Das Forum Language and Society ist eine Reihe von Gastvorträgen zu Themen der Soziolinguistik. Doktorierende der GSH können sich die Teilnahme als Zuhörende mit 0,25 ECTS pro Vortrag anrechnen lassen. MA Studierende der Soziolinguistik können sich nach Teilnahme an 6 Vorträgen 1 ECTS anrechnen lassen.
Contrary to the ubiquitous narrow, stereotypical representations of women in the media, a postfeminist discourse popularized by the media has now become quite commonplace in many metropolitan societies. Gender-equal and pro-women representations currently abound in mainstream media, which suggest that sexism and feminism have become passé. In fact, a reversal in hetero-gender relations is implied, where it is seemingly becoming a women’s world, with a celebration of all things feminine.
In this talk, I discuss a central figure of postfeminist femininity in commercial beauty advertising termed ‘power femininity’, and outline the various iterations of this commodified empowerment: as ‘empowered beauty’, ‘knowledge as power’, ‘self-agentive power’ and ‘sexual power’. Adopting a critical discourse perspective, I aim to show, how issues concerning gender, ideology and power far from having disappeared, have become more complex and subtle in contemporary media discourse, and have contributed to the rise of a culture of ‘post-critique’, in which it has become harder to articulate critique. I shall conclude by considering some implications and suggestions for critical language awareness and education in this climate of critical inertia.
