Unequally powerful: the gendering of leaders from government, industry and science in the media communication

This is the first (and very recent) study conducted in Germany that focuses on women in leading positions in politics, economy and media. The authors show from different angles – drawing on content analysis, discourse analysis and visual studies – that on the one hand women today are more prominent in the media. On the other hand, a gendering is still very clearly visible, so that e.g. Angela Merkel’s hair style and clothes is much more often discussed as that of the other ministers in the government. But, while new portrayals of women as powerful agents have emerged in the media, the representation of men in leading positions still relies on the very conservative and traditional image of the strong, powerful, agile and successful “guy”.

Format: pp. 270; 23 cm