New Femininities are understood to have emerged as the ideal neo liberal subjects of post-modernity. As exemplars of the new competitive meritocracy today’s young women are said to embody ambition, success and the agentic individualism required to prevail in insecure socioeconomic times. This dissertation examines contemporary notions of what it means to be young and female today by looking at the experiences of ten women in a Southern English town whose accounts provide an insightful commentary on social change and feminine subjectivity. Principally, this thesis is concerned with the discrepancy between representations of young womanhood in the public discourse and actual, lived femininities. Overall, it attempts to emphasise issues concerning contemporary feminine lifestyles with regards to mobility, consumerism and professional self-realisation, all in the light of feminist – and post-feminist theory.
Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Prologue: Theorizing girlhood as a transnational conversation
1.2. Methodology
1.3. Feasibility
1.4. Thesis
2. Setting
2.1. From Industrial Modernity to Late Modernity
2.2. The Concept of Place in Late Modernity
2.3. The Emergence of Post-feminism
3. A Transnational Case Study: Contemporary Representations of New Femininities in Bournemouth
3.1. Me, myself and I: Mobility, Individualism and Self-realisation in a Post-feminist Context
3.1.1. Mobility and the Self
3.1.2. Success, Ambition and Identity
3.2. Making the Right Choice: Young Women in the New Economy
3.2.1. Get Everything You Want: Young Femininities and Consumerism
3.2.2. Education and Career
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This dissertation examines contemporary notions of young female identity by analyzing the lived experiences of ten women in a Southern English town. The research explores the tension between public representations of successful "new femininities" and the actual, often complex lives of young women, focusing on their struggle to navigate socioeconomic instability, mobility, and career expectations within a neoliberal framework.
- The discrepancy between "Girl Power" rhetoric and lived feminine realities.
- The impact of global mobility and "educational migration" on identity formation.
- Individualization and the pressure of "making the right choice" in a post-feminist context.
- The role of consumer culture as an arena for self-realization and empowerment.
- The persistence of gender and class inequalities despite meritocratic narratives.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. Prologue: Theorising girlhood as a transnational conversation
Lately I have become rather cynical about certain-, life-changing questions that continue to attract my attention when I least expect them to. Allow me to try and explain what increasingly distracts me.
I am a 27-year-old student/graduate/woman/citizen reading for an MA in Transnational Studies at the University of Southampton. For around two years I have been studying whilst working full-time as a supervisor in the hospitality sector. It would have taken just one phone call to my parents to liberate myself from the daily grind of hard work, uncooperative staff and complaining customers. Yet, to me, this one, simple phone call would have represented surrender and an afterlife of dependence and shame. There was no way I was going to take advantage and play the daughter-in-a-faraway-land card.
Born and raised in the German capital of Berlin, my parents provided me with a solid middle-class upbringing, complete with piano lessons. I was privileged enough to attend good schools, I never experienced any serious financial worries and even had an opportunity to spend a year in the US at the age of just seventeen. Over time I made many choices regarding degrees, jobs, places I wanted to visit or live in and, of course, men. Does this sound just like any other young woman you know? Exactly! Sometimes, though, when I leaf through a magazine or glance at commercial billboards on the High Street, I cannot help but wonder if I am the only one who is suspicious of the message that continually appears to be directed at me:
A GIRL CAN HAVE ANYTHING SHE WANTS AND BE ANYONE SHE LIKES.
Being a young woman, these images seem to suggest that being a girl must be like heaven on earth; with endless freedom of choice, a plethora of opportunities and the glamour of living life as a consumer citizen. Suddenly I see glamorous, positive representations of women everywhere. We are addressed as shopping princesses, who are used to living hedonistic, successful lives, full of flexibility and success whilst always remaining in control of our destiny.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: The author introduces the research topic, providing a personal perspective on the "Girl Power" discourse while outlining the study's methodological approach and feasibility.
Setting: This chapter contextualizes the transition from industrial to late modernity, defining how place and post-feminist ideology influence the contemporary understanding of womanhood.
A Transnational Case Study: Contemporary Representations of New Femininities in Bournemouth: The core chapter presents the interview data, exploring themes of mobility, the "new meritocracy," the role of consumerism in defining feminine citizenship, and the realities of education and employment.
Conclusion: The thesis summarizes the main findings, highlighting that young women's lives are far more complex than the "can-do" success stories often portrayed in media and policy.
Keywords
New femininities, post-feminist, global mobility, consumer culture, educational migration, choice biography, meritocracy, women’s employment conditions, neoliberalism, identity, transnationalism, self-realisation, risk society, late modernity, agency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this dissertation?
The dissertation explores the gap between public discourse regarding successful, ambitious "new femininities" and the actual, lived experiences of young women navigating a neoliberal, post-industrial landscape.
What are the central thematic fields?
The work centers on themes of global mobility, the influence of consumer culture, the pressure of "choice biographies," and the realities of low-skilled employment for educated young women.
What is the primary research question or goal?
The study aims to critically examine how young women manage the contradictory demands of the "new meritocracy," which promises limitless success while simultaneously offering fewer support structures in an era of socioeconomic insecurity.
Which scientific method is employed?
The research is a qualitative ethnographic case study, primarily utilizing ten in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews to gather subjective data on the women’s everyday experiences.
What is covered in the main section of the study?
The main part analyzes the interview findings regarding self-images, the necessity of mobility and "educational migration," the role of consumption in identity creation, and the challenges faced in the labor market.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include "new femininities," "post-feminist," "global mobility," "consumer culture," "choice biography," and "meritocracy."
How does the concept of "educational migration" feature in the lives of the participants?
Many participants use Bournemouth as a temporary base to study English or pursue degrees to improve their international employment prospects, often while struggling with low-paid service sector jobs.
Does the dissertation conclude that "Girl Power" is a liberating concept?
No, the research suggests that "Girl Power" discourse can be a double-edged sword; while it promotes an image of independent success, it also places immense pressure on young women to be solely responsible for their achievements while masking persistent structural inequalities.
- Citation du texte
- Kathrin Marisa Leimig (Auteur), 2010, "Coming and Staying and Working and Stuff", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/166673
