ERIC Number: EJ1243916
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0954-0253
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
White, Classed and Gendered: Pre-Teen Girls Negotiate Successful Young Womanhood
Cossens, Sophie; Jackson, Sue
Gender and Education, v32 n2 p211-226 2020
Within neoliberal postfeminism young women are depicted as powerful, unconstrained and ready to work for success. However, research reveals a far more complicated picture than this straightforward ode to success. We explore the intersection of racialised, classed and gendered ideals of successful femininity from the perspective of Maori (indigenous New Zealand) and Pakeha (European descent) pre-teen girls, addressing the lack of research with this age group and with indigenous girls. A poststructuralist examination of focus group data demonstrated that while much of the girls' talk adhered to a postfeminist construction of female success, there was also an astute exploration of the structural inequalities confronting women and girls. Constructions of a gendered workforce that de-powers and undervalues women and an examination of the racialised barriers to Maori women's success unravels the postfeminist claims that success is universally available. We unpick these intricacies and what this could mean for educators.
Descriptors: Females, Neoliberalism, Femininity, Pacific Islanders, Ethnic Groups, Whites, Foreign Countries, Success, Social Class, Labor Force, Gender Differences, Barriers, Occupational Aspiration, Ethnicity, Preadolescents, Educational Attainment, Child Rearing, Discourse Analysis, Secondary School Students, Student Attitudes, One Parent Family, Racial Differences
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New Zealand
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A