The personal, the political and the popular: a woman's guide to celebrity politics

Journal article | Zeitschriftenartikel

This article looks at articulations of gender, politics and citizenship by examining two European female heads of state: Tarja Halonen (Finland) and Angela Merkel (Germany). It discusses their personae in the context of emerging public debate about the merits and shortcomings of what is nowadays called ‘celebrity politics’, constituted by popularization and personalization. The analysis suggests that the increasing presence of popular culture in politics presents a complex and often unfavourable arena to women because of its inbuilt and extreme polarization of femininity and politics. It shows how Tarja Halonen and Angela Merkel have bypassed the personalization of politics and present a thoroughly political and professional persona to the public, rigidly concealing their private lives. As a result, female politicians - at least the two heads of state analysed here - tend to represent a classic ideal of political citizenship with clear boundaries and singular codes and conventions.

Object Details

• Extent: Seite(n): 287-301
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Status: Postprint; begutachtet (peer reviewed)

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: European Journal of Cultural Studies, 9(3)

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie ; Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung ; Bundesrepublik Deutschland ; Politik ; Weiblichkeit ; Gender ; Frauenbild ; Politikerin ; Merkel, A. ; Führungsstil ; Finnland ; politische Kommunikation

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Zoonen, Liesbet van
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Vereinigtes Königreich
• (when): 2006

Further information

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1367549406066074
• URN: urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-226882
• Rights: GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Bibliothek Köln
• Last update: 21.06.2024, 4:27 PM CEST