1. |
- Edström, Maria, 1960, et al.
(author)
-
Gendered consequences of the commercialisation of freedom of speech
- 2012
-
In: Gardens of Justice, Critical Legal Confernce, Stockholm, 14-16 sept 2012.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Gender stereotypes and sex discriminatory images are commonly used in adver¬tising. They are considered to sell. Advertisement is a large part of the content in media, and what is more, commercial messages are to a great extent blurred with editorial messages. With a strengthening of the legal protection for commercial messages the space for gender stereotypes is consolidated. Focus in this paper is gendered consequences of challenges from the market on freedom of speech in the media. With the expression commercialization of freedom of speech we try to capture a process in which commercial interest to communicate commercially is claimed to be a legitimate interest. Commercial messages are framed as com¬mercial speech, and commercial communication is framed as commercial freedom of speech. By doing so, commercial interests are framed as legitimate interests worth protection by law. Commercial speech has a weaker protection in many constitutions, but during the last years we have seen a growing discussion about giving commercials the same protection as other expressions. With a situation in which commercial messages are considered to be speeches worth protecting by law, and in which commercial interests claim more and more of the space for com¬munication in society, we would like to turn the way we understand and think of communication and space for communication up-side-down out of a citizen and a gender-equal-promoting perspective. The claim for what kind of interests should be legitimate interests to protect as part of the right to freedom of speech, have to be reconsidered.
|
|
2. |
- Edström, Maria, 1960, et al.
(author)
-
Intersectionality to the rescue? A cross-national analysis of equal opportunities policies and tools in four national contexts
- 2012
-
In: 8th European Feminist Research Conference, Budapest, 17-20 May 2012.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Despite a common legal framework within EU (and partly also in EFTA) there are differences in national legislation when it comes to gender equality. In Great Britain and Sweden there is no longer separate legislation for equal opportunities. Instead there is a joint Discrimination Act and joint Discrimination Ombudsman encompassing all specifically defined discrimination grounds. In France and Norway there is still a separate legislation, but in Norway there is also a joint Ombudsman. What are the impacts of these different paths for dealing with discrimination in Europe for gender equality? Is gender equality strengthened or the contrary, does a joint discrimination legislation make the discrimination protection and the active measures less efficient? This paper aims to map the development of gender equality in Europe by comparing the different strategies of mainstreaming discrimination in four countries; France, Great Britain, Norway and Sweden. What are the current measures to promote and protect gender equality and how is gender equality related to other grounds for discrimination? Gender mainstreaming as an equality instrument has been encouraged by the UN and EU and since the mid 90-ies. The parallel processes towards joint legislation on discrimination are based on the insight that there are layers of discrimination that demand to be addressed. This is also what feminist theories on intersectionality is emphasising when they argue that different power structures such as age, class and ethnicity interact with gender. Intersectionality could be a way of strengthening gender mainstreaming. But there is also a risk that gender equality is forgotten when other discrimination grounds are focused.
|
|
3. |
- Edström, Maria, 1960, et al.
(author)
-
Räkna med Kvinnor! : Global Media Monitoring Project. Nationell rapport Sverige 2010
- 2012
-
Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Räkna med kvinnor 2010" är en rapportering av de svenska resultaten från den globala nyhetsstudien "Who makes the news?" Det svenska deltagandet i studien är ett samarbete mellan forskare, journalister och aktivister i Göteborg, Stockholm och Örebro. Rapporten är en bearbetning av det svenska nationella data med utgångspunkt i den globala studien. Rapporten innehåller också intervjuer och uppföljningar kring vad som hänt i Sverige sedan 2005 då den förra globala studien gjordes. www.whomakesthenews.org
|
|
4. |
- Svensson, Eva-Maria, 1958, et al.
