Product Description

Media, Gender and Identity is an introduction to the relationship between media and gender identities today. It begins with an assessment of the different ways in which gender and identity have previously been studied and provides new ways for thinking about the media's influence on gender and sexuality. David Gauntlett explores the gender landscape of contemporary media and draws on recent theories of identity negotiation and queer theory to understand the place of popular media in people's lives. Using a range of examples from films such as Charlie's Angels and What Women Want , soap opera and primetime television programmes, and men's and women's magazines including FHM, Loaded , Maxim , Cosmopolitan , Marie Claire and Vogue , Media, Gender and Identity shows how the media are used in the shaping of individual identity. Media, Gender and Identity includes: *a comparison of gender representations in the past and gender representations today *an introduction to theorists such as Theodor Adorno, John Fiske, Anthony Giddens, Michel Foucault and Judith Butler *a discussion of queer theory and a review of gender as performance *the media making of contemporary female and male identities *a comprehensive and regularly updated website at www theoryhead.com/gender.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #99883 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
David Gauntlett is a lecturer at the Institute of Communications Studies, University of Leeds. He is the author of Moving Experiences (1995), Video Critical (1997), and TV Living (1999), and editor of Web.Studies (2000). He produces Theory.org.uk, the award-winning website on media, gender and identity.

Customer Reviews

Very modern book about the influence of media
I read „Media, Gender and Identity" during my research about men's magazines. I found it extremely helpful as it offers ideas that I haven't found in any other books. Gauntlett is very open-minded in his approach to this and other topics. Instead of damning phenomenon like the upcoming of Loaded, FHM and Co. he tries to positively explain their influence on society. This is overall the most modern book I have read about the influence of media on gender and identity as it takes in consideration pop music, films and magazines and in my opinion paints a realistic image of the world of young people today.
I can only advise anyone to read this book who is interested in how media influences society. It is written in a very well understandable language that even I - not a native English speaker- could well follow and is even fun to read - something you can unfortunately not say about many theory books for university.

Readable and stimulating
This book is an excellent introduction to gender representations in the media, and how they can play a part in the identities of women and men. Very good introductions to relevant theories. Not tired old arguments, but new approaches to the topic. Definitely the best book on this topic, for students in particular -- makes other titles seem very old and tired. Recommended.

This book gives a brilliant perspective
This book provides a clear and informative introduction to the idea of gender, space and landscape. The intorduction gives brilliant contemporary examples of poular media and how it affect people's lives. The theories and issues explored and introduced in this book provide a fantastic basis for further reading and understanding.