Brandon and Gabriella Houston were both home from college for Thanksgiving weekend. Brandon, a senior, attended a state university about ninety miles from home. Gabriella, a sophomore, attended a small college in a neighboring state. Both were home for the first time during the school year and were spending some time catching up. As they lounged in the living room watching football, the smell of roast turkey wafted through the house, and assorted relatives milled around munching on celery sticks and green olives. Brandon and Gabriella’s parents contributed the lion’s share of their children’s college expenses, footing the bill for tuition and the majority of room and board. However, both Brandon and Gabriella had to pitch in a small portion of the housing tab and cover any incidental expenses they might incur. Thus, both held part-time jobs while going to school. Brandon worked twenty hours per week at the Baxter Company, a small manufacturing firm that assembled corrugated boxes. It was boring but dependable work and paid slightly better than minimum wage. Gabriella worked for Personal Greetings, a small company that specialized in personalized party greetings, including singing telegrams and “strip-o-grams.” Gabriella worked eight to ten jobs per week (each job lasted about an hour) and earned $25 per job plus tips. Brandon was mortified when he heard what Gabriella was doing to earn her college money. “Gabs, I can’t believe you’re taking off your clothes for money! Does Mom know what you’re doing?” “Well, not exactly, but I don’t think she’d mind. Mom and Dad are pretty liberal about these things, and I don’t actually take off all my clothes. It’s really pretty innocent—just some entertainment for people who like to have a good time. Unlike you, brother dear. Besides,” Gabriella added, “I make great money. I usually pull in over $400 a week for about ten hours’ work. Can you say the same?”

CASE ANALYSIS QUESTIONS 

1. How would you evaluate the argument between Brandon and Gabriella? Are either or both of them being exploited? If so, how? 

2. How does this discussion illustrate the concepts of power, ideology, and hegemony?  

3. What oppressive structures of organization and communication are in evidence in the jobs held by Brandon and Gabriella? Do either Gabriella or Brandon participate in a system of “concertive control”? 

4. Does a feminist approach serve to shed any additional light on the job held by Gabriella? Would different types of feminist theory reach different conclusions about the nature of her job? 

5. How would a critical theorist work to achieve emancipation for Brandon and Gabriella? Would either of them want to be emancipated? How could either Brandon or Gabriella exercise resistance in their work?