"""America's sweetheart,"" Chris Evert: Celebrity femininity and tennis in postmodern America"

"Chris Evert is one of the most significant cultural figures to emerge in late twentieth century America. Her storied career has produced a ubiquitous image that remains highly visible within culture. As an ""American sweetheart,"" Evert draws her meaning as a sign for national/gendered identity largely from the differences embodied in her well-chronicled rivalry with Martina Navratilova. Although Martina eclipsed her career record in tournament wins and earnings, ""Chrissie"" remains one of the predominant female sports icons of the postmodern era. Evidence of a profuse literature detailing her career, image and effects within culture stands in sharp contrast to the dearth of scholarly literature which probes meanings of countless narratives about Evert's career. This dissertation opens a space for the theoretical consideration of salient features and meanings produced in the dispersion of Evert's image. The underlying theoretical strategies provided by conjunctural analysis are informed by feminist cultural studies, poststructuralism, performative theory and postmodernism. The strategies employed do not seek to uncover truths so much as to examine the means by which power and truths are produced within culture."

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Kinesiology Health

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Spencer, Nancy Elizabeth

Contributors dc:contributor

• Slowikowski, Synthia S.

• Biography
• American Studies
• Women's Studies
• Recreation

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1996 Spencer, Nancy Elizabeth

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

9780591088915
AAI9702671
(UMI)AAI9702671

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/20484