(author)
-
Freedom of expression vs. Gender equality – conflicting values when regulating gender stereotypes in advertising
- 2014
-
In: Tidsskrift for Rettsvitenskap. - 0040-7143. ; 127:5/2014, s. 479-511
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The persistence of negative gender stereotypes, even in more gender-equal and progressive Scandinavian countries, has been pointed out as an obstacle to the achievement of gender equality. Gender equality is a fundamental condition for the full enjoyment of human rights by women and men, and the promotion of gender equality is a worldwide obligation. According to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), gender stereotypes are considered a form of discrimination against women that States parties must take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify. This article focuses on legal and political measures undertaken (or not undertaken) by States parties on gender stereotypes in advertisements. So far, many States parties have been reluctant to legislate against gender stereotypes in advertising, referring to freedom of expression as an obstacle. Instead they prefer self-regulation, even though such efforts may be questioned in terms of efficiency. Sweden is used as the case, of specific relevance due to its explicit commitment to both freedom of expression and gender equality.
|
|
5. |
- Svensson, Eva-Maria, 1958, et al.
(author)
-
Market-Driven Challenges for the Press: Freedom of Speech and the Interaction between the State, Citizens and the Fourth Estate in a Digital Era.
- 2014
-
In: World Congress of Constitutional Law 2014 Constitutional Challenges: Global and Local, 16-20 June 2014, Oslo, Workshop 8: The Citizen and the State in the Digital Age.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- One of the pre-conditions for the Press to perform its controlling function in the democracy is independency. In most business models of the press, advertising has been a major income source, together with a large share of household subscriptions. In this situation, it has been and is still crucial to uphold a distinction between journalism and commercial communication. In the Nordic countries there are substantial state subsidies for the press in order to safeguard diversity of opinions through the press as a democratic values in society. With the expansion of digital communication advertisers have turned from investments in traditional publishing media to arenas monitored by new actors such as Google and Facebook. One consequence of this development is that the press is loosing one of its major economic sources, journalists are given notice and the newsrooms are shrinking. This in turn leads to that the scrutinizing ability of the press is diminished and in a long-term perspective the press risk to loose its legitimacy and credibility. At the same time the new actors do not have the same explicit democratic mission in terms of the common good and the controlling function that the press has. Out of a citizen’s perspective the digital platforms often serve as an open access arena for discussions where anyone can publish their own stories and news. Every citizen has the potential to become a “journalist”, part of what is commonly known as citizen journalism. On the other hand, the resource demanding investigating journalism and holding someone accountable is hardly to be expected by individuals without resources to scrutinize the power structures in society. What is more, much of the communication is monitored or used by commercial actors. The democratic risks of the transition of the business models for the press are yet to be seen. A crucial question is whether the division between market and journalism can be sustained.
|
|
6. |
- Svensson, Eva-Maria, 1958, et al.
(author)
-
Political and legal attitudes toward gender images in media
- 2014
-
In: NORA conference: Voices in Nordic Gender Research, 5-7 Nov 2014, Roskilde, Stream: The power of gender imaginaries.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Women and men are often portrayed stereotypically in media, despite explicit political and legal ambitions to promote non stereotype images. Imaginaries of gender are considered to have great impact on both individual and structural levels. Gender stereotypes in advertising is a highly topical issue. In 2015, the twentieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action will be celebrated. All State parties are called upon to undertake comprehensive national-level reviews of the progress made and challenges encountered in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.1 One of the critical areas of concern pointed out in the Declaration and Platform was Women and the media (area J). One of two strategic objectives in this area was to promote balanced and non-stereotyped portrayal of women in the media (J.2.). The focus of this paper is on a specific section of media where stereotyped portrayals of women and men are common, namely adverts. Adverts are not only something exposed in media, but is also an important income source for media. The mutual dependency between media and advertisement forms the context for this paper, focusing on stereotypes in adverts and the political and legal measures undertaken by the Nordic countries. Whereas Sweden has been reluctant to legislate in this matter, the other countries have done so. The main reason for Sweden’s hesitation is the perception that a law against gender stereotypes in adverts is in conflict with freedom of speech. With the notions market-driven and democracy-driven freedom of expression, respectively, and by developing and expanding a theoretical framework on normative patterns to encompass gender (in)equality as a noramtive pattern, two conflicting and contradictory interests are analysed. 2 Gender stereotypes in adverts highlight the political and legal tension between freedom of expression and gender equality. First, restrictions of commercial communication are considered to be in conflict with freedom of expression. Second, gender stereotypes in adverts are considered to be in conflict with the value of gender equality.
|
|
7. |
- Edström, Maria, 1960
(author)
-
Arbete och utbildning
- 2012
-
In: Svenska journalister 1989-2011 / Kent Asp (red.). - Göteborg : University of Gothenburg. - 9789188212511 ; , s. 21-26
-
Book chapter (other academic/artistic)
|
|
8. |
- Edström, Maria, 1960, et al.
