A Woman's Way Through Times of Social Change

Abstract

This study attempts to track the images and representations of mature women in a long-running Irish women's magazine: Woman's Way, from its inception in 1963, to 1990. In my research I am interested to find out whether these representations have been consistent over the years, or if there are signs of change with time. What do the representations tell us about norms of femininity in a youth and beauty culture? Are older women taken seriously? What do articles tell us about their role/place in Irish society? Is age appreciated for its wisdom, or as something to be hidden away? In attempt to answer these questions, I am carrying out a detailed content analysis, looking at visual images of and references to older women within the magazine.