Paige Edley

The purpose of this project is to illustrate how the cultural practice of discursive essentializing in a woman-owned and operated business accomplished simultaneous agendas of power and resistance. Utilizing Foucault’s (1980) conceptualization of power and resistance and Fuss’s (1989) and Spivak’s (1988) views of essentializing as a political move, the author illustrates how the performance of gendered stereotypes, rather than having expected negative consequences, allowed organizational members to suppress conflict and to reproduce the owners’ concept of the ideal workplace for women. The women’s essentializing discourse created a community of support, flexibility, and loyalty while simultaneously suppressing dissent and strategically subordinating the employees’ interests to the owners to achieve larger goals for themselves in the long term.

Kevin B. Wright (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma) is Professor in Communication at the University of Oklahoma. His research examines interpersonal communication, social support related to health outcomes, and computer-mediated relationships. He coauthored Health Communication in the 21st Century, and his research appears in over 45 book chapters and journal articles, including the Journal of Communication, Communication Monographs, the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Communication Quarterly Journal of Applied Communication Research, Health Communication, and the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Lynne M. Webb (Ph.D., University of Oregon) is Professor in Communication at the University of Arkansas. She previously served as a tenured faculty member at the Universities of Florida and Memphis. Her research examines young adults\u27 interpersonal communication in romantic and family contexts. Her research appears in over 50 essays published in scholarly journals and edited volumes, including computers in Human Behavior, Communication Education, Health Communication, and Journal of Family Communication. --Book Jacket

Kevin B. Wright (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma) is Professor in Communication at the University of Oklahoma. His research examines interpersonal communication, social support related to health outcomes, and computer-mediated relationships. He coauthored Health Communication in the 21st Century, and his research appears in over 45 book chapters and journal articles, including the Journal of Communication, Communication Monographs, the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Communication Quarterly Journal of Applied Communication Research, Health Communication, and the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Lynne M. Webb (Ph.D., University of Oregon) is Professor in Communication at the University of Arkansas. She previously served as a tenured faculty member at the Universities of Florida and Memphis. Her research examines young adults\u27 interpersonal communication in romantic and family contexts. Her research appears in over 50 essays published in scholarly journals and edited volumes, including computers in Human Behavior, Communication Education, Health Communication, and Journal of Family Communication. --Book Jacket

The purpose of this project is to illustrate how the cultural practice of discursive essentializing in a woman-owned and operated business accomplished simultaneous agendas of power and resistance. Utilizing Foucault’s (1980) conceptualization of power and resistance and Fuss’s (1989) and Spivak’s (1988) views of essentializing as a political move, the author illustrates how the performance of gendered stereotypes, rather than having expected negative consequences, allowed organizational members to suppress conflict and to reproduce the owners’ concept of the ideal workplace for women. The women’s essentializing discourse created a community of support, flexibility, and loyalty while simultaneously suppressing dissent and strategically subordinating the employees’ interests to the owners to achieve larger goals for themselves in the long term.