Deutsche Version
Research Summary: "Media Representations of Women in Top-Level Positions"
The main purpose of this research project is the analysis of the media representation of both men
and women in leading political, economic and academic positions. It is a joint project, carried out by
Margreth Luenenborg (Freie Universität Berlin) and Jutta Roeser (Leuphana University Lueneburg). Our
work is funded by the German Ministry of Sience and Research (BMBF) and by the European Social
Fund (ESF).
We chose an empirical approach for the exploration of images and attributes referred to in media reports
on politicians, managers and scientists.
The study thus analyses gender bound images of women in top-level positions to gain insights on
media representations of status and professional success. These findings will be compared to the
representations of their male counterparts.
We argue that media professionals' perspectives and the audiences' viewpoint are significant for the
understanding of reasons for the emergence of gendered media representations.
Hence, we will interview journalists in order to understand the modes of production of gendered
texts. Aspiring to gain insight into people's production of meaning, the reception of young women
and men will also be explored using the data collection method of focus groups. Studying the readers'
perspectives is essential for the understanding of social effects. Presumably media representations
have an impact on the protagonists' professional success. Furthermore, they may contribute to
the audiences' role models.
Quantitative and qualitative content analysis will be combined with iconographic methods. The
chosen sample includes five newspapers, eight magazines and four television news broadcasts over
a period of six months in 2008. Both qualitative and iconographic analysis will cover a selection of
media output chosen from the overall sample.
Concerning the analysis of female and male political leaders, the research team would appreciate an
exchange with other European scientists who share a similar interest and work with a compatible research
approach in their home countries.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Margreth Luenenborg & Dr. Tanja Maier, Free University of Berlin
tanja.maier@fu-berlin.de
Prof. Dr. Jutta Roeser & Kathrin Mueller, M.A., Leuphana University Lueneburg
kmueller@uni.leuphana.de