(author)
-
Fler negativt inställda till tv-reklam
- 2014
-
In: Mittfåra och marginal.Red Henrik Oscarsson och Annika Bergström. - Göteborg : SOM-Institutet. - 9789189673304 ; , s. 341-352
-
Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Människors attityder till omfattningen av reklamen i tv har hittills varit en underdiskuterad fråga i forskningen. i de nationella SOM-undersökningarna har data om svenskarnas inställning till reklam samlats in varje år sedan 1992. Resultaten visar att i takt med att reklamen i tv fått mer utrymme har människor blivit allt mer negativt inställda till reklam, detta gäller för alla åldrar och oavsett politisk inställning. Lagstiftarna har vid flera tillfällen under perioden öppnat upp tv-sändningarna för mer reklam. Kapitlet ställer frågan om opinionsutvecklingen bland tv-tittarna hänger ihop med dessa förändringar.
|
|
9. |
- Edström, Maria, 1960, et al.
(author)
-
Flexible Careers for Traditions or Modernity - Gendered Negotiations among Freelance Journalists
- 2012
-
In: ECREA 4th European Communication Conference, Istanbul, 24-27 okt 2012.
-
Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Flexible careers, such as temporary employment, part-time work, self-employment and portfolio work are increasingly discussed in social theory as signs of late modernity. The study explores freelance journalists’ discourse about the “life puzzle”, an often used expression in Swedish popular culture, political debate, and discourse on equality. The “life puzzle”, in the Swedish debate, has mainly to do with finding time for the family, domestic work, and children, when working. It is connected to discourses on gender, the family, and working life. This paper is based on both quantitative and qualitative data. It investigates the background and opinions of Swedish freelancer by analyzing the latest national survey of Swedish journalists conducted in 2011/2012, a study that is a sequel of the national surveys of journalist that has been conducted in 1989, 1995, 2000 and 2005 by the University of Gothenburg. Biographical life-history interviews of 13 freelance journalists living in northernmost Sweden were conducted during 2008 and 2009. In an analysis of the qualitative data, it was found that the women had higher demands on themselves than men in ways that are in line with the “good mother ideology”. Being a good mother meant, for example, having their children in day care for short time periods, or not at all, being able to facilitate their children’s sport activities, and do domestic work. It was evident that the women, in many ways, structured their work around domestic and family demands. Another thing noted is that freelancing gave the men the opportunity to become more equal with their wifes, and fathers had more family time than if they had been employed. Still, other women saw the “housewife life” as their own life-choice. Many of the interviewees could be described as “downshifters”: working shorter hours and consuming less, something which is often seen as a trend in line with sustainability and an ecological lifestyle. The context of the Northern periphery is highly relevant here, as the expenses of life are lower, for example housing, and people live closer to nature. This area might also be more family oriented than the rest of the country. The negotiations of identity seem to be gendered and the reasons for working as a freelance journalist seem to differ, but they all seem to enjoy their life. Earlier national surveys indicates that freelance journalists seem to be more satisfied with life compared with other journalists, that goes for both men and women in spite of the fact that self-employment often equals lower security and income. This paper will present new survey data that are still in processing.
|
|
10. |
- Edström, Maria, 1960, et al.
(author)
-
Freelance Journalists as a Flexible Workforce in Media Industries
- 2012
-
In: Journalism Practice. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1751-2786 .- 1751-2794. ; 6:5-6, s. 711-721
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Economic cutbacks in the media sector diminish the chances of employment for journalists, and consequently the number of atypical workers in the media industry, such as freelancers, is growing worldwide. This study of Swedish freelancers is grounded in both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data are taken from ongoing surveys conducted by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, based on representative samples of practising journalists made in 1989, 1994, 1999 and 2005. Around 2000 journalists were included in each survey. The qualitative material consists of 13 biographical interviews with freelancers in northern Sweden. The results will be compared with international studies. The choice to work as a freelance journalist is connected to lifestyle, and the idea of “life as a project”, as well as entrepreneurialism, in ways that are connected to the societal processes of individualization and “flexibilization”.
|
|