The Beauty Paradox: Femininity in the Age of Selfies - Paperback

by Chiara Piazzesi (Author)

Why must beauty be seen as a binary that is either oppressive or empowering for women? The Beauty Paradox: Femininity in the Age of Selfies argues that women's experiences of beauty as both validating and belittling is grounded in the contradictory injunctions that they receive regarding their participation in beauty culture. Piazzesi identifies the four main paradoxes of Western beauty culture: the worth paradox, the authenticity paradox, the power paradox, and the commitment paradox and examines how they trail women's everyday experiences, choices, and reflections regarding beauty. She examines the role of beauty in women's everyday lives and in a variety of contexts: informal social encounters, work and career settings, parenting, intergenerational relationships, self-care, and online networking practices. The author broadens the current discourse on beauty with an emphasis on the digital world, primarily the use of selfies.

Author Biography

Chiara Piazzesi is Full Professor of Sociology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Born in Florence, Italy, she received her education at the prestigious Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa and at the Università del Salento, where she earned her PhD. Among her publications are the books: Grammatiche dell'amore [Love Grammars] (2019) and Vers une sociologie de l'intime. Éros et socialisation [Towards a Sociology of the Intimate] (2017). Her research interests span love relationships, feminist issues, gender relations, digital practices, and the place of beauty in women's lives. She has taught and done research in France, Germany, and Brazil.