Feminism, the Family and the New 'Mediated' Maternalism

This essay interrogates the emergence of a new moment in the unfolding of contemporary neoliberal hegemony which sees the political potential in creating strong connections with liberal feminism, updating this while also retaining some of its most salient features dating back to the mid to late 1970s. At the same time this process, which can be traced through the very contemporary entanglements of political culture, visual media and new social media, finds concretisation through the figure of the middle-class mother who is slim and youthful in appearance. This persona, whether in full time work or a ‘stay home Mum’ is accredited a more substantial professional status than was the case in the era of the ‘housewife’. With feminism ‘taken into account’ she is considered an equal partner in marriage and thus charged with making the right choices and decisions for her family needs. In this neoliberal version of past notions of ‘maternal citizenship’ a number of socio-political processes can be seen at work, she is compared favourably for her well-planned and healthy life in comparison to her less advantaged, low income, single parent counterparts. Her lifestyle and childcare choices mark a strong departure, indeed an entirely different trajectory to previous generations of mothers, who across the boundaries of class and ethnicity, benefited from a feminist post-war welfare ethos which regarded nursery provision for pre-school children, toddlers and indeed babies as a social good. And finally her presence and visibility in a number of campaigning and online organisations suggests a stronger class divide than was the case in the past and with this the eclipsing of the egalitarian principles of social democracy. The essay reflects on the film Revolutionary Road (2009) and the recent book by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg as conduits for this new ‘maternal- feminine’

Entrevista a Angela McRobbie : los estudios culturales y el imperativo de entender y explicar los cambios sociales

Angela McRobbie es socióloga y dirige el Departamento de Comunicación en Goldsmiths College, Universidad de Londres. En la actualidad, se encuentra entre las referentes más destacadas de los Estudios Culturales británicos. Ha publicado numerosos ensayos en revistas internacionales sobre problemáticas vinculadas con la juventud, los estilos musicales y los consumos culturales, así como ha indagado en los cambios sociales y políticos ocurridos desde los tiempos del thatcherismo. Entre sus libros, sobresalen: Postmodernism and Popular Culture (Routledge, 1994); Feminism and Youth Culture (Macmillan, 1994); Back to Reality? Social Experience and Cultural Studies (Manchester University Press, 1997); British Fashion Design (1998), In the Culture Society. Art, Fashion and Popular Music (Routledge, 1999) y compiló junto a Paul Gilroy y Lawrence Grossberg, Without Guarantees. In Honour of Stuart Hall (Verso, 2000), con motivo del retiro de éste de la Open University en 1997.Fil: McRobbie, Ángela

Reflections on Feminism and Immaterial labour

In the many articles and books written in recent years on the topics of precarious labour, immaterial and affective labour, all of which are understood within the over-arching frame of post-Fordist regimes of production, there is a failure to foreground gender, or indeed to knit gender and ethnicity into prevailing concerns with class and class struggle. I seek to rectify this by interrogating some of the influential work in this terrain. I draw attention to those accounts which have reflected on gender and on changes in how feminists and sociologists nowadays think about the question of women and employment. I ask the question, how integral is the participation of 'women' to the rise of post-Fordist production, and what kind of role do women, especially young women now play in the urban-based new culture industries? By prioritising gender I am also critiquing its invisibility in this current field of new radical political discourse associated with writers like Hardt and Virno (eds 1996) and Hardt and Negri (2000). I argue for a more historically informed perspective which pays attention to the micro-activities of earlier generations of feminists who were at the forefront of combining forms of job creation with political activity (eg women's book stores and publishing, youth-work or 'mädchenarbeit', child care and kinderladen) under the auspices of what would now be called 'social enterprise'

Our low-paid workers are our lifeline

On Wednesday 18th March, Angela McRobbie was admitted to hospital with what turned out to be COVID-19. Here she discusses her experiences of the virus, and pays tribute to those low paid workers who are at the forefront of efforts to tackle the pandemic

Inside the socialist nursery: welfare maternity and the writing of Denise Riley

This article considers Denise Riley's contribution to a feminist history of the British welfare state apparatus, with a focus on maternity and reproduction. Drawing attention to the inter-locking of historical method with the emergence of feminist theory, the article comments on the importance and originality of this encounter. There is also an abbreviated attempt to convey a line of argument subsequent to Riley's early work, with reference to the power of the vernacular language of the popular media as purveyor of morality and harsh judgement of women

The Mindful Researcher

Integrating mindfulness practice into scholarship may better support and develop emerging scholars. This reflection describes how regular mindfulness practice supported reflexivity, mindful presence, flexible thought, and valuable insights during field research. Equanimity, non-grasping orientation, humility, patience, and clarity are important skills and abilities for novice researchers to develop and apply. Interweaving mindfulness practice with research activities supported these skills and abilities to navigate a new role as researcher

The preparation of coordination compounds of rhodium III and some substituted pyridines

