"Kommer vi nå längre?" : En kvalitativ studie om hur genusnormer reproduceras och utmanas i svensk reality-TV

Sammanfattning: This thesis investigates how gender norms are reproduced and/or challenged in Swedish reality-TV. Using Mästarnas Mästare, a reality game show featuring Swedish athletes, as a case study, we critically examine the gender performances of participating athletes as well as the production of the show. The data material consisted of six transcribed episodes, alongside freeze frames from selected scenes, which were analyzed through a theoretical frame based on feminism, gender studies and semiotic image analysis. Our findings suggest that each participant, as well as the production, reproduce and challenge gender norms throughout the show, though there is more evidence of how the participants do this than the production. Notably, female participants challenge gender norms through performing stereotypical male characteristics, whereas male participants not as frequently show stereotypical female characteristics. We argue that the thesis provides tools for viewers as well as producers of similar shows to more critically review material that they take part of.