Papers by Jaray Singhakowinta
Lecture notes in educational technology, Dec 31, 2022
Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 2021
In the superhero genre, there has arguably not been any heroic partnership that is more oxymoroni... more In the superhero genre, there has arguably not been any heroic partnership that is more oxymoronic than that of Superman and Batman, for both characters simultaneously are ‘enemies’ with opposing e...
Contemporary society is often thought of being media-saturated as the mass media have increasingl... more Contemporary society is often thought of being media-saturated as the mass media have increasingly become an integral part of modern ways of life. The media reinforce gender norms already being communicated by other social institutions through their representation or reconstruction of social reality. Despite legal and social recognition of gender equality, the media representation of both genders still reproduces stereotypical portrayals underlining biological and emotional differences between men and women. With the proliferation of beauty industries, the media reiterate the individual benefits of beautified bodies and encourage individuals to take control of their own beautification. This paper explores the Thai media’s representation of femininity in relation to the discursive embodiment of beauty discourse. It examines how the notion of beauty is defined and established in Thai public discourse, particularly in mainstream media texts. These texts are read to highlight power rela...
This thesis aims to locate male same-sex relations in Thai public discourses in order to understa... more This thesis aims to locate male same-sex relations in Thai public discourses in order to understand how the homoeroticism has been placed outside the legitimate realm in the Thai sex/gender system, irrespective of Thailand's global image of being a 'gay paradise' and the considerable tolerance of homosexuality in Thai society. Borrowing from Foucault's notion of power relations, this research examines a range of popular and academic resources to uncover discursive power relations in the construction of homosexual identities in Thailand. It also highlights the constant interaction between homo-minority and hetero-majority within the public space. Drawn from diverse sources, this thesis explores the institutionalisation of periphery status of non-normative gender and sexual identities and how they appeared in Thai historical and religious discourses as well as the recent representation of gay and kathoey identities in the Thai mainstream media. This thesis also includes empirical data from interviews with twelve Thai gay-identified participants, conducted between 2003 and 2008. The inclusion of lived experiences of interviewees offers insights into their subjectivation with the label gay, arguably remaining problematic in accordance with the Thai sex/gender paradigm and particularly the contextual sensitivity or kalathesa.
This paper examines the representation of new lad in men’s lifestyle magazines and the cultivatio... more This paper examines the representation of new lad in men’s lifestyle magazines and the cultivation of the masculine identity among magazine readers, seeking to understand how this construction of new lad affects the way the masculine gender is performed and conceptualised in a broader social context. Four focus group interview scripts of magazine readers, sponsored by the ESRC and conducted by ESRC researchers in 1997, are analysed by using the qualitative data analytical software, Nvivo , to provide a systematic understanding of the cultural shift in the construction of masculinity and the proliferation of male consumerism, represented in men’s magazines. This paper argues that the displacement of softer new man identity and the eager embrace of new lad archetype by UK men’s lifestyle magazines is a reassertion of masculine power in a subtler format.
Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 2021
In the superhero genre, there has arguably not been any heroic partnership that is more oxymoroni... more In the superhero genre, there has arguably not been any heroic partnership that is more oxymoronic than that of Superman and Batman, for both characters simultaneously are ‘enemies’ with opposing e...
While jealousy is pervasive in every romantic relationship, it is undeniable that couples‘ jealou... more While jealousy is pervasive in every romantic relationship, it is undeniable that couples‘ jealous responses are culturally shaped by social influence. Analogous to other high-context cultures, Thais‘ responses to jealousy are presumably sanctioned by the cultural notion of face saving. Having a profound influence on Thai people‘s behaviors, this face practice is employed as a way to lessen or avoid possible conflicts in social interactions. The different views of individual men and women on jealous responses and face saving are thus the results not only of personal differences but also social expectations of gender performances. Consequently, gender differences can be said to engender relational conflicts and misunderstandings among romantic couples. Although the roles of men and women are often believed to complement each other in romantic relationships, these gender role distinctions are often found to cause resentment among disagreeing couples. Hence, the focus on behavioral res...
This paper presents an analytical investigation of Thailand’s gender normative homosexuals’ refas... more This paper presents an analytical investigation of Thailand’s gender normative homosexuals’ refashioning of their sexual identities. It is intended to examine how the emergence of modern homosexual identities in Thailand could be a resulted of the interplay between Western discourses of sexuality and Thai sex/gender system. Although gay is often seen as a cultural import from the West, its application in Thai contexts reveals the hybridisation of the Thai sex/gender system and Western discourses of sexuality. Thai homosexual men’s adoption of gay and subsequently chairakchai underscores their constant redefinition and reconstruction of their sexual identities within Thai heteronormative frameworks.
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Papers by Jaray Singhakowinta