From Cynical to Curious : En studie av Miranda Hobbes karaktärsutveckling från Sex and the City till And just like that...

Sammanfattning

This study examines the representation of gender identity and sexuality through the character Miranda Hobbes in the television series Sex and the City (1998-2004) and And Just Like That… (2021-2025). The aim is to analyse how Miranda’s portrayal reflects and/or challenges feminist discourses within postfeminism and fourth-wave feminism. The study adopts a qualitative approach and applies a critical discourse analysis to selected scenes from both series. The analysis of Miranda's representation is based on Butler’s theory of Performativity whereas Foucault’s Discourse Theory is used to analyse how discourses within postfeminism and fourth-wave feminism are produced, reproduced and challenged in popular culture. The results show that Miranda’s portrayal of gender identity and sexuality reflects the dominant feminist discourses of each series. In Sex and the City, she largely embodies postfeminism ideals such as individualisation and empowerment while also challenging beauty norms of the time. In And Just Like That…, her character still acts within postfeminist discourses while also demonstrating fourth-wave feminist discourses, including intersectionality, LGBTQ+ rights and renewed traditional femininity. The study demonstrates how popular culture can be used to reinforce, renegotiate and challenge shifting feminist discourses over time.