AS Sociology Coursework

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Does The Media Objectify Women?

Sociology Coursework

By Karenjeet Kaur

Candidate Number: 1144

Aims and Hypothesis

Does the media objectify women?

My hypothesis is that the media objectifies women.  Disparities in society exist between men and women, stemming from media influences e.g. women are seen as inferior to men.  My hypothesis is sociological because it’s about the representations and different perceptions of women.  For instance the impact of objectifying women in society effects how their treated at work, school etc.  

I also feel that the ways in which the media objectifies women generates stereotypes in society, my experiences of being female makes me passionate in this topic.  Mulvey’s study ‘The Male Gaze’ has inspired me researching this area, as well as Wolfe’s ‘The Beauty Myth.’

Word Count:104

Context & Concepts

Laura Mulvey’s ‘Male Gaze’ (1975) argues that the way in which films represent female bodies has contributed to the patriarchal stereotype the media uses when reflecting what is defined as ‘femininity’ in contemporary society.  She also thinks that the cinema industry works through a predominantly male viewpoint.  By this she means that female bodies are depicted as playthings for male audiences.  The view of Mulvey is appropriate because It fully applies to my hypothesis as it suggests that women in general within the cinema side of the media, adopt passive and subservient roles and as a result, linking with my hypothesis, are often treated as sexual objects.  However, Mulvey’s work has been criticised in terms of active males and passive females, as sociologist Sofia (1989), as she indicates that the woman remains almost without any sexual identity in psychoanalysis since she is entirely defined in relation to the man.

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The concept of the ‘Male Gaze’ means that the media is from a patriarchal perspective and everything is seen though a male viewpoint.  I feel this is a crucial concept for my study because it relates directly to my hypothesis that the media objectifies women are presented through sexualised ways within the media.

My second concept, ‘Objectification,’ in this case, is when people assign meaning to people and it affects the behaviour of how women are treated, which is as an object and not a fellow human being.  Only certain types of publications objectify women.  There is a ...

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