An Exploration of the Impacts and Influences of Consumer Capitalism on Young Women and Their Identity: Critical Criminology within the Cultural Boundaries of Social Media.

Abstract

The thesis explores the implications of neoliberalism on Western consumer capitalism, specifically emphasising an analysis of consumer capitalism within the cultural boundaries of social media, to unveil the social harms and injustices which impact and influence young women and their identity. By conducting a feminist analysis of the existing body of literature surrounding neoliberalism, feminism and consumerism, the thesis highlights the need to examine the dominant and repressive social practices that seemingly radiate across the cultural boundaries of social media and in turn, reveal some of the discursive and inherently real-world impacts, influences and harms inflicted upon young women and their identity. The research disseminates qualitative data informed by focus groups conducted in schools and sixth forms across Merseyside with young people aged between 14 and 19, and individual semi-structured interviews conducted via online video-call applications with young women between the ages of 16 and 19. By adopting a feminist methodological and epistemological position, the research examines how neoliberal ideologies in consumerism are transmitted through discursive practices on social media and thus, socially define and harm young women and their identities. From this, the thesis provides an original contribution to knowledge as it moves away from the current literature’s context in leisure studies, cultural studies, political science, or gender studies, and instead, towards the adoption of a critical criminological position observed through a feminist lens. By adopting this transformative approach, a critical ontological position was assumed, and the thesis was able to offer a unique and sophisticated understanding of the nexus between young women, capitalist consumerism embedded in social media, and the associated social harms and injustices.

Date of Award	14 Jun 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Edge Hill University
Supervisor	ELEANOR PETERS (Director of Studies) & ANNA BUSSU (Supervisor)