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Retrograde Returns Of The American Housewife: Reimagining An Old Character In A New Millennium, Ruth Emelia Wollersheim Dec 2015

Retrograde Returns Of The American Housewife: Reimagining An Old Character In A New Millennium, Ruth Emelia Wollersheim

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the immensely popular return of the housewife character in the twenty-first century. From films like The Stepford Wives (2004), to television dramas like Desperate Housewives (2004-2012) and The Good Wife (2009- ), to reality shows like Wife Swap (2004- ), Bravo’s The Real Housewives franchise (2006- ), Basketball Wives (2010- ), Mob Wives (2011- ), and most recently on the blogosphere with personalities like The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, the housewife character has reentered our imaginations on a mass scale. This anachronistic character trend is in stark contrast to the urban, working superwoman ideal of the 1980s …


"Be A Sturdy Oak:" The Art Of Manliness And Rebranding Masculinity In 21st Century America, Leslie J. Peckham May 2015

"Be A Sturdy Oak:" The Art Of Manliness And Rebranding Masculinity In 21st Century America, Leslie J. Peckham

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the ways the blog, The Art of Manliness, negotiates a rebranding of masculinity through nostalgia-based marketing initiatives and individualistic language and perspectives. This blog, dedicated to the self-improvement of the modern man, relies on “intentionality” and makes room for both traditional forms of masculine consumption and progressive masculine domesticity. The thesis begins by illustrating the ways marketing initiatives have had a hand in creating masculinity and the ways society has adopted or rejected these representations. It goes on to discuss how a contemporary blog on masculinity, The Art of Manliness, has incorporated some of these marketing techniques …