vs. consumption (p. 15)POPULAR MEDIA NORMALIZING MALE DOMINANCE AND SUBJECTIVIZING FEMALE BODIES VS. CRITICAL MEDIA ENCOURAGING ONE TO RECOGNIZE AND QUESTION SUCH REPRESENTATIONSSlide18

SURVEILLANCE

AND

OBJECTIFICATIONSlide19

Popular Media: The Proposal

Margaret’s Job in danger: watched by officials

Margaret seen in terms of gendered body

“IT”

“The witch”“Satan’s mistress”Slide20

Popular Media: Nurse Jackie

Surveilled at work and at homeReligious presence

Daughter

Abilities linked to body

Comments about caring/feminine natureSlide21

Popular Media:

Television Advertisement

How are female students represented?

AdvertisementSlide22

Critical Media: Cartoons

www.cartoonstock.comSlide23

Critical Media: Cartoons

www.cartoonstock.comSlide24

Course Themes and Analysis

Leone et al. (2006):People assume they are less influenced by media than others (p. 265)

Freedman (2003):

Preservice teachers uncritical of dominant representations (p. 93)

Media as shaping values (p. 94)Morrison (2000):Recognizing “values” and “ideologies” (p. 3)POPULAR MEDIA MESSAGES INFLUENCING VIEWS AND TREATMENT OF WOMEN VS. CRITICAL MEDIA MAKING VIEWS/TREATMENT EXPLICIT THROUGH HUMOURSlide25

CONTROL

AND

DISCIPLININGSlide26

Popular Media:

The Proposal

Margaret has no personal life

No relationships with coworkers

 Challenges/controlshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig6uQWjkYLo&feature=relatedInvolvement with Andrew  symbolically relents to male hierarchy“Show her who’s boss Andrew!”Slide27

Popular Media:

Nurse Jackie

Working mother = extreme challenges

Cannot blend lives

Child difficulty copingJackie turns to drugsDisciplining bodyArtificial escape from realitySlide28

Critical Media: Cartoons

www.cartoonstock.comSlide29

Course Themes and Analysis

Stern et al. (2005):

“Parasocial attachment” (p. 223)

Freedman (2003):

“Critical Pedagogy” (p. 94)POPULAR MEDIA PRESENTING PERSUASIVE REPRESENTATIONS OF OBLIGATORY FEMALE DOCILITY VS. CRITICAL MEDIA EXPOSING DISCIPLINARY INSCRIPTION AND OPENING UP SPACE FOR ANALYTICAL THOUGHTSlide30

Opposing Argument and Response

OPPOSITION

Counter-stereotypes in television challenging dominant image of male scientist

(Long et al., 2001, p. 264)

Popular media not necessarily subjectivizing and disciplining the female bodyRESPONSECounter-stereotypes = popular media “sanctioned” criticism (Bishop, 2000, p. 10)Popular media dictates media criticism (Bishop, 2000, p. 7)Strengthens power of popular media  controls criticism and reduces individuals’ incentives to criticize (Bishop, 2000, p. 6)Slide31

Example of Popular Media Controlling Criticism: “Just a Girl”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHzOOQfhPFg

Cause I'm just a girl, little ol' me

Don't let me out of your sight I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite So don't let me have any rights Oh. . . I've had it up to here!   The moment that I step outside So many reasons for me to run and hide I can't do the little things I hold so dear 'Cause it's all those little things That I fear   'Cause I'm just a girl, I'd rather not be

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Concluding Thoughts

Literature review 

females subjected to disciplinary powers in higher education

Popular media = apparatus of disciplinary power

Messages are in public sphere but are too ‘thin’– not open to scrunity (Gerstl Pepin, 1998 as cited in Gerstl – Pepin, 2002, p. 39) Media messages presented as pleasurable, humourous, and unsubvertable representations Critical media exposes process of disciplining the female bodyHope: enhance reflexive abilities of students and citizens  resistanceSlide33

Discussion Questions

What are some other examples of popular media (i.e. films, television, magazines, etc) that promote anti-intellectual portrayals of obligatory female docility?

