Ever attempted a "power pose" or been advised to "make yourself vulnerable"? Feminist scholar Shani Orgad joins us to talk about confidence, vulnerability and the gendered nature - and consequences - of the imperatives to perform and embody both.
Discussing her landmark book 'Confidence Culture', co-authored with Rosalind Gill, Shani also reflects on her more recent work on 'Posting Vulnerability on Linkedin' - a platform broadly known as a place for self-branding, work-seeking and the upbeat presentation of the self. But, as Shani explains, it has also become a place where people willingly reveal their vulnerability - from crying selfies to stories of illness and rejection. We ask why - and what the rules and costs are for those who don’t perform vulnerability optimally, in a harsh and unequal world?
Plus: does focussing on individual vulnerability distract from thinking about broader social structures and barriers - including precarity? And, how does the recent rise in public discourse around menopause and perimenopause speak to our conversation? A lively conversation citing everyone from Foucault to Sara Ahmed, The Sopranos to The Bear.
Guest: Shani Orgad; Host: Rosie Hancock; Executive Producer: Alice Bloch; Sound Engineer: David Crackles; Music: Joe Gardiner; Artwork: Erin Aniker
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