0000000000171921
AUTHOR
Haldis Haukanes
Freedom and pressure in self-disclosure
Today there is great openness about breast cancer, and the current ideology is that this is considered positive. This article draws upon sociological and philosophical theories to explore psychological practices. We ask: do women experience as much freedom to not talk about their illness as they do to talk about it? Do they experience that not being open is as favourably valued as openness is? The article is based on an ethnographic study in which women have given detailed accounts of how, to whom and in which situations they have been open or closed about their illness. It shows that breast cancer sufferers do not always experience a real choice between withholding and sharing information.…
Symbols and Meanings in Breast Cancer Awareness Campaigns
This article examines symbols and meanings in breast cancer awareness campaigns, and the ways in which multifarious actors draw attention to the disease. We discuss what the various campaigns and initiatives can indicate, above and beyond creating breast cancer awareness. Our data stem from sources such as printed material, the Internet, and events. From these sources we have singled out and explored objects, text, and visual expressions, looking in particular for metaphors and symbolic aspects. In this article we present six “images” indicating the underlying patterns that we found. We have called the images Re-enchantment of femininity, Infantilization, Corporate profit-making, Objectific…
Når det intime blir offentlig : Kvinners erfaringer med åpenhet om brystkreft
Det er i dag åpenhet omkring tema som tidligere var private og tabubelagte, blant annet gjelder det sykdom og problematiske livsforhold. Den rådende oppfatning er at åpenhet på disse områdene er til det gode. Helsemyndigheter og pasientforeninger oppfordrer til åpenhet, men hva det innebærer blir i liten grad diskutert. Spørsmål om private grenser og mulige negative konsekvenser som følge av åpenhet er nærmest fraværende i offentlig helsedebatt. Denne artikkelen handler om hvordan brystkreftrammede kvinner har erfart åpenhet omkring egen sykdom. Datam…