Chapter One Introduction 1
1.1 Context of the problem 1
1.2 Significance of the present study 3
1.3 Objectives of the present study 4
1.4 Definition of identity in the study 5
1.4.1 Gender identity 6
1.4.2 Consumer identity 7
1.4.3 Identity in the study 8
1.5 Outline 8
Chapter Two Literature Review 10
2.1 Introduction 10
2.2 Studies under the framework of"gender difference" 11
2.2.1 Early studies 11
2.2.2 The"deficit"approach 12
2.2.3 The"dominance"approach 17
2.2.4 The"cultural-difference"approach to gender and language 20
2.2.5 Summary 22
2.3 Studies under the framework of"gender diversity" 23
2.3.1 Studies of gender as performative 24
2.3.2 Studies of gendered linguistic performances in different local context:Gender positioned in a continually shifting range 26
2.3.3 Studies of gender in a community of practice:Gender as the membership in the community 28
2.3.4 Summary 28
2.4 Feminist studies of women's magazines 29
2.4.1 Early studies 29
2.4.2 Studies under the Althusserian framework 30
2.4.3 Studies under the Gramscian framework 31
2.4.4 Studies under the postmodernist framework 33
2.4.5 Summary 34
2.5 Summary 35
Chapter Three Theoretical Framework and Analytical Tools 36
3.1 Introduction 36
3.2 Theoretical framework for gender identity analysis 36
3.2.1 Feminist stylistics and a feminist model of text 37
3.2.2 The framework of SFL 39
3.2.3 The systemic functional model for gender identity analysis 43
3.3 Analytical tools for gender identity analysis 45
3.3.1 Analysis of representation of social actions 45
3.3.2 Analysis of representation of social actors 53
Chapter Four Research Methodology 59
4.1 Introduction 59
4.2 Research questions 60
4.3 Data collection procedures 60
4.3.1 The reason to choose women's magazine as the data 61
4.3.2 Data collection 62
4.4 Data analytical procedures 63
4.4.1 UAM 64
4.4.2 Coding procedure:A sample 67
4.4.3 Concapp 69
4.4.4 Urban dictionary 70
Chapter Five Representation of Social Actions 72
5.1 Introduction 72
5.2 Overview of the actors and the processes in Interview 73
5.2.1 The processes associated with the stars 74
5.2.2 The processes associated with other actors 90
5.3 Overview of the actors and the processes in Cross-sex relationship 99
5.3.1 The processes associated with the female 100
5.3.2 The processes associated with the male 108
5.3.3 The processes associated with the experts 111
5.3.4 The processes associated with Cosmo 113
5.3.5 Summary 115
5.4 Overview of the actors and the processes in Fashion 115
5.4.1 The processes associated with the female 116
5.4.2 The processes associated with the male 119
5.4.3 The processes associated with Cosmo 121
5.4.4 The processes associated with the experts 123
5.4.5 Summary 124
5.5 Overview of the actors and the processes in Contents 124
5.5.1 The processes associated with the female 125
5.5.2 The processes associated with the male 128
5.5.3 The processes associated with Cosmo 130
5.5.4 The processes associated with the experts 132
5.5.5 Summary 133
5.6 Discussion 133
Chapter Six Representation of Social Actors 137
6.1 US-group vs. THEM-group 137
6.2 US-group 138
6.2.1"We"in different sections 138
6.2.2 Overview of"You" 142
6.3 THEM-group 147
6.3.1 "She"vs."He" 148
6.3.2 Nomination 149
6.4 Metaphorical representations 151
6.4.1 Women as tamed young animals 151
6.4.2 Women as wild animals 154
6.4.3 Women as queen and goddess 155
6.5 Discussion 156
Chapter Seven Conclusion 158
7.1 Introduction 158
7.2 Major findings of the study 158
7.3 Theoretical contributions of the study 160
7.4 Methodological contribution of the study 161
7.5 Theoretical implications of the study 161
7.6 Limitations of the study 162
7.7 Suggestions for future studies 162
Appendix 164
References 166
Acknowledgements 206