14 research outputs found
Mediatization Studies and Cultural Studies: A Possible Dialogue for Further Critical Analysis?
Over the last decades, it has been possible to observe an increasing amount of research having for common assumption the impossibility to dissociate changes which occur within medias, culture and society. Mediatization theories, particularly developed in Scandinavian countries, and American configurations of cultural studies utilize interesting tools and conceptual material to think about the transformations that occur within the social field. Both encourage questioning the power relations and struggles that inform those transformations. However, their manner of conceiving and using âcultureâ and âmediaâ as conceptual tools for analysis differ, bringing multiple and diverging ways to study and question objects, phenomenon and processes. These two approaches do not appear as irreconcilable and would take advantage of being put in dialogue as a way to see how they can possibly complement each other. For example, by enriching their mutual understanding of power and, therefore, their critical character. This article draws points of tension and convergence between cultural studies and mediatization studies. It explores cultural studies' focus on (cultural) practices as a privileged site to analyse power relations and their ongoing negotiations by and through media. This approach may resonate or complement Couldryâs (2004) proposal for a paradigm of media as practice âto help us address how media are embedded in the interlocking fabric of social and cultural lifeâ (p. 129). This dialogue between mediatization theories and cultural studies is being put to the forefront with the hope it may allow further discussions and relevant theoretical avenues for critical research located within both fields. Thinking of this possible interplay let foresee the possibility of questioning objects, processes and phenomenon in a critical perspective in a context produced and characterised by mediasâ omnipresence. It would allow researchers to question the power struggles that are negotiated through practices themselves, without neglecting the consideration that most of these practices are made by, with or within media.Â
Analyse des représentations et des enjeux de pouvoir produisant la personnalité publique politique célÚbre au Québec : le cas de Justin Trudeau
Ce mĂ©moire vise Ă comprendre comment, par la reprĂ©sentation de politiciens en tant que personnalitĂ©s publiques « cĂ©lĂšbres », se pose un ensemble dâenjeux de pouvoir. Lâanalyse de la rĂ©currence et des particularitĂ©s de ces reprĂ©sentations, qui circulent dans et Ă travers le discours, permet de mieux comprendre comment sâexerce le pouvoir par, entre autres, la naturalisation. Cette recherche sâappuie principalement sur les concepts de reprĂ©sentation proposĂ© par Hall (1997) et de pouvoir Ă©laborĂ© par Foucault. Le cas de Justin Trudeau, objet dâun ensemble de discours de cĂ©lĂ©britĂ© produits Ă travers le discours mĂ©diatique Ă lâoccasion de la course Ă la chefferie du Parti libĂ©ral du Canada (PLC), constitue un terrain riche pour lâanalyse. Dans un premier temps, les reprĂ©sentations existantes et en circulation dans des textes mĂ©diatiques portant et produisant diverses significations sont analysĂ©es discursivement. Dans un deuxiĂšme temps, lâanalyse sâattarde aux savoirs que ces reprĂ©sentations participent Ă produire et aux effets de pouvoir quâelles induisent. Il est alors possible de comprendre que les reprĂ©sentations dont fait lâobjet le politicien cĂ©lĂšbre dâaujourdâhui sont organisĂ©es par la filiation et que ce mode dâorganisation procĂšde Ă la fois de la biographisation et de lâhĂ©tĂ©ronormativitĂ©.This masterâs thesis aims to understand how, by the representation of politicians as public individual celebrities, arise power issues. The analysis of recurrence patterns and particularities of those representations, which circulate through discourse, enable a better understanding of how power is exercised by, among other things, naturalization. This research is supported by Hallâs (1997) concept of representation and Foucaultâs definition of power. The case of Justin Trudeau, object of celebrity discourses produced through media discourse at the time of the Liberal Party of Canada Leadership contest, was a prolific ground for analysis. Firstly, existing and circulating representations by media texts producing diverse significations are discursively analysed. Secondly, the analysis is concerned with knowledge these representations participate to produce and with power effects they induce. It is then possible to understand that representations which produce todayâs celebrity politician are organised by filiation which proceed through biographisation and heteronormativity
Exploration de la culture alimentaire biomédicalisée québécoise : de l'alimentation « saine » à la production de corps différenciés
Cette thĂšse procĂšde, depuis une perspective issue des Ă©tudes culturelles, Ă une exploration critique et situĂ©e (Haraway, 1988) de la culture alimentaire quĂ©bĂ©coise contemporaine et des dĂ©finitions variables de la « saine » alimentation quâelle concourt Ă produire et Ă rendre effective. Plus prĂ©cisĂ©ment, jâanalyse les rapports de pouvoir qui lâinforment et prennent forme et effectivitĂ© Ă travers les savoirs et pratiques constitutives de la saine alimentation (dans ses multiples formes et modes dâexistence). Ă travers lâanalyse critique de la culture alimentaire quĂ©bĂ©coise contemporaine, je questionne les corps, humains comme plus-quâhumains, qui sây retrouvent « produits » et diffĂ©renciĂ©s par des rapports de pouvoir inĂ©gaux. Lâanalyse prĂ©sentĂ©e rĂ©sulte dâune ethnographie dialogique incorporĂ©e suivant les mĂ©thodes de collecte des matĂ©riaux et dâanalyses proposĂ©es par Probyn (2016).
