Thesis advisor: William Stanwood / This research examines the history of gender representations in television programs designed for adolescents to discover how these portrayals have developed and changed over time in order to determine the perceived messages about stereotypical gender norms and roles for adolescents. These messages are important to decode as adolescent males and females can learn gender roles and behaviors from the teen programming that they watch on television. The study investigated the most popular teen television programs from each of the last three decades including Beverly Hills 90210, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, One Tree Hill, Pretty Little Liars and Teen Wolf. The first part of the study completed was a textual analysis of the episodes. Secondly, a content analysis was performed on all of the examples from the episodes. The codes used for this study include Language, Sex Roles, Emotionality, and Traditional Roles. Although the majority of gender messages present were normative in that they reinforced gender roles and stereotypes, the findings also suggest that gender representations are becoming less normative as the genre continues to grow and develop. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Communication Honors Program. / Discipline: Communication.

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The study explores gender representations in English literature texts used in Tanzanian secondary schools. The aim of this research is to raise awareness of, and contribute to, the general discussion regarding gender equality, and about the meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The goals have been adopted by the government of Tanzania since 2000. The third goal (MDG 3) seeks to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women in all levels of education by 2015. The aim of this thesis was to examine the discourses underpinning the teaching of literature in Tanzanian schools in order to examine the extent to which gender representations within the texts, and as mediated by teachers, supports this discourse of equality. The inquiry is explored through a textual analysis of the texts which were used in secondary schools in Tanzania during observation, using postcolonial and feminist perspectives. The study further involved interviewing literature teachers and students, policy makers and curriculum planners and obtained their views about the representations of gender. Data were collected in six schools in three regions of Tanzania, namely Mwanza, Dodoma and Dar es Salaam. Analytical induction has been used to analyse the data collected from interviews and observation. Findings from textual analysis show that some of the texts selected for study do convey strong messages in favour of demarcation between women’s and men’s traits, roles, and occupations, but others do not. Most of this latter group criticise traditional constructions of masculinity and femininity portraying women as subordinate to men and victims of domestic violence, and traditional African practices such as arranged marriage, female genital mutilation and the denial of educational rights. Findings from observations revealed that the texts were tackled relatively uncritically. Teachers rarely encouraged pupils to engage critically with gender issues arising in the texts. Findings from interviews and observation revealed that teachers are not trained to include the goal in their teaching. The thesis concludes that although some of the literary texts have emancipatory aims as revealed in the textual analysis, the gender equality goal is unlikely to be achieved unless the implicit understandings of gender relations in teachers’ classroom practices are addressed. Recommendations are made on how to promote a more critical engagement with gender issues through the teaching of literature in the Tanzanian context.

The purpose of this research was to determine if there is a model of ideal femininity communicated through advertising in girls’ and women’s magazines. To assess the representations of women in magazine advertisements, a content analysis of advertisements appearing in three top-selling, demographically-defined women’s magazines (Girls’ Life, Seventeen, and Cosmopolitan) was conducted. Using feminist theory and hegemony theory as critical lenses, advertisements were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Each advertisement was assessed using five criteria: physical characteristics, social context, personality and attitude, and subtext. Using this data to establish the dominant representations of women, it was determined that there is a model of ideal femininity which is developed through establishing common ideals shared by all three magazines and by gradually introducing new ideals which correspond to shifts in real-world interests and experiences of women. It was concluded that a model of ideal femininity is developed through advertising in girls’ and women’s magazines, this model is used as a guide to direct girls and women towards specific ideal preferences, attitudes and behaviours, and this model continues to emphasise traditional cultural values and gender ideals which are not necessarily reflective of the range of roles women assume in today’s society.

The purpose of this research was to determine if there is a model of ideal femininity communicated through advertising in girls’ and women’s magazines. To assess the representations of women in magazine advertisements, a content analysis of advertisements appearing in three top-selling, demographically-defined women’s magazines (Girls’ Life, Seventeen, and Cosmopolitan) was conducted. Using feminist theory and hegemony theory as critical lenses, advertisements were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Each advertisement was assessed using five criteria: physical characteristics, social context, personality and attitude, and subtext. Using this data to establish the dominant representations of women, it was determined that there is a model of ideal femininity which is developed through establishing common ideals shared by all three magazines and by gradually introducing new ideals which correspond to shifts in real-world interests and experiences of women. It was concluded that a model of ideal femininity is developed through advertising in girls’ and women’s magazines, this model is used as a guide to direct girls and women towards specific ideal preferences, attitudes and behaviours, and this model continues to emphasise traditional cultural values and gender ideals which are not necessarily reflective of the range of roles women assume in today’s society.

The purpose of this research was to determine if there is a model of ideal femininity communicated through advertising in girls’ and women’s magazines. To assess the representations of women in magazine advertisements, a content analysis of advertisements appearing in three top-selling, demographically-defined women’s magazines (Girls’ Life, Seventeen, and Cosmopolitan) was conducted. Using feminist theory and hegemony theory as critical lenses, advertisements were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Each advertisement was assessed using five criteria: physical characteristics, social context, personality and attitude, and subtext. Using this data to establish the dominant representations of women, it was determined that there is a model of ideal femininity which is developed through establishing common ideals shared by all three magazines and by gradually introducing new ideals which correspond to shifts in real-world interests and experiences of women. It was concluded that a model of ideal femininity is developed through advertising in girls’ and women’s magazines, this model is used as a guide to direct girls and women towards specific ideal preferences, attitudes and behaviours, and this model continues to emphasise traditional cultural values and gender ideals which are not necessarily reflective of the range of roles women assume in today’s society.

