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Lecturer: Proshant Chakraborty

Welcome to our lecture on “Postfeminism and agency.”

PowerPoint slides: postfeminism-and-agency (pc)-2.pptx

In Part 1 of this session, we will explore the concept of “postfeminism.” In simple terms, postfeminism is a part of feminist theory or practice that emerged in the late-1980s and 1990s, which sought to shift the feminist lens from an analysis of power to focus on women’s agency. Postfeminism was influenced by other theories that emerged during this time, like poststructuralism and postmodernism. Like these theories, which sought to critique the stability of meta-concepts like structure or modernity, postfeminism also problematized the givenness of gendered categories. In particular, ideas of sexuality, intimacy, aesthetics, pleasure and so forth were important rubrics within postfeminist discourses.

Discussion: Can we use a postfeminist lens to discuss the recent Barbie film (2023, dir. Greta Gerwig)? What does a postfeminist lens help us look at? What are the limits of postfeminism? For those of you who have watched the film, please prepare about 4-5 points for discussion.

In Part 2, we will look at two divergent perspectives on postfeminism, especially in relation to neoliberal values and ideas. Once again, our empirical focus will be on South Asia and South Asian women.

Readings:

Chakraborty, Proshant. 2021. “Rethinking NGOization as Postfeminist Practice: Interstitial Intimacies and Negotiations of Neoliberal Subjectivity in Violence Prevention.” Frontiers in Sociology. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2021.654909/full.

Dutta, Nandita. 2021. “‘I like it Clean’: Brazilian Waxing and Postfeminist Subjectivity Among South Asian Beauticians in London.” Frontiers in Sociology 6:646344. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2021.646344/full.

McRobbie, Angela. 2011/2017. “Beyond Post-Feminism.” In Feminist Theory Reader: Global and Local Perspectives. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.ub.gu.se/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1286222&site=ehost-live&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_622.

Additional materials:

Mateen, Zoya. 2023. Miss World 2023: When the beauty pageant's arrival in India sparked protests - BBC News.

Oza, Rupal. 2001. Showcasing India: Gender, Geography, and Globalization. Sings 26(4). https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/3175357.pdf.

Parameswaran, Radhika E. 2004. Spectacles of Gender and Globalization: Mapping Miss World's Media Event Space in the News. Communications Review 7(4). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10714420490886970.

ABC News interview with Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie:

https://youtu.be/GuWr-v3TOO8?si=4CsvyV9RUTVpcSJ3&t=689