In Martha We Trust? The Cultural Significance of the Martha Stewart Phenomenon

The thesis examines the relationship between Martha Stewart's rendition of domesticity and a broader cultural trend of the late 1990s U.S. domestic retreatism. It argues that the mode of construction and representation of the "domestic dream" in Stewart's programs cannot be examined outside of such concepts as class and ethnicity, whose understanding depends on the cultural, social, and political context of a given era, a context, in which they become transparent as aspects of the Western (white, patriarchal) status quo. Performing a deconstructive reading of these categories as employed by Stewart in the process of creation of her media persona, the thesis examines what the negative as well as positive reactions to "Martha Stewart" convey about the condition of American society of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2003

Author dc:creator

• Chmielewska, Katarzyna

Contributors dc:contributor

• Benshoff, Harry
• Kompare, Derek
• Levin, C. Melinda

• Stewart, Martha.
• United States -- Social life and customs -- 1971-
• Home -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
• Mass media -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
• domesticity
• media studies
• gender studies
• ethnicity
• television criticism

Statement dc:rights

• Use restricted to UNT Community
• Copyright
• Chmielewska, Katarzyna
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 53314919
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4267/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc4267

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc4267