The dynamics of motherhood performance : Hong Kong's middle class working mothers on- and off-line

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Sociological Research Online

Publication Date

7-1-2008

Volume

13

Issue

4

Publisher

Sage Publications Ltd.

Keywords

Motherhood, Internet, Chatroom, Performativity, Virtual Ethnography

Abstract

This paper examines the on- and off-line identity performance of a group of Hong Kong middle-class working mothers who are users of an internet based community. The development of my involvement in this community from lurker to participant and then to virtual ethnographer provides a unique opportunity to compare the on- and off-line interactions of an Internet based community. By examining the relationship between the dominant discourse of motherhood and these women's motherhood performances on- and off-line, three modes of performativity are identified and discussed. I argue that although there is considerable pressure within this community to uphold the dominant motherhood discourse, users' reflexivity and subversion regarding this performance are evident in both on- line and off-line contexts. In particular, users' performativity in what I call the 'Si Nais behaving badly' mode can be read as a reaction towards, though not necessarily subversive of, society's prevailing conception of motherhood. My findings throw light on how the structure of internet chat frames these women's presentation of self, and how internet chat exposes aspects of their self-hood, which portray a much more varied identity than the literature on motherhood currently suggests.

DOI

10.5153/sro.1773

E-ISSN

13607804

Publisher Statement

Copyright © Sociological Research Online

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Chan, H. N., Annie. (2008). The dynamics of motherhood performance: Hong Kong's middle class working mothers on- and off-line. Sociological Research Online, 13(4) doi: 10.5153/sro.1773

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