UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London, 7th Annual International Postgraduate Conference

Inclusion Exclusion

16-18th February 2006

Saturday 18 February 10:00 – 11:30: Panel H4:  The Media Representation of Exclusion

Zita Farkas (Western University of Timişoara): ‘Coming out as a feminist: the game of exclusion/inclusion of feminism within the Hungarian written media discourse’

In my presentation I would like to reflect upon the way feminism is included into the public discourse in Hungary through the analysis of articles appeared in major newspapers. I will argue that the media practices of meaning making are instances of institutionalised practices of exclusion that are ultimately played out at the expense of those who identify themselves as feminists. So the inclusion into the public sphere is actually a mode of silencing feminism, a way of exclusion since the 'negative press' given to feminism within the hegemonic discourse discourages anyone to publicly identify with a feminist position for fear of enduring the material effects of such associations.

Relying on Norman Fairclough media discourse theory, the media discourse analysis included in the presentation will focus on two major question. What kind of different ideological investments shape the definition of feminism? And the second question will look for the implications that can be attributed to the answers to the first question. What are the attitudes of women public figures towards feminism? The analysis of the answers to these two questions within the written media will point out the double game of inclusion and exclusion played upon feminism nowadays in the sphere of the Hungarian public discourse.

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