Policewomen in reality and media representation

Abstract

This dissertation looks at how policewomen believe they are seen by their male colleagues, superiors and public in reality. This perception is than juxtaposed to their portrayal in media representations. The study therefore discusses the problems faced by policewomen in reality and than compared to the images of police officers promoted by the police genre. The rationale behind this dissertation is to identify the major hurdles that a sample of Maltese female police inspectors encounter during their career and how the media representation of the super policewomen in a local television production is having an effect on their performance and on the societal impression of women's potentialities as police officers. The study ends with an analysis of the data collected through a qualitative approach utilizing a combination of intensive interviews and a textual analysis.