”Så länge normen är att makten innehas av en medelålders man...”: En kvalitativ textanalys av branschmedias representation av kvinnliga ledare
2025 (Swedish)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
This study aims to examine how power relations and gender norms are produced, reproduced, or challenged in industry media through the portrayal of female leadership. The purpose is to highlight how media representations can influence perceptions of women in leadership positions. The study applies a qualitative text analysis of 40 articles from industry-specific media. Through a structured process, the articles are analyzed to identify patterns surrounding female leadership. By combining theories on homosociality, tokenism, and media framing, a deeper understanding is provided of how media influences our perception of female leadership. These theories together help create a deeper understanding of how industry media reproduces and reinforces power relations and gender structures. Previous research indicates that traditional gender roles persist, that leadership stereotypes are strongly shaped by masculinity, and that media plays a significant role in shaping our perceptions of gender roles and gender. The results show that media portrays female leaders as operating within a structure where gender norms and power structures hinder their advancement. The discussion revolves around how these representations can influence general perceptions of women in leadership positions and how crucial they may be for changing views on female leadership. In conclusion, the study provides valuable insights into the role of media in shaping and transforming norms surrounding women in leadership.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2025. , p. 42
Keywords [en]
female leadership, media potrayal, gender norms, power relations
National Category
Social Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-238391OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-238391DiVA, id: diva2:1956177
Subject / course
Sociology
Educational program
Study Programme for Human Resource Management
Supervisors
Examiners
2025-05-062025-05-052025-05-06Bibliographically approved