Communicating Gender In Context

The contributions to the book “Communicating Gender in Context” deal not only with grammatical gender, but also with discursive procedures for constructing gender as a relevant social category in text and context. Attention is directed to European cultures which till now have come up short in linguistic and discourse analytic gender studies, e.g., Austria, Spain, Turkey, Germany, Poland and Sweden. But also English speech communities and questions of English grammatical gender are dealt with.In accordance with recent sociolinguistic research the contributors refrain from generalizing theses about how men and women normally speak; no conversational style feature adheres so firmly to one sex as was thought in early feminism. The studies, however, show that even today the feminine gender is often staged in a way that leads to situative asymmetry to the advantage of men. The broader societal context of patriarchy does not determine all communicative encounters, but demands particular efforts from women and men to be subverted.

The contributions to the book “Communicating Gender in Context” deal not only with grammatical gender, but also with discursive procedures for constructing gender as a relevant social category in text and context. Attention is directed to European cultures which till now have come up short in linguistic and discourse analytic gender studies, e.g., Austria, Spain, Turkey, Germany, Poland and Sweden. But also English speech communities and questions of English grammatical gender are dealt with.In accordance with recent sociolinguistic research the contributors refrain from generalizing theses about how men and women normally speak; no conversational style feature adheres so firmly to one sex as was thought in early feminism. The studies, however, show that even today the feminine gender is often staged in a way that leads to situative asymmetry to the advantage of men. The broader societal context of patriarchy does not determine all communicative encounters, but demands particular efforts from women and men to be subverted.

Intends to better equip readers with tools with which they can examine, and make sense of, the intersections of communication and gender. This text covers the variety of ways in which communication of and about gender and sex enables and constrains people's intersectional identities.

The third edition of this classic text helps readers consider the myriad ways gendered attitudes and practices influence communication in our personal and professional interactions. Written in an engaging style, with a wide array of exercises designed to challenge and interest readers in applying what they learn, the book integrates research with examples from contemporary life related to gender and culture, race, class, and media. Among new topics covered in this edition are multiple genders, gender activism and the #MeToo movement, and challenges of twenty-first-century masculinities and femininities, including expanded coverage of contemporary male issues. Fresh coverage is also afforded to each communication context, particularly gender at work, the legal and political spheres, global cultures, and the digital world, including social media. The book is ideally suited for undergraduate courses in gender and communication within communication studies, sociology, and business departments. Online resources include lecture slides and an instructor’s manual.

Seminar paper from the year 2008 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Pedagogy, Literature Studies, grade: 1,0, Free University of Berlin (Institut für Englische Philologie), course: Linguistic Gender Studies, language: English, abstract: As Donna Haraway states, all the modern feminist meanings of gender, despite differences, have roots in Simone de Beauvoir’s claim that ‘one is not born a woman’ (de Beauvoir, 1949; 1952, p.249) and in post-Second World War social conditions. Those conditions have enabled constructions of women as a collective historical subject-in-process. The concept of Gender was developed to question and contest the naturalization of sexual difference in multiple areas of struggle. “Feminist theory and practice around gender seek to explain and change historical systems of sexual difference, whereby ‘men’ and ‘women’ are socially constructed and positioned in relations of hierarchy and antagonism.” (Haraway 1991). The refusal to become or to remain a ‘gendered’ ‘woman’ or ‘man’ is a political challenge also against the imaginary narrative of sex and race. Gender refers primarily but not exclusively to women. It defines the term ‘women’ as a very broad and internally differentiated category that includes differences as the highly relevant variables of class, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and age. Of interest are the visible and invisible power mechanisms that influence women’s access to responsibility in social, economic, political, religious, intellectual and cultural life. “Male” and “female” are culturally produced, socially constructed categories and language is often seen as part of what constructs, maintains and reflects these categories. But on the other hand, we need categories to be able to analyse, study and describe in order to find solutions for change. Gender is transdisciplinary and a study of language, that is an essential basis for active participation in society is important. Today’s gender topics are not only of importance for ‘women’. In a continuously changing society they are also of concern for ‘men’ and require their active participation in a restructuring of society. A discussion and (re)negotiation of these issues needs participants who can and will take part equally. Over time, different approaches were developed to interpret differences in communication style between ‘men’ and ‘women’. In the first part of this work I will try to find out: What are the causes for gender-related variation? In the second part I will look at two case studies, “Complaint stories” by Susanne Günthner and “TV discussions” by Helga Kotthoff, in order to answer the intertwined question: What are the consequences of gender-related variation?

