Neoliberal Feminism and Media Discourses of Employed Motherhood

Yoong, Melissa

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-55544-3_4

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…Whereas the societal discourses assume us to take on entirely new identities as we become mothers, my experience with academia is almost the contrary; it is as if we are expected to carry out as normal (Low and Damian Martin, 2019). This seems to be in line with the neoliberal ideology which incites women to foster a happy work-life balance and views us personally responsible for organizing the competing demands (Rottenberg, 2018;Yoong, 2020). Indeed, identity work discusses the interplay of our understanding of the self within the larger societal context (Haynes, 2008;.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…International mobility requirements can be a strain on academic mothers (Thun, 2020). Yet, for me the biggest strain is not even how I find myself keeping up with the neoliberal expectations, taking personal responsibility to organize the competing demands (Huppatz et al, 2019;Rottenberg, 2018;Yoong, 2020), it is Conforming to and resisting imposed identities rather the fear of not becoming the academic I want to be. I realize that my momentum may have already passed, the "make it or break it" window of opportunity has closed.…”

Section: Disciplinary Practices In the Construction Of Motherhoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conforming to and resisting imposed identities – an autoethnography on academic motherhood

Krysa

Kivijärvi

2022

QROM

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PurposeThis research attempts to make sense of the experiences of two academic women who become mothers.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is an autoethnography. Applying the autoethnographic method allows us to discuss cultural phenomena through personal reflections and experiences. Our autoethnographic reflections illustrate our struggles and attempts of resistance within discursive spaces where motherhood and our identity as academics intersect.FindingsOur personal experiences combined with theoretical elaborations illuminate how the role of the mother continues to be dominated by such gendered discursive practices that conflict with the work role. Once women become mothers, they are othered through societal and organizational practices because they constitute a visible deviation from the masculine norm in the organizational setting, academia included.Originality/valueThis paper explores how contemporary motherhood discourse(s)within academia and the wider society present competing truth claims, embedded in neoliberal and postfeminist cultural sensibility. Our autoethnographic reflections show our struggles and attempts of resistance within such discursive spaces.

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