Description
Book SynopsisMothers have consistently relied upon one another for guidance and support as they navigate the difficult world of parenting. For many women, the increasingly established online community of “mommyblogs” now provides a source of camaraderie and support that acknowledges both the work of mothering and the implications of its undertaking. Beyond their capacity to entertain, how have mommyblogs shifted our understanding of twenty-first-century motherhood?
In examining the content of hundreds of mommyblogs, May Friedman considers the ways that online maternal life writing provides a front row seat to some of the most raw, offbeat, and engaging portraits of motherhood imaginable. Focusing on the composition of the “mamasphere” and on mommyblogs’ emphasis on connection, Friedman reveals the changing face of contemporary motherhood – one less concerned with the proscriptions of what good mothers should do, and more invested in what diverse mothers
Trade Review
'There are too many gems here that are worth your while. The new and, for me, very original concepts are sprinkled around like jewels, and they make reading the book worth your time and trouble.' 'Mommyblogs is a dream of good scholarship.' -- Lolita Lark Ralph: Review of Art, Literature, Philosophy, and Humanities, number 243: Fall 2013 'Informative and readable volume... Mother's stories interspersed throughout the work help make the world of mommyblogging come alive. The authors' theoretical reflections add further value - especially for researchers, and for college instructors who teach courses in gender, family, or parenting.' -- R. LaRossa CHOICE Magazine; vol 50:11:2013
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction The Emergence of Networked Communication and the Birth of Blogs Mommyblogs: The Term Why Do Mothers Blog? What Mommyblogs Offer: The Theoretical Frameworks Limitations of the Genre: The Digital Divide Authenticity: Do Mommyblogs Tell the Truth? About This Book Chapter 2: A Short History of the Mamasphere and the Discursive Construction of Motherhood How Blogging Happens Creation of the Mamasphere How Do We Read Mommyblogs? Life Writing Theory: The "Self-in-the-Writing" Chapter 3: On Hybridity: The Diversity and Multiplicity of the Mamasphere Motherhood from the Margins: The Need for Diverse Motherhood Stories Transnationalism and Hybridity: Gaza Mom Mainstream Black motherhood: The Young Mommy Life Motherhood and Ethnicity: Devis with Babies Mothering and Power: The Dominatrix Next Door Anonymity: The Renegade Rebbetzin Gender and Normativity: Transgender Mom and Unwellness Contradictory and Convergent Motherhoods: Fannfare and Friday Playdate Hybridity and Advocacy: Dream Mom and Live from the Wang of America Interrupting Good Motherhood: Peter's Cross Station and Any Mommy Out There? Writing from the Centre: Starbloggers and Hybridity Why Does Hybridity Matter? What Does Hybridity Offer? Chapter 4: On the Cyborg: Dialogism, and Collective Stories The Cyborg Mother Relationality "Whuffie": Popular Mommybloggers On Temporality The Multidimensional Cyborg: The Mamasphere's Collective Mother Chapter 5: On Queer: A Liminal and Unfixed Motherhood History of Queer Theory Illuminating the Queer Mother Changing the Subject: Destabilizing Individuality From "Mother" to "Mothering" Queering the Kids: Mommyblogging and Privacy Making the Queer Shift Chapter 6: Conclusions Precariousness of the Medium Monetization and a Changing Voice Moving Forward Appendix A: List of blogs selected for primary research References
