The construction of a good mother in the Mothers’ war-reality show

Authors

• Mari Lehto Turun yliopisto
• Suvi-Sadetta Kaarakainen

Abstract

This article explores the concept of a good mother in a reality tv-show called ”The war of the mothers”. It examines how this concept is constructed in the speech of the participants and how the program format guides these definitions. The article also discusses how the definitions relate to the theory of cruel optimism by Lauren Berlant (2011). This article is data based media analysis and the data consists of all ten episodes of the tv-show. In the programme good motherhood is defined through three intertwined virtues. They are genuine presence of the mother, family dinners and clean, child friendly home. Interestingly, the participants’ definitions carry a clear ambivalence. In each definition there can be found a contradiction and in these contradictions the cruel optimism becomes visible. Still, despite of the programme’s militant title, women are demanding mostly towards themselves. To each other, they appear friendly and understanding.