Trapped in the Gaze of Others. Discourses of Shame among Female Entrepreneurs in Austria
Trapped in the Gaze of Others. Discourses of Shame among Female Entrepreneurs in Austria
Author(s): Erzsébet Fanni TóthSubject(s): Gender Studies, Family and social welfare
Published by: Scientia Kiadó
Keywords: female entrepreneurship; qualitative analysis; shame; self-worth; the gaze of others;
Summary/Abstract: This article explores female entrepreneurs’ picture of self in the gaze of others. It relies on the narratives of female business owners gained via semi-structured interviews and focus groups, compiled in the framework of an international research project (iFEMPOWER)1 in Austria. The study reveals that the imagined and perceived gaze of others has a significant power on how businesswomen define both their professional and personal self and how they evaluate their self-worth. The gaze of others becomes a signifier of shame (for not being enough or being too much). The results of this study contribute to a more complex understanding of female entrepreneurship, and with the interdisciplinary character it aims at shaping the contemporary discourse on the gendered entrepreneurial sector.
Journal: Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, Social Analysis
- Issue Year: 2021
- Issue No: 11
- Page Range: 24-42
- Page Count: 19
- Language: English