The purpose of this study, then, is to prepare and characterize the complexes produced by the reaction of these ligards with rhodium III chloride. Of particular interest will be the mode of bonding of the ligand to the metal ion. For the first two groups, the potential exists for bonding to the metal from different parts of the ligand molecule. Bridging and chelation are also possibilities. Examination of the infrared spectrum of each complex should produce information as to the position of bonding. For one complex of the aminopyridines an N.M.R. spectrum will be examined

Characterisation of genetic risk factors for mental illness in rodent models, impact of Map2k7+/- and Fxyd6-/- mice on neural systems and working memory

Even in wealthy and seemingly prosperous countries like the United Kingdom, the spectre of mental illness and psychiatric disorders remains highly prevalent. These disorders present a huge economic burden to societies, where in the UK alone, mental disorders cost the economy an estimated €134 billion a year; along with the unmeasurable societal and human costs. This has led to an intense debate over the past few decades just as to what factors contribute to these illnesses. It is now understood that a number of biological and non-biological factors contribute. These include socio-economic pressures, early-life trauma, gestational and peri-natal infections; genetic and familial factors, and molecular and cellular factors. However, while the definitions and diagnostic criteria of mental disorders remain based in the subjective realms of the DSM and ICD, treatment and understanding of psychiatric illness has had little chance to progress over the last fifty years. As a result, neuroscientists are starting to direct psychiatric disorder research from the bottom-up; where genetic, cognitive and neuroconnectivity factors are being investigated to serve as a future basis for diagnosis and treatment. One of the most complex and debilitating psychiatric disorders, schizophrenia, exhibits a complex array of genetic, cognitive and neuroconnectivity abnormalities. Current challenges in schizophrenia research is to understand how identified genetic abnormalities contribute to neuroconnectivity and cognitive impairments which are prominent in schizophrenia. Recently, genetic association studies have implicated two genes as risk factors for schizophrenia - FXYD6 and MAP2K7. Currently it is unclear exactly how these genes contribute to schizophrenia pathology, particularly cognitive symptoms and neural circuitry.;This thesis investigates these two genes by utilising two mouse models, first a heterozygous mouse line of Map2k7+/- and second, a gene knock-out line of Fxyd6-/-. MAP2K7 is a gene that expresses a kinase that is involved in the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, which is implicated in neuronal activity, receptor function, and cortical and hippocampal plasticity. Recent studies have found a decreased expression of MA2PK7 in the PFC, ACC and hippocampal regions in schizophrenia patients; regions associated with memory and decision making. A component of the cognitive profile of MAP2K7 was therefore investigated using Map2k7+/- mouse lines in a working memory paradigm in the radial arm maze. This test is known as the n-back test or the retention interval test. For the first time this investigation reveals that Map2k7+/- mice exhibit a subtle yet significant spatial working memory deficit compared to WT mice; as judged by their average performance over the whole experiment. WT mice exhibited an overall average performance of 70% and MAP2K7+/- mice 66% (p<0.001). This indicates that MAP2K7 may play a subtle role in working memory function in rodents, and may represent a component of the aberrations in the genetic architecture that gives rise to working memory impairments in psychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia. This experiment also backs up previous evidence for this radial arm maze paradigm as a robust behavioural test for testing rodent working memory.;FXYD6 belongs to a group of proteins that are known to be involved in modulating NaKATPase activity. Previously, NaKATPase has been associated with bipolar disorder and depression, but has now also been implicated in schizophrenia. Previous studies have found that FXYD6 is also abnormally expressed in the PFC of schizophrenia patients, and therefore may contribute to the cognate symptoms of the disorder. This experiment, therefore, investigated how Fxyd6 contributes to local brain activation, particularly in neural systems relevant to cognition, using gene knockout Fxyd6-/- mouse models and semi quantitative 2DG autoradiographic imaging. Three regions showed a significant deviation in activity in Fxyd6-/- mice compared to WT mice. The subiculum, medial septum and lateral septum all exhibited significant reductions in activity in Fxyd6-/- mice compared to WT mice. Notably the subiculum is heavily implicated with memory functions, particularly working memory and disambiguation of previously learned memory. Indicating a possible role for FXYD6 and NaKATPase in working memory processing and memory disambiguation in the subiculum. Finally, the role of glutamate in relation to FXYD6 function and brain activity was assessed by administering the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine and analysing regional brain activity using semi quantitative 2DG autoradiographic imaging. Generally, regions which were affected by ketamine in WT mice including PFC, thalamic and septal regions, were not affected in Fxyd6-/- mice. It is hypothesized that this may be down to a compensatory effect that knocking-out Fxyd6 may have on glutamate reuptake. Because NaKATPase is involved in glutamate reuptake into glia and neurons, the blockage of NMDA receptors may have less effect due to a reduction in glutamate reuptake, and therefore higher than normal postsynaptic glutamate concentrations. In conclusion, this investigation highlights two genes which may have roles in working memory functioning and neural circuitry that contribute to cognitive processes. While the evidence from this investigation does not explicitly associate these genes with symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders; the