Regional debate 1: Women and the media representation of the their work
Place: South- Eastern Europe University (SEEU) in Tetovo, Macedonia
Date: 26.06.2007
Time: 11.00 – 13.00 h


Context:
Media images definitely represent objects of not only desire and idealization, but also of identification and idealization. This concerns the imagery of commercials just as much as other media images, and definitely requires critical analysis. How do these images effect the notion of gendering cultural gaze – “the ‘unapprehensible’ agency through which we are socially ratified or negated as spectacle? How do they affect the looks exchanged in face-to-face encounters and in our practices of everyday life? How is the cultural “screen,” the repertory of imaginable and realizable images produced and how does it function in terms of the production of ideal images, which are provided for us as images for identification? What kinds of representations are culturally possible and intelligible at certain historical moments? How can we challenge the normative, make gender trouble, with and through commercials? Can advertising participate in the formation of images and self-images that represent passable, sufficient gender ideas, images that do mot even strive to achieve ideals?
Women themselves have been divided on the best route to improving representation. This is crudely summed up as the tension between claims for representation made on the basis of equality and those made on the basis of difference. The equality route stresses women's entitlement to be in civil life on the same terms and in the same numbers as men. Here, women must play by the rules of the (male) game, and win. This would suggest that women's claims to representation, if successful, will effectively turn them into 'political men'. A difference position would imply that, in sufficient numbers, the presence of women representatives will change the practice and nature of civil life - i.e. the need to change the rules of the game rather than simply play it as successfully as men do. These ideas, often seen as working in opposition, are actually deeply intertwined.
Altering the way civil life runs presents a much more complex challenge.
And how does this all connect to the viability of masculine female positions in the realm of the media? Let’s see.

Gender Role Portrayal Code for Media Texts: powerful man and the sexualised woman in the regional media context
(Mr. Bobi Badarevski, researcher / analyst)

The right of women to be female without a fear that they will lose in the competition with a men in a men’s world
(Ms. Kamelija Sojlevska, SEEU, Tetovo, Macedonia)

Rethinking Gender: Rethinking Media Power: Rethinking Social Change
(Ms. Biljana Sazdanovska, SEEU, Tetovo, Macedonia)

Media and family images: which type of family organization is most present?
(Ms. Lindita Kadriu, SEEU, Tetovo, Macedonia)

Дебата: Жените и медиумската репрезентација на нивната работа

Датум: 26.06.2007
Место: Универзитет на Југо-источна Европа, Тетово, LH1 Амфитеатар
Почеток: 11:00 – 13:00 ч

Теми на дискусија:
Кодот на родовите улоги во медиумските текстови: моќниот маж и сексуализираната жена во регионалниот медиумски контекст
(воведничар: Г-дин Боби Бадаревски, истражувач)

Правото на жената да биде жена без страв дека ќе изгуби во битката со мажот во машкиот свет
(воведничар: Г-а Камелија Шојлевска, ЈИЕ Универзитет, Тетово)

Реконцептуализирање на родот: Реконцептуализирање на моќта на медиумите: Реконцептуализирање на социјалната промена
(воведничар: Г-а Билјана Саздановска, ЈИЕ Универзитет, Тетово)

Медиумите и сликите за семејството: кој тип на семејство е најприсутен?
(воведничар: Г-а Линдита Кадриу, ЈИЕ Универзитет, Тетово)