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Media constructions of gender in the 1984 presidential campaign: A rhetorical perspective
Abstract
Gender surfaced as an issue in the 1984 Presidential campaign due to the nomination of Geraldine Ferraro, the differences among the male candidates, the expected gender gap, and the "feminization" of the Democratic Party. Using Newsweek, Time, and CBS Evening News, the constructions of gender are interpreted using Kenneth Burke's cluster criticism. Two research questions were addressed: (1) How was gender constructed by the media? (2) What were the rhetorical implications of this study? The study suggests that when women are accepted into Presidential politics, they must balance "feminine" traits with "masculine" ones. Male candidates are expected to primarily exhibit "masculine" traits. Gender was not only a trait that candidates had, it was also constructed by the media as having an influence on how voters perceive and act upon the issues. Finally, the study concludes that male and female candidates used language to express gender characteristics and can overcome negative perceptions by voters with rhetorical strategies.
Subject Area
Communication|Mass communications|Womens studies
Recommended Citation
Miller, Rita Marie, "Media constructions of gender in the 1984 presidential campaign: A rhetorical perspective" (1991). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9120919.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9120919