The Muted Group Theory
Muted Group Theory
Cheris kramarae
Center for the Study of Women in Society University of Oregon
Ph.D. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 1975 Speech Communication [Sociolinguistics]
Visiting Professor, Center for the Study of Women in Society, University of Oregon 1996-
Professor, Women's Studies; Sociology; Linguistics; Speech Communication, Center for Writing Studies; Division of English as an International Language, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1985 -1996
Jubilee Professor, Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Illinois (scholarship & teaching chair) 1993-1996
Director, Women's Studies, University of Illinois Fall, 1993-1996
Co-Founder and Co-Organizer, Women, Information Technology, & Scholarship (WITS), Center for Advanced Study, University of Illinois, 1991-1996
Acting Director, Center for the Study of Women in Society, University of Oregon 1988-90
Associate Professor, Speech Communication, U of I 1978-85
Language is a man-made construction
According to Kramarae groups within our society are muted, or go incompletely heard due to the lack of an effective means to express certain groups of ideas, experiences, or thoughts. Kramarae calls these groups muted and focuses specifically on the muted group of women. She argues that language is "man-made" and "aids in defining, depreciating and excluding women"
Kramarae states, “The language of a particular culture does not serve all its speakers equally, for not all speakers contribute in an equal fashion to its formulation. Women (and members of other subordinate groups) are not as free or as able as men are to say what they wish, because the words and the norms for their use have been formulated by the dominant group, men
“Women’s words are discounted in our society; women thoughts are devalued” Women are thus a muted group
Kramarae noted that women were almost non-existent in cartoons. She also claims that the female characters in cartoons had
Cheris kramarae
Center for the Study of Women in Society University of Oregon
Ph.D. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 1975 Speech Communication [Sociolinguistics]
Visiting Professor, Center for the Study of Women in Society, University of Oregon 1996-
Professor, Women's Studies; Sociology; Linguistics; Speech Communication, Center for Writing Studies; Division of English as an International Language, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1985 -1996
Jubilee Professor, Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Illinois (scholarship & teaching chair) 1993-1996
Director, Women's Studies, University of Illinois Fall, 1993-1996
Co-Founder and Co-Organizer, Women, Information Technology, & Scholarship (WITS), Center for Advanced Study, University of Illinois, 1991-1996
Acting Director, Center for the Study of Women in Society, University of Oregon 1988-90
Associate Professor, Speech Communication, U of I 1978-85
Language is a man-made construction
According to Kramarae groups within our society are muted, or go incompletely heard due to the lack of an effective means to express certain groups of ideas, experiences, or thoughts. Kramarae calls these groups muted and focuses specifically on the muted group of women. She argues that language is "man-made" and "aids in defining, depreciating and excluding women"
Kramarae states, “The language of a particular culture does not serve all its speakers equally, for not all speakers contribute in an equal fashion to its formulation. Women (and members of other subordinate groups) are not as free or as able as men are to say what they wish, because the words and the norms for their use have been formulated by the dominant group, men
“Women’s words are discounted in our society; women thoughts are devalued” Women are thus a muted group
Kramarae noted that women were almost non-existent in cartoons. She also claims that the female characters in cartoons had