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Contribution to Book
Mad Men, Corporate Culture, and Violence against Women
The Legacy of Mad Men
  • Tracy Lucht, Iowa State University
  • Jane Marcellus, Middle Tennessee State University
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Version
Accepted Manuscript
Publication Date
12-1-2019
DOI
10.1007/978-3-030-31091-2_8
Abstract

Synthesizing Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic violence and Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s framework of corporate roles to examine Mad Men’s representation of women’s work, Tracy Lucht and Jane Marcellus investigate the show’s construction of the Secretary, Corporate Wife, and Token High-Level Woman in relation to symbolic violence, which looks beyond physical manifestations of violence to consider social relations that deny women’s subjectivity. Viewed through these paired theoretical lenses, the narrative arcs of women on Mad Men illustrate how work, appearance, social position, sexuality, and material property are appropriated and exchanged for male gain. Addressing the connections linking gender, status, capital, power, and social practice, Bourdieu’s notion of symbolic violence and Kanter’s corporate work roles serve to illuminate the oppression embedded in corporate practices on Mad Men.

Comments

This accepted book chapter is published as Lucht T., Marcellus J. (2019) Mad Men, Corporate Culture, and Violence Against Women. In: McNally K., Marcellus J., Forde T., Fairclough K. (eds) The Legacy of Mad Men. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. Dec 1 2019, Section 2(chapter 4);115-129. Doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-31091-2_8. Posted with permission.

Copyright Owner
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Tracy Lucht and Jane Marcellus. "Mad Men, Corporate Culture, and Violence against Women" The Legacy of Mad Men Vol. Section 2 Iss. Chapter 4 (2019) p. 115 - 129
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/tracy-lucht/7/