La thĂšse est dĂ©coupĂ©e en trois parties distinctes, mais interreliĂ©es. La premiĂšre explore la culture alimentaire quĂ©bĂ©coise au cĆur de laquelle je mâinscris. Elle permet Ă la fois la prĂ©sentation de ladite culture et des savoirs, pratiques, Ă©vĂ©nements quâelle concourt Ă mettre en forme, mais Ă©galement la multiplicitĂ© des dĂ©finitions de la saine alimentation qui y Ă©mergent, en fonction de ses diffĂ©rents contextes dâĂ©mergence. Tout au long de cette partie, je mets en Ă©vidence comment sont produits, articulĂ©s et lĂ©gitimĂ©s certains savoirs tout autant que comment sont mises en forme et en cause certaines des relations impliquant et liant humains et plus-quâhumains, et qui participent des multiples modes dâĂ©mergence de la saine alimentation, au QuĂ©bec.
Au sein de la culture alimentaire contemporaine, lâalimentation saine est rĂ©guliĂšrement rĂ©flĂ©chie et problĂ©matisĂ©e dans son rapport aux corps humains. La deuxiĂšme partie de la thĂšse prĂ©sente mon analyse de ce que jâai appelĂ© la culture alimentaire biomĂ©dicalisĂ©e, et tout particuliĂšrement des relations entre les corps, lâalimentation et la santĂ© quâelle concourt Ă produire. Jây mets en Ă©vidence comment la culture alimentaire contemporaine ne peut ĂȘtre rĂ©flĂ©chie sans considĂ©ration pour les discours healthists (Crawford, 1980) contemporains, qui informent les maniĂšres par lesquelles les corps sont mis en relation avec lâalimentation, Ă lâaulne de considĂ©rations pour la santĂ©. Jây mobilise les outils conceptuels proposĂ©s par Clarke et al. (2010) sur la biomĂ©dicalisation du champ social pour questionner comment lâalimentation et les corps sont mis en relation dans un contexte oĂč la santĂ© est un objectif moral et individuel Ă atteindre (Crawford, 1980; Lupton, 1997; Metzl et Kirkland, 2010). Jây critique comment la culture alimentaire biomĂ©dicalisĂ©e limite le type de relations qui peuvent prendre forme et ĂȘtre considĂ©rĂ©es entre lâalimentation et les corps, tout autant que les types de corps qui y sont produits et autorisĂ©s.