Submitted by Aline Batista (alinehb.ufpel@gmail.com) on 2015-11-03T19:38:10Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Masculinidades em conflito em Um certo Capitão Rodrigo da luta pela hegemonia à masculinidade mit.pdf: 1289121 bytes, checksum: 3137b08e27b8e53242167a94e15cc026 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Aline Batista (alinehb.ufpel@gmail.com) on 2015-11-04T20:13:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Masculinidades em conflito em Um certo Capitão Rodrigo da luta pela hegemonia à masculinidade mit.pdf: 1289121 bytes, checksum: 3137b08e27b8e53242167a94e15cc026 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-11-04T20:15:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Masculinidades em conflito em Um certo Capitão Rodrigo da luta pela hegemonia à masculinidade mit.pdf: 1289121 bytes, checksum: 3137b08e27b8e53242167a94e15cc026 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-29 / Sem bolsa / A presente dissertação é um diálogo com os estudos e pesquisas que se preocupam com as construções de gênero, essencialmente norteado pelas pesquisas de Raewyn Connell acerca das masculinidades, focando em seu conceito de masculinidade hegemônica. Sendo assim, nosso objetivo geral é analisar como as masculinidades vão sendo produzidas a partir do personagem Rodrigo Cambará de Um Certo Capitão Rodrigo, de Erico Verissimo. Mais especificamente, observaremos como são as relações que este estabelece com outros personagens tanto os femininos quanto os masculinos, principalmente no que se refere aos aspectos da representação corporal, e de como a construção generificada deste personagem engloba questões vinculadas ao imaginário da guerra. A construção do personagem, calcada nessas relações de gênero, levam-no a se deslocar do campo da masculinidade hegemônica para o da masculinidade mitificada, baseando-se na correlação com o mito do centauro. / This work is a dialogue with the studies and researches concerned with gender constructions, essentially guided by Raewyn Connell researches on masculinities, focusing on his concept of hegemonic masculinity. Thus, our overall objective is to analyze how masculinities are being produced from the character of Rodrigo Cambara from A Certain Captain Rodrigo, by Erico Verissimo. More specifically, we will observe how the relationships that he establishes with other characters both female as well male, especially regarding to aspects of body representation, and how the gendered construction of this character encompasses issues linked to the imagery of war. The construction of the character, based on these gender relations leads him to move from the field of hegemonic masculinity to the mythologized masculinity, based on the correlation with the centaur myth.

The purpose of this research was to determine if there is a model of ideal femininity communicated through advertising in girls’ and women’s magazines. To assess the representations of women in magazine advertisements, a content analysis of advertisements appearing in three top-selling, demographically-defined women’s magazines (Girls’ Life, Seventeen, and Cosmopolitan) was conducted. Using feminist theory and hegemony theory as critical lenses, advertisements were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Each advertisement was assessed using five criteria: physical characteristics, social context, personality and attitude, and subtext. Using this data to establish the dominant representations of women, it was determined that there is a model of ideal femininity which is developed through establishing common ideals shared by all three magazines and by gradually introducing new ideals which correspond to shifts in real-world interests and experiences of women. It was concluded that a model of ideal femininity is developed through advertising in girls’ and women’s magazines, this model is used as a guide to direct girls and women towards specific ideal preferences, attitudes and behaviours, and this model continues to emphasise traditional cultural values and gender ideals which are not necessarily reflective of the range of roles women assume in today’s society.

The aim of this thesis is to provide new insights and add to existing knowledge regarding how news media represents female politicians. Previous studies across the world have shown that throughout decades and still today, women tend to be underrepresented in political news or be heard only in regard to ‘feminine’ issues like education or family. Additionally, when it comes to female politicians, the focus is more often on their physical appearance, than it is with their male colleagues. In this thesis the focus is turned to Finland and the election of the country’s current Prime Minister, 34-year-old Sanna Marin. By conducting a thematic analysis, informed by the perspective of framing and representation theory, of news articles published around Marin’s election, this thesis explores the re-occurring themes regarding her representation in these articles and places these themes in a wider context of the media representation of female politicians. Framing theory helps to highlight the role media has in constructing reality whereas representation theory adds to the understanding of how people interpret the world, in this case the news, and helps to further argue why these presented representations matter. The analysis shows that the performance of a young female politician might seem accepted at first glance and doubtfulness is only found after one takes a look under the surface. Even though Finland can be considered a fairly gender equal country, gender stereotypes are still subtly reinforced by the media. Ultimately, it is not about how someone is represented, but rather what is left out. All this indicates that gender representations continue to be a salient issue and that female politicians like Sanna Marin still need to constantly prove their ability and competence as political subjects.

ABSTRACT GENDER REPRESENTATIONS IN ELT COURSEBOOKS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY Yilmaz, Elvan M.A., Department of English Language Teaching Supervisor: Prof. Dr. H&uuml / sn&uuml / Enginarlar September 2012, 135 pages In all educational institutions ELT coursebooks are used as a guide to teach the language. However, the role of a coursebook as an agent of socialization and its effect on the development of gender roles is usually underestimated. Gender biased coursebooks might affect the learners in a negative way in the process of gender socialization. Most coursebook writers revise the first editions of the coursebooks in order to modernize them and to meet the needs of the learners in a changing world. The aim of this thesis is to investigate whether writers and publishers take the gender issue into consideration while they are revising the coursebooks. In order to address this issue, three recently revised English language coursebooks were compared with their first editions. To be able to compare the coursebooks, their contents were analyzed. Six operating areas of gender stereotypes were set as the categories of the content analysis / presence of female and male characters in the coursebooks, the number of characters represented as family members, distribution of occupational activities, division of household activities, variety of leisure activities and the adjectives used to describe each gender. Throughout the whole study it was observed that the representations of female and male characters in the first editions were closer to the stereotypical representations. By contrast, in the last editions the representations of the genders have ideally become more balanced in all investigated categories of gender stereotypes.