Professional Discourses, Gender and Identity in Women's Media - Hardcover

by Melissa Yoong (Author)

This book examines the professional discourses produced in women's media in Malaysia and the subject positions that they make available for career women. Drawing on feminist critical discourse analysis, critical stylistics and feminist conversation analysis, it identifies a range of gendered discourses around employment and motherhood that are underpinned by postfeminism and neoliberal feminism. Through close linguistic analysis of magazine and newspaper articles and radio talk, the study reveals that these discourses substitute balance, individual success, self-transformation and positive feelings for structural change, and entrench the very issues hindering gender workplace equality. Chapters discuss topics such as sexism, work-family balance, extensive and intensive mothering, breadwinning, gender stereotypes, beauty work, 'synthetic sisterhood', media practices and gender equality policies. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of language and gender, discourse analysis, and media, communication and cultural studies as well as policy-makers, media practitioners and feminist activists.

Back Jacket

This book examines the professional discourses produced in women's media in Malaysia and the subject positions that they make available for career women. Drawing on feminist critical discourse analysis, critical stylistics and feminist conversation analysis, it identifies a range of gendered discourses around employment and motherhood that are underpinned by postfeminism and neoliberal feminism. Through close linguistic analysis of magazine and newspaper articles and radio talk, the study reveals that these discourses substitute balance, individual success, self-transformation and positive feelings for structural change, and entrench the very issues hindering gender workplace equality. Chapters discuss topics such as sexism, work-family balance, extensive and intensive mothering, breadwinning, gender stereotypes, beauty work, 'synthetic sisterhood', media practices and gender equality policies. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of language and gender, discourse analysis, and media, communication and cultural studies as well as policy-makers, media practitioners and feminist activists.
Melissa Yoong is Assistant Professor in Sociolinguistics at the University of Nottingham Malaysia. She has published research exploring language, gender and sexuality issues in print, broadcast and digital media.

A highly original approach to understanding some of the discourses that construct, reinforce and contest gender inequalities in Malaysia. Yoong's insightful analysis of written and spoken media through a critical, feminist lens will provide food for thought for scholars everywhere.

- Lia Litosseliti, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics, City, University of London

An extremely rigorous and timely examination of how gender inequality in the workplace and beyond is maintained and normalized in Malaysia, with particular--and fascinating focus--on women's media.

With brilliant analyses, fine detail and impressive conceptual clarity, Yoong's book offers absolutely crucial insight into how postfeminism and neoliberal feminism take on specific contours in the Malaysian context. A significant contribution to the feminist discussion.

This is a rich account of how media language and discourse continue to perpetuate gender inequality at the workplace and reinforce gender gaps in leadership positions. Successful women are portrayed as acing the perfect balancing act, while treading through the fine lines between norms and taboos. By unravelling the reality behind such an idealisation this book is a notable contribution towards our understanding of the postfeminist phase of women's striving for empowerment and autonomy.

- Maznah Mohamad, Associate Professor, National University of Singapore

Author Biography

Melissa Yoong is Assistant Professor in Sociolinguistics at the University of Nottingham Malaysia. She has published research exploring language, gender and sexuality issues in print, broadcast and digital media.