Lad magazines, raunch culture and the increasing pornification of South African media
Date
2010-03-05T10:14:58Z
Authors
Rizos, Dominique
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Abstract
Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to examine the role of the media in the pornification
of society and the subsequent rise of laddism and raunch culture. By pornification
I refer to the proliferation of the pornographic phenomenon in mainstream media
and everyday life and the subsequent co modification of sexuality. It will examine
in full detail lad culture and lad magazines as a genre of the text. The study
will draw comparisons between local lad magazine FHM to the international
pornographic magazine Playboy. This is in order to establish whether these lad
magazines function as soft pornography, thereby contributing to the fact that
mainstream media, is indeed becoming more pornographic and thus leading to an
acceptance of the increased pornification of every day life and the ensuing rise of
raunch culture. The research paper will examine raunch culture in depth and its
subsequent influence on contemporary women and how they respond to these
representations. This paper also seeks to identify the magazines as part of backlash
to feminism. Backlash refers to the reaction against feminist advancement and the
return to traditional gender roles.
This study includes a literature review and theoretical framework chapter which
explore the various theories pertaining to the research problem. The methodology
chapter discusses the research methods used in the study. These methods include
content analysis, semiotics and discourse analysis. The theoretical underpinnings
that will be the primary influence of this paper is that of the feminist approach.
This is a feminist study as it deals with how current representations found in the
magazines influence and are influenced by women and how this will affect
gendered society as a whole.