Prostitution policy and the function of silence: the communicative constitution of a clandestine (un)organization

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Title Prostitution policy and the function of silence: the communicative constitution of a clandestine (un)organization
Publication Type dissertation
School or College College of Humanities
Department Communication
Author Taylor, Julie Lynn
Date 2014-08
Description While often hailed as the world's oldest profession, prostitution is most commonly considered an illegal activity. As such, prostitution operates as a hidden organization relying on covert organizing processes in order to function. However, this reality begs the question of how hidden organizations operate and (re)produce. Through feminist poststructuralism and communication as constitutive to organizing, the research questions in this study ask how discourse(s) communicatively constitute prostitution and with what unintended consequences. Using local prostitution policies and in-depth interviews, data analysis revealed that policy-as-written and policy-as-practice are disparate in the communicative construction of organizing prostitution. Moreover, discourse is examined through both talk and silence. As a result systematic and pervasive silence(s) organized networks of prostitution in new ways. In the end, prostitution is highlighted as an organized network or rather an (un)organization.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Clandestine organization; Communication constitutes organizing; Discourse; Feminist poststructuralism; Prostitution policy; Silence
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Dissertation Name Doctor of Philosophy
Language eng
Rights Management Copyright © Julie Lynn Taylor 2014
Format application/pdf
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 3,053,203 bytes
Identifier etd3/id/3098
ARK ark:/87278/s6dg00fw
Setname ir_etd
ID 196666
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6dg00fw
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