La troisiĂšme partie de la thĂšse sâintĂ©resse aux corps, humains comme plus-quâhumains, qui sont produits au sein de la culture alimentaire biomĂ©dicalisĂ©e tout autant quâaux rapports de pouvoir qui participent de leur production - diffĂ©renciĂ©e. Par « produire », jâentends notamment comment des corps se retrouvent discursivement dĂ©finis, encadrĂ©s, contrĂŽlĂ©s, etc.; Ă©valuĂ©s, caractĂ©risĂ©s, discriminĂ©s, exclus, stigmatisĂ©s; matĂ©riellement produits (leurs matĂ©rialitĂ©s corporelles, leur biologie, etc.). Je navigue ainsi entre diffĂ©rentes maniĂšres dâanalyser leur production tout autant quâentre diffĂ©rents types de corps qui y sont produits, Ă partir de rĂ©flexions (et de littĂ©ratures) qui les posent et les questionnent depuis des Ă©pistĂ©mologies variĂ©es.This PhD thesis presents, from a cultural studies perspective, a critical and situated (Haraway, 1988) exploration of Quebecâs contemporary food culture and of the various definitions of âhealthyâ food it produces and renders effective. More precisely, I analyse the power relationships that inform its development as well as those taking form and effectivity through the knowledge and practices constitutive of healthy food (and its multiple forms and modes of existence). Through critical analysis of the current Quebec food culture, I question the bodies, human and more-than-human ones, that are produced therein, and are differentiated by unequal power relationships. The analysis presented is the result of an embodied and dialogic ethnography following the methods of materials gathering and analysis suggested by Probyn (2016).
The thesis is separated into three distinct, but interrelated, parts. The first part explores Quebecâs food culture, in which I am fully immersed. This part presents the food culture and the knowledge, practices, and events that it contributes to creating, as well as the multiplicity of healthy food definitions that emerge within it, according to their various contexts of emergence. Throughout this part, I highlight how particular kinds of knowledge are produced, articulated and legitimated, as well as how relationships involving and linking humans and more-than-humans are produced and conveyed. I demonstrate how all of these processes participate in the multiple modes of emergence of healthy food in Quebec.
In the current food culture, healthy food is regularly thought and problematized in relationship to human bodies. The second part of the thesis presents my analysis of what I have called the biomedicalized food culture, attending especially to the relationships between bodies, food, and health it contributes to creating. I put at the forefront how the current food culture cannot be analysed without taking into account the contemporary âhealthistâ (Crawford, 1980) discourses that inform the manners by which bodies are put in relation to food, under health-oriented considerations. I mobilize the conceptual tools proposed by Clarke et al. (2010) on the biomedicalization of the social field to question how food and bodies are put in relation and problematized, in a context where health is a moral and individual objective to reach (Crawford, 1980; Lupton, 1997; Metzl et Kirkland, 2010). I criticize how the biomedicalized food culture limits the type of relationships that can take form and be considered between food and bodies, as well as the types of bodies that are produced and authorized.
The third part of the thesis is concerned with the bodies, human and more-than-human ones, that are produced within the biomedicalized food culture, as much as by the power relationships that participate in their production and differentiation. By âproduceâ, I mean among other things how bodies are discursively defined, framed, controlled, etc.; evaluated, characterized, discriminated, excluded, stigmatized; materially produced (their corporeal materialities, their biology, etc.). I navigate between different manners of analysing their production as much as I explore the different types of bodies that are produced, drawing on reflections (and literatures) that apprehend and question them from various epistemologies
Alimentation « saine » ? Saine pour qui ? Pour quoi ?
