Papers by Judith Lakämper
Feminist Theory, 2017
With the publication of Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, popula... more With the publication of Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, popular media debates about gender equality gained additional fuel. However, the popularisation of feminist discourses in digital media has not brought substantial political change. In this article, I demonstrate how famous working mothers like Sandberg and Tina Fey provide accounts of their difficulties with identifying as ‘women who have it all’, although they are often perceived in such terms. I propose the framework of affective dissonance to describe the discrepancy between their own sense of self and the public perception of them as ‘women who have it all’. I argue that both Sandberg and Fey fail to contribute to a renewed political feminism because they disavow their experience of affective dissonance, rather than actualising its political potential. These ‘women who have it all’ are entrenched in postfeminist neoliberal discourses of choice and agency, which locks them in frameworks of...
who have given me space and my daughter love, and have never asked for anything in return. Berend... more who have given me space and my daughter love, and have never asked for anything in return. Berend and Jürine Wilbers shared with me their love for books and encouraged me to follow my curiosity wherever it may lead, both intellectually and geographically. I have always looked up to Christian Wilbers, who has paved the way and showed me how it's done. The unconditional friendship of Verena Urban awaits me whenever I return "home." This dissertation was written with, for, despite, alongside, and about Lina and Lukas. Their love and their laughter filled the hours I spent away from my work, and enabled me to return to it. Finally, I am most indebted to Justin Lakämper, who always provided a perspective I hadn't thought of, left few of my claims uncontested, and thereby forced me to sharpen my arguments. Your unwavering faith in my abilities and your willingness to compromise were invaluable sources of inspiration and motivation. v TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION __________________________________________________________________ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS _________________________________________________________ iii LIST OF IMAGES ______________________________________________________________ vi INTRODUCTION ______________________________________________________________ 1
Few mothers have ever thought of the labor associated with mothering as easy work, but mothers ha... more Few mothers have ever thought of the labor associated with mothering as easy work, but mothers have been challenged in different ways according to their position in time and place. Wars, famine, colonization, the power of political parties, the economy, technology, and culture are but a few of the forces that shape the ways that women care for children. In 1976, Adrienne Rich opened the door for much of the current research and criticism within the field of maternal studies when she differentiated between the womanly acts of mothering and the patriarchal institution of motherhood in Of Woman Born. Linda Rose Ennis' anthology
Contemporary experiences of motherhood take stage at the intersection between ideologies of inten... more Contemporary experiences of motherhood take stage at the intersection between ideologies of intensive mothering, which demand an exclusive orientation towards the needs of the child, and new individualism, which prescribes a focus on the self, and a continuous need to re-invent self-identity physically, psychologically, and professionally. This essay argues that while Pinterest provides a forum for women to experiment with a variety of rapidly revisable self-representations, it simultaneously functions to reinforce compartmentalized idealizations of motherhood in the form of imagery from a regressive and repressive cultural archive. The ideal user is a post-feminist subject who celebrates the freedom to enjoy visual pleasure uncritically, thereby participating in the continued dissemination of unattainable ideals of motherly perfection. Thus, as a site where the conflict between different demands becomes tangible via the use of images, Pinterest offers an important window into the c...
The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies, 2016
The Journal of American Culture, 2015
The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies, 2016
With the publication of Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, popula... more With the publication of Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, popular media debates about gender equality gained additional fuel. However, the popularisation of feminist discourses in digital media has not brought substantial political change. In this article, I demonstrate how famous working mothers like Sandberg and Tina Fey provide accounts of their difficulties with identifying as ‘women who have it all’, although they are often perceived in such terms. I propose the framework of affective dissonance to describe the discrepancy between their own sense of self and the public perception of them as ‘women who have it all’. I argue that both Sandberg and Fey fail to contribute to a renewed political feminism because they disavow their experience of affective dissonance, rather than actualising its political potential. These ‘women who have it all’ are entrenched in postfeminist neoliberal discourses of choice and agency, which locks them in frameworks of identity politics, foreclosing the possibility of an ethics of solidarity necessary for a feminist movement that might produce political transformation.
Journal of the Motherhood Initiative, Jul 2015
Contemporary experiences of motherhood take stage at the intersection between ideologies of inten... more Contemporary experiences of motherhood take stage at the intersection between ideologies of intensive mothering, which demand an exclusive orientation towards the needs of the child, and new individualism, which prescribes a focus on the self, and a continuous need to re-invent self-identity physically, psychologically, and professionally. This essay argues that while Pinterest provides a forum for women to experiment with a variety of rapidly revisable self-representations, it simultaneously functions to reinforce compartmentalized idealizations of motherhood in the form of imagery from a regressive and repressive cultural archive. The ideal user is a post-feminist subject who celebrates the freedom to enjoy visual pleasure uncritically, thereby participating in the continued dissemination of unattainable ideals of motherly perfection. Thus, as a site where the conflict between different demands becomes tangible via the use of images, Pinterest offers an important window into the complexity of contemporary experiences of motherhood.
Book Reviews by Judith Lakämper
Journal of American Culture, Jun 24, 2015
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Papers by Judith Lakämper
Book Reviews by Judith Lakämper