Why are these anti-intellectual portrayals problematic?

How might the disciplinary power of popular media be challenged? Slide34

References

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 Slide35

References Cont’d

Eschholz, S., Bufkin, J., & Long, J. (2002). Symbolic Reality Bites: Women and Racial/ethnic Minorities in Modern Film.

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Flahive, L. (Writer) & Buscemi, S. (Director). (2009). Pupil [Television series episode]. In L. Wallem,, L. Brixius, J. Melfi, & C. Manabach (Producers), Nurse Jackie. New York: Showtime Networks Inc. Flanagan, M. “Sex discrimination? What are you talking about?” Cartoon. www.cartoonstock.com <http://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoonview.asp?catref=mfl0325.>Foucault, M. (1995). Discipline and punish (A. Sheridan, Trans.) (2nd ed.) Studies in Critical Theory. New York: Vintage Books (Original work published 1978). Freedman, D. (2003). Acceptance and Alignment, Misconception, and Inexperience: Preservice Teachers, Representations of Students, and Media Culture. Cultural Studies Critical Methodologies, 3(1), 79-95.Gerstl-Pepin, C.I. (2002). Media (Mis)Representations of Education in the 2000 Presidential Election.

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Herring, S.C., & Marken, J.A. (2008). Implications of Gender Consciousness for Students in Information Technology.

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References Cont’d

Herzig, A.H. (2004). ‘Slaughtering this beautiful math’: graduate women choosing and leaving mathematics.

Gender and Education, 16

(3), 379-395.

Jolley, R. "Do you ever worry that you've had to sacrifice your femininity to succeed?"
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References Cont’d

Morrison, T. (2000). How Can Values Be Taught in the University

http://www.umich.edu/~mqr/morrison.htm accessed 10 May 2006

Morrison, Z., Bourke, M., & Kelly, C. (2005). ‘Stop making it such a big issue’: Perceptions and experiences of gender inequality by undergraduates at a British University.

Women’s Studies International Forum, 28(2/3), 150-162. Mottarella, K.E., Fritzsche, B.A., Whitten, S.N., & Bedsole, D. (2009). Exploration of “Good Mother” Stereotypes in the College Environment. Sex Roles, 60(3/4), 223- 231. Oswald, D.L. (2008). Gender Stereotypes and Women’s Reports of Liking and Ability in Traditionally Masculine and Feminine Occupations. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32(2), 196-203.Shepherd, J. H. (Writer) & Feig, P. (Director). (2009). Nose Bleed [Television series episode]. In L. Wallem,, L. Brixius, J. Melfi, & C. Manabach (Producers), Nurse Jackie. New York: Showtime Networks Inc.  Sizemore. J. “Anyone else like to share a ‘glass ceiling horror story’?” Cartoon. www.cartoonstock.com. <http://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoonview.asp?catref=jsin220

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 Slide38

References Cont’d

Stern, S.R. (2005). Self Absorbed, Dangerous, and Disengaged: What Popular Films Tell Us About Teenagers.

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Stern, B.B., Russel, C.A., & Russel, D. W. (2005). Vulnerable Women on Screen and at Home: Soap Opera Consumption. Journal of Macromarketing, 25(2), 222-225.  Streeter, B. “Sorry, still got my 'raising kids' head on...” Cartoon. www.cartoonstock.com. < http://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoonview.asp?catref=bstn180>. Wall, S. (2008). Of heads and hearts: Women in graduate education at a Canadian University. Women’s Studies International Forum, 31(3), 219-228. Wallem, L., Brixius, L., Melfi, J., & Manabach, C. (Executive Producers). (2009). Nurse Jackie [Television Series). New York: Showtime Networks Inc.Wallem, L. Dunsky, E., & Brixius, L. (Writers), & Coulter, A. (Director). (2009). Pilot [Television series episode]. In L. Wallem,, L. Brixius, J. Melfi, & C. Manabach (Producers), Nurse Jackie. New York: Showtime Networks Inc.

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