Lâauteure analyse la culture alimentaire contemporaine, au QuĂ©bec, de maniĂšre Ă questionner les rapports de pouvoir qui lâinforment et affectent notamment les corps humains comme plus-quâhumains qui y sont produits et les configurations particuliĂšrement de lâalimentation « saine ». La mĂ©thodologie dĂ©ployĂ©e pour la conduite de ce travail de recherche sâancre au cĆur des approches fĂ©ministes et est inspirĂ©e de la mĂ©thode ethnographique dialogique et incorporĂ©e.The author analyzes contemporary food culture in QuĂ©bec in order to question the power dynamics that inform that culture and turn human bodies into human-plus bodies, with a special focus on âhealthy eatingâ configurations. The methodology used for the research draws on approaches that are central to feminist studies and is inspired by dialogic and embodied ethnography.La autora analiza la cultura alimenticia contemporĂĄnea, en Quebec, cuestionando las relaciones de poder que informan y afectan particularmente el cuerpo humano, como sobrehumano que se producen y las configuraciones especialmente de la alimentaciĂłn âsanaâ. La metodologĂa empleada para la elaboraciĂłn de este trabajo de investigaciĂłn se centra en los enfoques feministas y se inspira del mĂ©todo etnogrĂĄfico dialĂłgico e incorporado
Analyse discursive et approche inductive : Justin Trudeau et les enjeux de pouvoir produisant le politicien célÚbre
Cet article porte sur la mĂ©thodologie utilisĂ©e dans le cadre dâun travail de recherche inspirĂ© des cultural studies qui visait Ă comprendre comment, par la reprĂ©sentation du politicien quĂ©bĂ©cois « cĂ©lĂšbre », se pose un ensemble dâenjeux de pouvoir qui permettent lâexistence et la circulation de certaines reprĂ©sentations particuliĂšres du politicien. Le cas de Justin Trudeau, fortement mĂ©diatisĂ© lors de la course Ă la chefferie du Parti libĂ©ral du Canada, sert dâexemple pour illustrer le propos. AprĂšs une brĂšve prĂ©sentation des principaux concepts qui sous-tendent lâensemble du projet de recherche, lâapproche inductive utilisĂ©e pour mener une analyse discursive est dĂ©taillĂ©e et illustrĂ©e, de la collecte Ă lâanalyse des donnĂ©es, en passant par les difficultĂ©s rencontrĂ©es et les stratĂ©gies mises en place pour permettre une meilleure appropriation de la dĂ©marche analytique. Les rĂ©sultats, ponctuĂ©s de rappels du rĂŽle jouĂ© par le processus inductif dans leur Ă©laboration, sont Ă©galement prĂ©sentĂ©s
Book Review | Deadly Biocultures: The Ethics of Life-making, by Nadine Ehlers and Shiloh Krupar (University of Minnesota Press, 2019)
Review of Deadly Biocultures: The Ethics of Life-Making, by Nadine Ehlers and Shiloh Krupa
Politique sur les saines habitudes de vie : analyse critique dâinitiatives publiques visant Ă corriger des inĂ©galitĂ©s en santĂ© Ă travers lâalimentation
Dans cet article, je propose une analyse discursive de la nouvelle Politique sur les saines habitudes de vie de lâarrondissement de MontrĂ©al-Nord (QuĂ©bec, Canada) et, plus largement, des enjeux et rapports de pouvoir qui la traversent et lâinforment. Lâanalyse met en Ă©vidence les normes, prĂ©supposĂ©s, et processus dâexclusion qui prennent forme au sein de la Politique. Dâabord, je mobilise les travaux issus des « critical fat studies » afin de dĂ©montrer comment cette politique sâinscrit dans la lignĂ©e des discours et pratiques « anti-obĂ©sité », favorisant ainsi lâĂ©mergence de formes dâoppression Ă lâintersection des corps, de lâalimentation et de la santĂ©. Je procĂšde ensuite Ă une analyse des discours hĂ©gĂ©moniques et normatifs qui traversent la Politique et font de lâalimentation « saine » (entendue selon des savoirs occidentaux informĂ©s par le nutritionnisme [Scrinis, 2013]) une solution Ă adopter dans la lutte contre lâobĂ©sitĂ© ou les maladies chroniques. Tout au long de lâarticle, je mets en Ă©vidence comment des politiques publiques peuvent reproduire des formes de discrimination et dâoppression qui se conjuguent Ă celles existant dĂ©jĂ , et dĂ©tourner lâattention des inĂ©galitĂ©s systĂ©miques et structurelles qui se matĂ©rialisent Ă la longue en troubles de santĂ©, actuellement associĂ©s Ă la diĂšte. Je termine en comparant briĂšvement cette politique avec le nouveau plan adoptĂ© par le Conseil alimentaire de Toronto (le Toronto Black Food Sovereignty Plan), qui reconnaĂźt le racisme systĂ©mique et son rĂŽle dans les troubles de santĂ© et dâaccĂšs Ă lâalimentation. Je discute certaines des orientations directrices de ce plan afin de mettre en Ă©vidence lâapproche distincte qui y est privilĂ©giĂ©e.In this article, I offer a discursive analysis of the new âHealthyâ Lifestyle Habits Policy from the MontrĂ©al-Nord borough (Quebec, Canada), and more specifically of the broader issues and power relationships that permeate and inform it. The analysis highlights the norms, assumptions, and processes of exclusion that take form within the Policy. First, I mobilize works in Critical Fat Studies to demonstrate how this Policy is in line with anti-obesity discourses and practices, fostering the emergence of forms of oppression at the intersection of bodies, food and health. I then carry out an analysis of the hegemonic and normative discourses that permeate the Policy