Dissertation Book List

1. Barnard, M. (2005), Graphic Design as Communication, 1^st edn, Oxon: Routledge
2. Berger, J. (1972), Ways of Seeing, 1st edn, London: Penguin Classics
3. Coward, R. (2000) The Look in Thomas, J. (2000) Reading Images, Hampshire: 1st edn, Halgrave Macmillan
4. Gauntlett, D. (2008), Media, gender and identity: an introduction, 2nd edn, Oxon: Routledge
5. Rogers, M. (1999), Barbie Culture, 1st edn, London: Sage
6. Watkins, S. (1999), Introducing Feminism, 2nd edn, Cambridge: Icon Books Ltd
7. Wolf, N. (1991), The beauty myth: how images of beauty are used against women, 2nd edn, London: Vintage
8.  Wykes, M & Gunter, B. (2005), The media and body image: if looks could kill, 4th edn, London: Sage
9. Zoonen, L. (1994), Feminist media studies, 1st edn, London: Sage
10. Beetham, M. (1996), A Magazine of Her Own?, 1st edn, London: Routledge
11. Taylor, S. (2006), 100 Years of Magazine Covers, 1st edn, London: Black Dog Publishing Limited
12. Rothstein, J. (2007), Designing Magazines, 1st edn, New York: Allworth Press
13. Crowley, D. (2003), Magazine Covers, 1st edn, London: Octopus Publishing Group Ltd
14. Moser, H. (2011), The Art Directors' Handbook of Professional Magazine Design, 3rd edn, London: Thames & Hudson Ltd
15. Dickinson, A. (1982), A Woman In Your Own Right: Assertiveness and You, 1st edn, London: Quartet Books Limited
16. Wollstonecraft, M. (2004), A Vindication of The Rights of Woman, 3rd edn, London: Penguin Books Limited

Women's magazines and feminism

Here are some pages I have scanned in from magazines, as well as online blogs and zines, about women's magazines that are feminist friendly.

SPARE RIB// http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/best-of-spare-rib

BITCHBUZZ // http://www.bitchbuzz.com

PAMFLET // http://pamflet.co.uk

VAGENDA //  Stylist magazine article

WOMEN'S MAGAZINES // Stylist magazine article

Dissertation Proposal

Here is the most important information that I submitted in my dissertation proposal (along with initial book list and research sources)

Level 4 essay

Focusing on specific examples, describe the way that Modernist art and design was a response to the forces of modernity?

Level 5 essay

Focusing on the specific example of Dove’s ‘Real Beauty Campaign', critique the use of real women in advertising in the media.

Dissertation topic

Can women’s magazines, focusing on the case study of Cosmopolitan (UK edition), ever be considered feminist?

Issues to be addressed

I will be looking at Cosmopolitan's 'F Word' feminism campaign, from different angles, as I consider the hypocrisy behind this campaign, as, although the magazine has made improvements for women, today it contains articles about pleasing men. I will also look at other magazines in the UK for females, and seeing how these compare to Cosmopolitan.

I will be defining with it actually means to be a feminist, as the meaning seems to have been distorted, with campaigns such as this one. I will need to learn all about the magazine, and its target audience, to see if the content is really what women want to see, or what the designers want them to see. I will be considering how the advertisements featured in the magazine also effect the female viewers. 

I aim to answer questions such as:

- Is Cosmopolitan designed by men or women?

- Do the articles end up lowering self-esteem (so you buy the products advertised) or helping women?

- Has Cosmopolitan (and its portrayal of women) changed since its launch?

- What do women want to see?

- Who is Cosmopolitan's target audience?
- How does Cosmopolitan differ in content and design to magazines targeted at men?

Method/approach

My approach will be feminist, also with a historical context, as I look at how Cosmopolitan's portrayal of woman has changed since its release in the 1960's. Cosmopolitan's campaign seeks to make social change, so I will be looking at design activism, as well as design and accessibility, in particular audience theory, as I consider the relationship between the designer and the reader.

Relevance to graphic design

My dissertation topic links in from my second year essay, with the topic of feminism, a subject I am interested in. In graphic design, I am interested in publishing and editorial, and so seek to link this subject to my design practice, by creating a magazine for women that can be considered feminist friendly and suitable for all women. My research for this dissertation will help inform the type of things that would be included in this magazine, and help me to understand what it is that women want to see, so as a female, I can design for other females.

Primary sources

Leeds Central Library - (May have a different selection of books)

Leeds Central Library, LS1 3AB

Questionnaire for Editor of Cosmopolitan

Pat McNulty, Editor, pat.mcnulty@hearst.co.uk

Survey of women who read cosmopolitan magazine, focusing on target audience

Cosmo's Feminism Campaign

COSMOPOLITAN magazine

cosmo petition about feminism to do with equal pay.

'COSMO IS PROUD TO BE FEMINIST'

OH DEAR :

The type of article that can be found in cosmopolitan...

http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/lifestyle/cosmo-40th-birthday-celebrations/happy-40th-birthday-cosmo

Annie Lennox in Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan UK Magazine Research: Opinions

Is Cosmopolitan Feminist Friendly?

http://thisgirlongirls.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/is-cosmopolitan-feminist-friendly.html

http://www.theunlost.com/uncategorized/shockingly-stupid-advice-how-cosmopolitan-magazine-is-misleading-a-generation-of-young-women/

I've been doing a bit of online research to see if there are any articles out there concerning the subject I am looking at, considering whether cosmopolitan is feminist friendly or if it is misleading young women.