| In this thesis, I explore a particular genre of women-centered ezines---amateur publications that are produced by and for women and published on the Internet. Three distinct bodies of literature serve to guide my exploration. Work regarding Third Wave feminism, the potential of the Internet as a progressive medium of communication, and the nature of zines have all been useful to this project. Each of these bodies of literature highlights various themes that I then proceed to illustrate using textual examples drawn from a sample of the ezines. Specifically, this genre of ezines is shown to manifest characteristics of Third Wave feminism, including Girlie Culture, and the negotiation of difference and contradiction, to the extent that they are 'Third Wave ezines'. They are also shown to take advantage of the unique capability of the Internet for many-to-many communication for the purpose of political engagement in the interest of feminisms and the formation of feminist virtual communities. |