and make âhealthyâ food (understood following Western knowledge informed by nutritionism [Scrinis, 2013]) a solution to adopt in the fight against obesity or chronic diseases. Throughout the article, I bring forward how public policies can contribute to reproducing forms of discrimination and oppression that combine with existing ones, and can shift attention from systemic and structural inequalities that materialize eventually in health issues currently associated with diet. I conclude by briefly contrasting this Policy with the new plan adopted by the Toronto Food Council (Toronto Black Food Sovereignty Plan) which recognizes systemic racism and its role in health issues and food access. I discuss some of the guiding orientations of this Plan to highlight the privileged approach
Une analyse critique des processus de production de corps genrés à travers la culture alimentaire biomédicalisée contemporaine, au Québec
Lâauteure prĂ©sente la façon dont des rapports de pouvoir genrĂ©s qui traversent la culture alimentaire biomĂ©dicalisĂ©e contemporaine, au QuĂ©bec, concourent Ă produire et Ă affecter des corps de femmes. Elle discute certaines des maniĂšres par lesquelles lâalimentation « saine » et ses pratiques associĂ©es deviennent le lieu de(re)production des fĂ©minitĂ©s et de rapports aux corps particuliers, de mĂȘme que le lieu dâĂ©mergence de pressions et de tensions liant des femmes Ă leur corps, Ă leur santĂ© et Ă celle dâautrui. Lâauteure explicite Ă©galement comment la culture alimentaire biomĂ©dicalisĂ©e contribue Ă la production dâune multitude de corps genrĂ©s diffĂ©renciĂ©s, selon des processus affectifs, discursifs et matĂ©riels interreliĂ©s.The author presents how gendered power relationships that permeate the contemporary biomedicalized food culture, in Quebec, participate in producing and affecting womenâs bodies in particular ways. She discusses how « healthy » food and its related practices become the site of (re)production of feminities and of associated relationships with bodies, as well as the site of emergence of pressures and tensions linking women to their body, their health and that of others. The author also addresses how the biomedicalized food culture contributes to the production of a multiplicity of differentiated gendered bodies, following interrelated affective, discursive and material processes.La autora presenta las formas en que las relaciones de poder de gĂ©nero que atraviesan la cultura alimentaria biomedicalizada contemporĂĄnea, en Quebec, contribuyen a producir y afectar los cuerpos de las mujeres. Analiza algunas de las formas en que la alimentaciĂłn « sana » y sus prĂĄcticas asociadas se convierten en ellugar de la (re)producciĂłn de feminidades y relaciones particulares con los cuerpos, asĂ como el lugar de apariciĂłn de presiones y tensiones que vinculan a las mujeres consus cuerpos, su salud y la de los demĂĄs. La autora tambiĂ©n explica cĂłmo la cultura alimentaria biomedicalizada contribuye a la producciĂłn de una multitud de cuerpos diferenciados por gĂ©nero segĂșn procesos afectivos, discursivos y materiales interrelacionados
La crĂ©ation dâun blogue alimentaire par un groupe dâaĂźné·e·s : la collectivisation de processus individualisants liĂ©s au âbien vieillirâ
In assuming a critical perspective, this article explores how injunctions encouraging âsuccessful ageingâ (Katz, 2013) are negotiated when they are intersected with those related to âeating wellâ (Vigneault, 2012). This âageing wellâ happens inter alia through the adoption of âhealthy dietary habitsâ and in the need to remain involved and active in society. This article follows the line of works in the field of cultural studies and critical gerontology which have questioned the injunction to âage wellâ in conÂnection with communication and culture (i.e., Sawchuk, 2013 ; Grenier/Valois-Nadeau, 2013). It proposes an analysis of the ways in which mediatization (Hepp, 2012) informs the activist practices of a community agency through the creation of a food blog. The analysis presented here is the fruit of research work carried out between May 2016 and May 2017, at which time the project for a blog was developed. It analyses how policy assumed form from there in three dimensions : an inclusion in digital culture through the acquisition of technological proficiencies, an increase in the groupâs visibility, as well as its mission, and a collective engagement generated by the socialization of its members, via the entire blog project. Food and the contemporary injunction to âage wellâ thus find themselves configured in a particular way, participating in collectivizing a normativity which otherwise tends to individualize the ageing process