The Marginalized Majority

Singleness is a lived experience common to all human beings, regardless of gender, class, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. The author proposes that singleness no longer be perceived as a «retroactive» condition, but as a universal experience that serves as a starting point for understanding human development.

This book presents a cultural analysis of social discourses and lived experiences of single women, a demographic category that census figures indicate to be the statistical «norm» in the United States and Canada and yet, it remains a group that largely sees itself as marginalized. While singleness and other forms of non-normative lifestyles have been gaining interest from academics and society at large, a distinct commitment to female singleness studies has yet to emerge. Each chapter looks at distinct features of social constructions of female singleness and/or lived experiences of single women, and textual analyses and cultural critiques are used to develop a richer investigation of the data. The theoretical framework is grounded in a cultural analysis, not only using the concepts thematically to more clearly understand the data, but also calling into question the utility of the concepts themselves.

Autorentext

Kristie Collins is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Tsukuba, where she teaches Gender Studies, Literature, and Intercultural Communication. Her degrees include a B.A. in Canadian tudies and Drama from York University, an M.A. in TEFL/TESL from the University of Birmingham, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Tsukuba.

Inhalt

Contents: Mediated Singleness Singular Identification Sex OUTSIDE the City Life Course.