“A Way of Living”Representations of Homeownership in LIFE Magazine
“A Way of Living”
Representations of Homeownership in LIFE Magazine
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DissertationDate of Exam
24.05.2017Date of Publication
21.09.2017Advisor
Sielke, SabineCo-Referee
Schäfer-Wünsche, ElisabethMetadata
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Abstract
This dissertation examines the ways in which homeownership ideology was projected, regulated and constructed by LIFE Magazine and how this compared with other homeownership ideologies (or projected lifestyles) of its time (1936 – 1972). For a better understanding of how LIFE constructed its representations, this study also incorporates other sources such as literature, advertisements and articles from other magazines and newspapers.
Overall, American society underwent a range of transformative processes between the 1930s and 1970s, which found their way into the ideological constructions of homeownership. This thesis illustrates how projections of homeownership within LIFE “fleshed out” myths and values that shape the nation’s social and cultural hierarchy such as race, class, and gender. Therefore, this analysis of representations of homeownership within LIFE includes an in-depth discussion of U.S.-American constructions of race, class, and gender. Class, in particular, plays an important role in this analysis, focusing in particular on Thorstein Veblen’s concept of “conspicuous consumption”.
Much has happened and much has changed to and within American society since LIFE published its last issue. Yet, as found within this dissertation, there are certain parallels between representations of homeownership within LIFE and representations of homeownership today. In conclusion, this means that looking at representations of homeownership in LIFE Magazine does not only provide insights into that particular era’s cultural discourse. Rather, the ways in which homeownership was projected within LIFE – either as a condensation of symbols and messages formulated elsewhere or created by the magazine’s editorial staff – have survived even the latest economic downturn and remain in place. Within its conclusion, this dissertation illustrates how these representations, therefore, make up the foundation of modern-day U.S homeownership ideology.
Overall, American society underwent a range of transformative processes between the 1930s and 1970s, which found their way into the ideological constructions of homeownership. This thesis illustrates how projections of homeownership within LIFE “fleshed out” myths and values that shape the nation’s social and cultural hierarchy such as race, class, and gender. Therefore, this analysis of representations of homeownership within LIFE includes an in-depth discussion of U.S.-American constructions of race, class, and gender. Class, in particular, plays an important role in this analysis, focusing in particular on Thorstein Veblen’s concept of “conspicuous consumption”.
Much has happened and much has changed to and within American society since LIFE published its last issue. Yet, as found within this dissertation, there are certain parallels between representations of homeownership within LIFE and representations of homeownership today. In conclusion, this means that looking at representations of homeownership in LIFE Magazine does not only provide insights into that particular era’s cultural discourse. Rather, the ways in which homeownership was projected within LIFE – either as a condensation of symbols and messages formulated elsewhere or created by the magazine’s editorial staff – have survived even the latest economic downturn and remain in place. Within its conclusion, this dissertation illustrates how these representations, therefore, make up the foundation of modern-day U.S homeownership ideology.
Classification (DDC)
810 Englische Literatur AmerikasWächter, Fenna: “A Way of Living” : Representations of Homeownership in LIFE Magazine. - Bonn, 2017. - Dissertation, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn.
Online-Ausgabe in bonndoc: https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hbz:5-48626
Online-Ausgabe in bonndoc: https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hbz:5-48626
@phdthesis{handle:20.500.11811/7073,
urn: https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hbz:5-48626,
author = {{Fenna Wächter}},
title = {“A Way of Living” : Representations of Homeownership in LIFE Magazine},
school = {Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn},
year = 2017,
month = sep,
note = {This dissertation examines the ways in which homeownership ideology was projected, regulated and constructed by LIFE Magazine and how this compared with other homeownership ideologies (or projected lifestyles) of its time (1936 – 1972). For a better understanding of how LIFE constructed its representations, this study also incorporates other sources such as literature, advertisements and articles from other magazines and newspapers.
Overall, American society underwent a range of transformative processes between the 1930s and 1970s, which found their way into the ideological constructions of homeownership. This thesis illustrates how projections of homeownership within LIFE “fleshed out” myths and values that shape the nation’s social and cultural hierarchy such as race, class, and gender. Therefore, this analysis of representations of homeownership within LIFE includes an in-depth discussion of U.S.-American constructions of race, class, and gender. Class, in particular, plays an important role in this analysis, focusing in particular on Thorstein Veblen’s concept of “conspicuous consumption”.
Much has happened and much has changed to and within American society since LIFE published its last issue. Yet, as found within this dissertation, there are certain parallels between representations of homeownership within LIFE and representations of homeownership today. In conclusion, this means that looking at representations of homeownership in LIFE Magazine does not only provide insights into that particular era’s cultural discourse. Rather, the ways in which homeownership was projected within LIFE – either as a condensation of symbols and messages formulated elsewhere or created by the magazine’s editorial staff – have survived even the latest economic downturn and remain in place. Within its conclusion, this dissertation illustrates how these representations, therefore, make up the foundation of modern-day U.S homeownership ideology.},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11811/7073}
}
urn: https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hbz:5-48626,
author = {{Fenna Wächter}},
title = {“A Way of Living” : Representations of Homeownership in LIFE Magazine},
school = {Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn},
year = 2017,
month = sep,
note = {This dissertation examines the ways in which homeownership ideology was projected, regulated and constructed by LIFE Magazine and how this compared with other homeownership ideologies (or projected lifestyles) of its time (1936 – 1972). For a better understanding of how LIFE constructed its representations, this study also incorporates other sources such as literature, advertisements and articles from other magazines and newspapers.
Overall, American society underwent a range of transformative processes between the 1930s and 1970s, which found their way into the ideological constructions of homeownership. This thesis illustrates how projections of homeownership within LIFE “fleshed out” myths and values that shape the nation’s social and cultural hierarchy such as race, class, and gender. Therefore, this analysis of representations of homeownership within LIFE includes an in-depth discussion of U.S.-American constructions of race, class, and gender. Class, in particular, plays an important role in this analysis, focusing in particular on Thorstein Veblen’s concept of “conspicuous consumption”.
Much has happened and much has changed to and within American society since LIFE published its last issue. Yet, as found within this dissertation, there are certain parallels between representations of homeownership within LIFE and representations of homeownership today. In conclusion, this means that looking at representations of homeownership in LIFE Magazine does not only provide insights into that particular era’s cultural discourse. Rather, the ways in which homeownership was projected within LIFE – either as a condensation of symbols and messages formulated elsewhere or created by the magazine’s editorial staff – have survived even the latest economic downturn and remain in place. Within its conclusion, this dissertation illustrates how these representations, therefore, make up the foundation of modern-day U.S homeownership ideology.},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11811/7073}
}
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