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         article-type="Research Paper"
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  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Indian Journal of Social Enquiry</journal-title>
        <abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="publisher">IJSE</abbrev-journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn pub-type="epub">applied</issn>
      <issn pub-type="ppub">0974-9012</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Prof Gitanjali Chawla</publisher-name>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">IJSE4170004</article-id>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Performing Subjective Motherhood: An Analysis of Pop-Culture TV Series</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Gupta</surname>
            <given-names>Deepanshi</given-names>
          </name>
          <xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <aff id="aff1">Maharaja Agrasen College, University of Delhi</aff>
      <pub-date pub-type="epub" iso-8601-date="2026-09-03">
        <month>09</month>
        <day>03</day>
        <year>2026</year>
      </pub-date>
      <volume>17</volume>
      <issue>4</issue>
      <fpage>51</fpage>
      <lpage>60</lpage>
      <abstract>
        <p>The performative theory by Judith Butler states that all of our designated
roles are a product of discourses. This means we perform roles based on sociocultural inscriptions. Butler argues that all human bodies are gendered from
the moment they enter a society. Furthermore, an individual continues to
perform these roles, considering them “natural”. However, Butler emphasises
that inscribed performativity can be subverted through agency and subjectivity.
In addition, they claim that agency over one’s role and identity is essential to
practice who we are and how we want to be. This approach may also be applied
to the performance of motherhood, which has been ruled by patriarchal notions
for many years. Its subjective and liberating experiences can be brought forth
if one studies the concept of mothering through the lens of female individual
experience. Keeping in mind, this paper proposes to bring out the subjective
experiences of mothering that challenge the institutional practices (Adrienne
Rich’s idea) upheld by society. For this purpose, popular TV dramas such as
Friends (1994), Sex and the City (1998), The Big Bang Theory (2007), and The
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017) are discussed to highlight that mothering can
be done in one’s own way. This challenges traditional ideas about motherhood
and shows that anyone, regardless of their relationship to the child, gender, or
sexuality, can take on a mothering role.</p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group kwd-group-type="author">
        <kwd>Performing motherhood</kwd>
        <kwd>Popular TV dramas</kwd>
        <kwd>Mothering</kwd>
        <kwd>Gendering</kwd>
        <kwd>Agency</kwd>
        <kwd>Subjectivity</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
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