evidence does provide indication that they are involved in cognitive processes in rodents, and possibly humans. This investigation provides an interesting path of investigation for the potential roles of these genes regardless of their relationship to psychiatric disorders and will inform future research into the genetic architecture of neural circuits and cognition.Even in wealthy and seemingly prosperous countries like the United Kingdom, the spectre of mental illness and psychiatric disorders remains highly prevalent. These disorders present a huge economic burden to societies, where in the UK alone, mental disorders cost the economy an estimated €134 billion a year; along with the unmeasurable societal and human costs. This has led to an intense debate over the past few decades just as to what factors contribute to these illnesses. It is now understood that a number of biological and non-biological factors contribute. These include socio-economic pressures, early-life trauma, gestational and peri-natal infections; genetic and familial factors, and molecular and cellular factors. However, while the definitions and diagnostic criteria of mental disorders remain based in the subjective realms of the DSM and ICD, treatment and understanding of psychiatric illness has had little chance to progress over the last fifty years. As a result, neuroscientists are starting to direct psychiatric disorder research from the bottom-up; where genetic, cognitive and neuroconnectivity factors are being investigated to serve as a future basis for diagnosis and treatment. One of the most complex and debilitating psychiatric disorders, schizophrenia, exhibits a complex array of genetic, cognitive and neuroconnectivity abnormalities. Current challenges in schizophrenia research is to understand how identified genetic abnormalities contribute to neuroconnectivity and cognitive impairments which are prominent in schizophrenia. Recently, genetic association studies have implicated two genes as risk factors for schizophrenia - FXYD6 and MAP2K7. Currently it is unclear exactly how these genes contribute to schizophrenia pathology, particularly cognitive symptoms and neural circuitry.;This thesis investigates these two genes by utilising two mouse models, first a heterozygous mouse line of Map2k7+/- and second, a gene knock-out line of Fxyd6-/-. MAP2K7 is a gene that expresses a kinase that is involved in the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, which is implicated in neuronal activity, receptor function, and cortical and hippocampal plasticity. Recent studies have found a decreased expression of MA2PK7 in the PFC, ACC and hippocampal regions in schizophrenia patients; regions associated with memory and decision making. A component of the cognitive profile of MAP2K7 was therefore investigated using Map2k7+/- mouse lines in a working memory paradigm in the radial arm maze. This test is known as the n-back test or the retention interval test. For the first time this investigation reveals that Map2k7+/- mice exhibit a subtle yet significant spatial working memory deficit compared to WT mice; as judged by their average performance over the whole experiment. WT mice exhibited an overall average performance of 70% and MAP2K7+/- mice 66% (p<0.001). This indicates that MAP2K7 may play a subtle role in working memory function in rodents, and may represent a component of the aberrations in the genetic architecture that gives rise to working memory impairments in psychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia. This experiment also backs up previous evidence for this radial arm maze paradigm as a robust behavioural test for testing rodent working memory.;FXYD6 belongs to a group of proteins that are known to be involved in modulating NaKATPase activity. Previously, NaKATPase has been associated with bipolar disorder and depression, but has now also been implicated in schizophrenia. Previous studies have found that FXYD6 is also abnormally expressed in the PFC of schizophrenia patients, and therefore may contribute to the cognate symptoms of the disorder. This experiment, therefore, investigated how Fxyd6 contributes to local brain activation, particularly in neural systems relevant to cognition, using gene knockout Fxyd6-/- mouse models and semi quantitative 2DG autoradiographic imaging. Three regions showed a significant deviation in activity in Fxyd6-/- mice compared to WT mice. The subiculum, medial septum and lateral septum all exhibited significant reductions in activity in Fxyd6-/- mice compared to WT mice. Notably the subiculum is heavily implicated with memory functions, particularly working memory and disambiguation of previously learned memory. Indicating a possible role for FXYD6 and NaKATPase in working memory processing and memory disambiguation in the subiculum. Finally, the role of glutamate in relation to FXYD6 function and brain activity was assessed by administering the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine and analysing regional brain activity using semi quantitative 2DG autoradiographic imaging. Generally, regions which were affected by ketamine in WT mice including PFC, thalamic and septal regions, were not affected in Fxyd6-/- mice. It is hypothesized that this may be down to a compensatory effect that knocking-out Fxyd6 may have on glutamate reuptake. Because NaKATPase is involved in glutamate reuptake into glia and neurons, the blockage of NMDA receptors may have less effect due to a reduction in glutamate reuptake, and therefore higher than normal postsynaptic glutamate concentrations. In conclusion, this investigation highlights two genes which may have roles in working memory functioning and neural circuitry that contribute to cognitive processes. While the evidence from this investigation does not explicitly associate these genes with symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders; the evidence does provide indication that they are involved in cognitive processes in rodents, and possibly humans. This investigation provides an interesting path of investigation for the potential roles of these genes regardless of their relationship to psychiatric disorders and will inform future research into the genetic architecture of neural circuits and cognition