The critical interrogation of female apology discourse: A case study of Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton's multiple attempts at image repair discourse.

摘要

As allegations or appearances of wrongdoing continue to be made, the need for image repair discourse will continue as long as individuals and organizations remain motivated to defend one's image through "explanations, justifications, rationalizations, apologies or excuses" (Brinson & Benoit, 1996, p.30). Image, which is influenced by audience perception, has become the selling point of products, political candidates and celebrities which means that a positive public image is essential. In order to maintain a favorable image, face-work must be done if a threatened or blemished image is to be repaired because an image does not repair itself.; While the majority of the earlier apologia studies focus on male CEO's, male politicians, and male celebrities, little attention has been paid to the face saving strategies used by women. With the increased number of female politicians, female corporate executives, and female entrepreneurs, a structural shift within corporate and political America has occurred causing an increase in the number of women needing to maintain a favorable public image through image repair discourse. To help fill that gap, this dissertation calls for an in-depth textual analysis of cases where elements of image repair are applied to prominent women.; Benoit's (1995) theory of image repair was used to guide the case studies of Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, and Hillary Clinton because it provides a mechanism for analyzing what individuals, groups, and organizations can say when faced with a crisis. Benoit's (1995) theory of image repair is used to guide this investigate into the image repair strategies available to celebrity women who are the head of multimillion-dollar corporations as well as the image repair strategies available to female politicians. The project also analyzes how prominent women's image repair discourse changes when multiple attempts at image repair is necessary.