The Representation of Girls and Women in Corporate-Led Development: A Critical Discourse Analysis of The Girl Effect Campaign and The 5by20 Project
(2024) SIMZ31 20241Graduate School
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Abstract
At face value, Nike’s Girl Effect campaign and Coke’s 5by20 project appear promising, with no potential complexities or ambiguities. However, analysts of corporate-led development have argued that such approaches to development draw on colonial stereotypes of girls and women as sexually and culturally constrained. This thesis aims to investigate these representations of girls and women in the Girl Effect campaign and the 5by20 project. It delves into the language and visuals utilised by Nike and Coke in their quest for empowerment and gender equality. Considering that corporate-led development, especially women’s empowerment, has been a site of contention and debate, this research aims to contribute to the ongoing debate... (More) - Abstract
At face value, Nike’s Girl Effect campaign and Coke’s 5by20 project appear promising, with no potential complexities or ambiguities. However, analysts of corporate-led development have argued that such approaches to development draw on colonial stereotypes of girls and women as sexually and culturally constrained. This thesis aims to investigate these representations of girls and women in the Girl Effect campaign and the 5by20 project. It delves into the language and visuals utilised by Nike and Coke in their quest for empowerment and gender equality. Considering that corporate-led development, especially women’s empowerment, has been a site of contention and debate, this research aims to contribute to the ongoing debate regarding women’s representation in women’s empowerment initiatives and its impact on existing societal norms. To achieve this, Fairclough’s (1992) three-dimensional model is used as a framework for interpreting the discourses of the Girl Effect campaign and the 5by20 project. Postcolonial theory and postcolonial feminist theory were employed to supplement the analysis, especially the third dimension (social practice). The findings show that girls and women from the global south are portrayed as passive victims in need of aid, like in previous discourses. This puts girls and women together as a single monolithic group experiencing poverty in the same way. (Less) - Popular Abstract
- This thesis addresses the representation of girls and women in Nike’s Girl Effect campaign and Coke’s 5by20 project. Though they seem promising, some sceptics believe that they rely on old-fashioned ideas about girls and women. The business case for women's economic empowerment promises to improve the lives of women and girls through job creation. However, despite this promise, most women and girls in the global south remain predominantly marginalised and unemployed. Their new status as 'smart economics' has met with scepticism as to corporation's ability to end poverty and inequality Especially with the role the world's most influential business corporations play in development in the name of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The... (More)
- This thesis addresses the representation of girls and women in Nike’s Girl Effect campaign and Coke’s 5by20 project. Though they seem promising, some sceptics believe that they rely on old-fashioned ideas about girls and women. The business case for women's economic empowerment promises to improve the lives of women and girls through job creation. However, despite this promise, most women and girls in the global south remain predominantly marginalised and unemployed. Their new status as 'smart economics' has met with scepticism as to corporation's ability to end poverty and inequality Especially with the role the world's most influential business corporations play in development in the name of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The Nike Foundation’s Girl Effect campaign and Coca-Cola’s 5by20 project are two such initiatives that have been widely praised and criticised for their approach to empowering girls and women in the global south. This study examines how Nike and Coke portray girls and women and how that impacts power relations. The research uses Fairclough’s (1992) three-dimensional model as a framework for interpreting the discourses of the Girl Effect campaign and the 5by20 project. Postcolonial theory and postcolonial feminist theory were employed to supplement the analysis, especially the third dimension (social practice). The findings show that girls and women from the global south are portrayed as passive victims in need of aid, like in previous discourses. This puts girls and women together as a single monolithic group experiencing poverty in the same way. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9169185
- author
- Mohammed, Zenat LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SIMZ31 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- CSR, Girl Effect, 5by20, Women Empowerment, Gender Equality, Development, Smart Economics
- language
- English
- id
- 9169185
- date added to LUP
- 2024-11-14 08:55:26
- date last changed
- 2024-11-14 08:55:26
@misc{9169185,
abstract = {{Abstract
At face value, Nike’s Girl Effect campaign and Coke’s 5by20 project appear promising, with no potential complexities or ambiguities. However, analysts of corporate-led development have argued that such approaches to development draw on colonial stereotypes of girls and women as sexually and culturally constrained. This thesis aims to investigate these representations of girls and women in the Girl Effect campaign and the 5by20 project. It delves into the language and visuals utilised by Nike and Coke in their quest for empowerment and gender equality. Considering that corporate-led development, especially women’s empowerment, has been a site of contention and debate, this research aims to contribute to the ongoing debate regarding women’s representation in women’s empowerment initiatives and its impact on existing societal norms. To achieve this, Fairclough’s (1992) three-dimensional model is used as a framework for interpreting the discourses of the Girl Effect campaign and the 5by20 project. Postcolonial theory and postcolonial feminist theory were employed to supplement the analysis, especially the third dimension (social practice). The findings show that girls and women from the global south are portrayed as passive victims in need of aid, like in previous discourses. This puts girls and women together as a single monolithic group experiencing poverty in the same way.}},
author = {{Mohammed, Zenat}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The Representation of Girls and Women in Corporate-Led Development: A Critical Discourse Analysis of The Girl Effect Campaign and The 5by20 Project}},
year = {{2024}},
}