English abstract

A Room of One’s Own? Readers’ Experiences with Women's Magazines

This article explores how and why women read women's magazines. Media statistics clearly demonstrate that the weekly press is a gendered form of media in Norway: Women are by far the most eager readers, and a substantial number of publications compete for their attention. However, quantitative surveys offer little explanation as to why and how women's magazines are read. This article explores these questions through a qualitative approach, analysing data from a qualitative questionnaire and a series of in-depth interviews of subscribers to a popular Norwegian women's magazine. Drawing on theories about the role of media in everyday life, the analysis emphasizes that women's magazines are read in order to create a personal space for relaxation, a room of one’s own. However, while the act of reading is important in itself, the analysis also emphasizes readers’ critical engagement with women's magazine texts. Readers’ experiences with these texts are analysed in light of theories about lifestyle and reflexive identities.

Keywords: Women's magazines, media experiences, reading, everyday life, identity, lifestyle