Gender, Communication, and the Leadership Gap is the sixth volume in the Women and Leadership: Research, Theory, and Practice series. This cross-disciplinary series, from the International Leadership Association, enhances leadership knowledge and improves leadership development of women around the world. The purpose of this volume is to highlight connections between the fields of communication and leadership to help address the problem of underrepresentation of women in leadership. Readers will profit from the accessible writing style as they encounter cutting-edge scholarship on gender and leadership. Chapters of note cover microaggressions, authentic leadership, courageous leadership, inclusive leadership, implicit bias, career barriers and levers, impression management, and the visual rhetoric of famous women leaders. Because women in leadership positions occupy a contested landscape, one goal of this collection is to clarify the contradictory communication dynamics that occur in everyday interactions, in national and international contexts, and when leadership is digital. Another goal is to illuminate the complexities of leadership identity, intersectionality, and perceptions that become obstacles on the path to leadership. The renowned thinkers and scholars in this volume hail from both Leadership and Communication disciplines. The book begins with Sally Helgesen and Brenda J. Allen. Helgesen, co-author of The Female Vision: Women’s Real Power at Work, discusses the two-fold challenge women face as they struggle to articulate their visions. Her chapter offers six practices women can use to relieve this struggle. Allen, author of the groundbreaking book, Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity, discusses the implications of how inclusive leadership matters to women and what it means to think about women as people who embody both dominant and non-dominant social identity categories. She then offers practical communication strategies and an intersectional ethic to the six signature traits of highly inclusive leaders. Each chapter includes practical solutions from a communication and leadership perspective that all readers can employ to advance the work of equality. Some solutions will be of use in organizational contexts, such as leadership development and training initiatives, or tools to change organizational culture. Some solutions will be of use to individuals, such as how to identify and respond productively to micro-aggressions or how to be cautious rather than optimistic about practicing authentic leadership. The writing in this volume also reflects a range of styles, from in-depth scholarship that produces new knowledge to shorter forums that feature interesting ideas worth considering.

This is a remarkable book that embraces the challenge of rethinking communication theory. Much more inclusive than most communication volumes, this guidebook offers a rich diversity of voices, along with a conceptual framework for remaking communication theory. Illuminating, innovative, eloquent-and transforming. -Cheris Kramarae, University of Oregon This is a book not only of and for feminist communication theory, but of and for feminists. After a preface that marks and remarks in creative ways how the personal is political, Rakow and Wackwitz offer a compelling account of the need and potential of feminist theorizing for social and structural transformation. The collection represents a range of experiences, problems, voices, and thus will be useful to scholars, students, and activists. -Linda Steiner, Rutgers University Feminist Communication Theory is a book of and for feminist communication theorists, providing the potential to help individuals understand the human condition, name personal experiences and engage these experiences through storytelling, and give useful strategies for achieving justice. Lana F. Rakow and Laura A. Wackwitz examine the work of feminist theorists over the past two decades who have challenged traditional communication theory, contributing to the development of feminist communication theory by identifying its important contours, shortcomings, and promise. Arguing that feminist communication theory must address theories of gender, communication, and social change, Rakow and Wackwitz describe feminist communication theory as explanatory, political, polyvocal, and transformative. The book is constructed around the three keyconcepts of difference, voice, and representation to reflect on how feminist theory reshapes our thinking about gender and communication. Feminist Communication Theory represents a variety of voices from different theoretical, cultural, and geographic perspectives to illustrate the complex challenge of constructing new theoretical positions.Key Features Explores key works and issues of feminist theory relevant to gender and communication Examines a broad range, well beyond conventional wisdom, of women 's perspectives and experiences Provides tools to develop the theoretical potential of both feminist and communication theory Feminist Communication Theory is designed for undergraduate and graduate courses on feminist communication, gender and communication, communication theory, speech, rhetoric, and mass communication. The book will also be of interest to feminist scholars in a variety of disciplines, as well as students and scholars in Women 's Studies and Cultural Studies.