Hi Immy and welcome! I just wanted to say that it sounds like an interesting thesis (not that I am biased :-) And I wanted to say that Joni appears to take a similar stance to gender as I do...and that is that there is equality as difference and not as sameness. In the US most people look at equality as being the same as, however I think in terms of gender that it is more beneficial to look at it as being different because um there are actually differences! From what I have seen Joni appears as if she may take this approach too (although I am no authority to say for sure!). There is some article where she talks about not wanting to be associated with any kind of 'ism' but I can't remember what it was. Anyway that is my 2 cents...lol. Be happy to read it when it is finished and good luck!
Nikki > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of > Doman, Iruma > Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2002 1:34 PM > To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' > Subject: Thesis on Joni Mitchell *** > > > Hi everyone! > My name is Immy and i am a new member of the JMDL discussion > list. I joined, > partly because i am a huge Joni Mitchell fan, but also because i am > currently writing my thesis -and it is on Joni!!! > I am a university student in my final year and my thesis is on > Joni Mitchell > and issues of gender. Joni is particularly interesting to look at within > this context, because she embodies so many contradictions and she > has had a > complex and interesting relationship with the Feminist movement. > I am going > to look at how she is distinctive in expressing/exemplifying a > strong woman > (e.g. by breaking new ground in the music industry which, at the time, was > comlitely male dominated; by retaining such a great degree of control over > her career, album covers; by becoming one of the most important women in > rock and one of the most important songer-songwriters in the > history of pop > music, etc), but not necessarily in feminist terms. When questioned about > the feminist movement in interviews, Joni has repeatedly stated that she > does not identify with it, because she finds it too 'apartheid' and she > feels it can potentially create a greater rift between the sexes. However, > she is undoubtedly an extremely strong and independent woman and even > considered by some to be a feminist role model. Many of her > lyrics are also > open to feminist interpretations. > I am going to look at the ways in which she presents > relationships, the self > etc. I will look at whether all her songs are gendered, and if > many are not, > are they still gendered because of the image she projects? > > At the moment, i am in the research stage and i have a lot of > ideas floating > around, but not much order to them yet. > > The reason i am writing to you all, is that i am really interested in any > feedback you have or ideas/opinions on these topics. ANYTHING > that could be > of help would be very much appreciated. e.g. what songs do you think it > would be important for me to look at within this context? Are there any > specific books/articles/interviews/people i should contact that could help > me with my research. (I have already read most of the articles on the JMDL > website, as well as most of the books published on Joni Mitchell. > However, i > don't want to get bogged down with too much background information either, > as the thesis has to be a maximum of 8000 words long, so i have to stay > focused to my argument on the issues of gender.) If anyone wants want to > write to me with any ideas, please e-mail me on > [EMAIL PROTECTED] Also, > if anyone is interested in reading a copy of my thisis when it is > finished, > please let me know! (although it won't be completed it until April '03!). > I look forward to hearing from you. > Best wishes, > Immy > > > floating around, but not much order to them yet. significant and > influential > female singer-songwriters in the history of
