Routledge Neoliberal Feminism and the Discourse of Self-Improvement (Language, Society and Political Economy)

Neoliberal Feminism and the Discourse of Self-Improvement utilises feminist critical discourse analysis to examine the language and narratives within self-help literature targeted at women. Giuliana Ferri critically explores the discourse of self-improvement, focusing on how neoliberal values of empowerment and individual fulfilment have been co-opted by elite feminism as a “technology of the self”. She unpacks how this discourse constructs an idealised image of the “empowered woman”―one who is portrayed as capable of overcoming patriarchy through the affirmation of innate strength and resilience. Drawing on Marxist feminism and feminist social reproduction theory, the book highlights how neoliberal feminism markets women as entrepreneurs, “badass feminists”, and successful working mothers, all while obscuring the realities of increasing work precarization and flexibilisation in post-industrial societies. Through its feminist critical discourse analysis, the book reveals how these seemingly empowering narratives shift the responsibility for systemic change onto individuals, rather than positioning feminism as a collective, anti-capitalist movement for liberation. By integrating applied linguistics with Marxist feminism and social reproduction theory, this text provides a unique interdisciplinary perspective, making it a key reading for scholars and students of language, gender, and economic systems.