[ecrea] publication - Glapka, Ewa: Reading Bridal Magazines from a Critical Discursive Perspective

Glapka, Ewa (2014):  Reading Bridal Magazines from a Critical Discursive 
Perspective. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave.

Bridal magazines have become increasingly popular in Western society, 
proliferating the idea of a 'princess bride' on her 'big day'. Yet 
little has been written on how the ever-expanding wedding media and the 
popular wedding culture constructs gender and affects the ways women 
live and experience their weddings. Offering a critique of contemporary 
wedding discourse, this book marries together analyses of media texts 
and their reception to propose a new approach to media discourse. The 
analysis richly illustrates how women are invited to embrace not only 
the stereotypical idea of bridal femininity but also a consumptive way 
of experiencing it. Through examination of brides' accounts of their 
'big days', the book observes the imprints of the popular gender imagery 
on their self-portraits and self-narratives, and describes the women's 
diverse approaches to them. Based on insights from gender and critical 
discourse studies, sociology and audience research, this exploration 
illuminates the ongoing debate on 'media and gender' and its 
methodological approaches.

CONTENTS
Introduction 1. Discourse and Power 2. Women as Subjects of Discourse 3. 
Bridal Femininity in Wedding Magazines 4. Reading a Magazine: 
Methodological Considerations 5. Reading a Magazine: The Interviews 6. 
Reading a Magazine: Discussion Conclusions

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