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Despite the fact that one in three women of reproductive age will have an abortion there continues to be stigma surrounding those who have had abortions. Abortion stigma continues to permeate how women are treated and services are provided. The present study explores the ways in which women use the online social networking site Twitter to engage with the #ShoutYourAbortion hashtag to resist dominant pro-life discourses of abortion and challenge abortion stigma. Through the use of a critical discourse analysis that utilizes feminist standpoint theory, four major discourses were identified as emerging out of the #ShoutYourAbortion hashtag. First, the discourse of resisting and challenging pro-life rhetoric emerged in that women utilized the hashtag to challenge dominant discourses on abortions by sharing their own experiences that contradict pro-life narratives. Second, the discourse of emphasizing the importance of choice and autonomy regarding women’s reproductive rights and freedoms was highlighted, and the importance of abortion as a form of healthcare was emphasized. Next, women used discourses that aimed to critique and challenge the abortion industry as a whole. Lastly, women used the hashtag to normalize abortions in an attempt to challenge abortion stigma. This exploratory research provides insights into the utility of engaging with hashtags to resist and challenge dominant discourses, and how women are sharing their experiences in an attempt to change the narratives around abortion. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW)

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Faced with a unique oppression due to their racial and gender identity, a great disservice has been done to Black female athletes (BFAs) within the sporting literature as they have historically been silenced and rendered invisible, either in failure to include them in research, or in fragmenting their identities along racial or gender lines, thus presenting incomplete and inaccurate representations of their experiences. Employing a theoretical framework grounded in Black feminist standpoint theory, this study explored BFAs’ conceptualizations of femininity and microaggressions, as well as how their racial, gender, class, and athletic identities affect them within and outside of sporting environments. This study sought BFAs at 83 Division I institutions, asking them to complete a survey including the Bem Sex Role Inventory-Short (BSRI-S), the Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale (REMS), and the Black Racial Identity Attitude Scale (BRIAS). Six BFAs opted-in to a qualitative interview. These BFAs presented multiple interpretations of femininity, discussed experiences with microaggressions, and spoke to how they navigated various contexts given their racial, gender, and athletic identities. While identifying hardships of being BFAs on college campuses and Black women in the United States, interview participants also discussed how their ability to withstand the unique mistreatment of BFAs and Black women left them feeling empowered and resilient. Implications for practitioners and researchers are also included. / Kinesiology

[pt] A tese apresentada propõe a investigação do problema da baixa presença de mulheres nos tribunais superiores brasileiros. A hipótese levantada é a de que a pequena diversidade de gênero nos altos postos do Judiciário brasileiro ocorre em detrimento do objetivo de imparcialidade sustentado por essa função estatal em sociedades democráticas. A metodologia adotada no desenvolvimento do trabalho pode ser dividida em três partes. Em um primeiro momento, é empreendida uma investigação dogmática das normas constitucionais, leis e regulamentos internos dos órgãos responsáveis pelo processo de seleção de magistrados no Brasil. Na segunda etapa, passou-se ao exame, inspirado na análise do discurso, de textos do processo de escolha dos magistrados para o Supremo Tribunal Federal. Ambos os métodos conduziram à verificação do problema da baixa presença de mulheres e dos constrangimentos de gênero existentes para se chegar até os tribunais superiores brasileiros. Permitiram, também, a compreensão da importância atual do gênero como critério de diferenciação social e, consequentemente, da validade desse parâmetro para a investigação proposta. Na terceira parte, empreendeu-se revisão teórico-bibliográfica interdisciplinar sobre o tema e, de forma mais ampla, sobre a desigual inclusão de grupos sociais subalternos às esferas de poder. A análise permitiu a identificação das contribuições já trazidas à discussão e das lacunas que permanecem sem ser apuradas, tornando útil o seu desenvolvimento no trabalho. O exame também conduziu à identificação de categorias analíticas válidas para a análise a ser empreendida, por informarem a necessidade de que os sujeitos ocupem iguais posições de poder na sociedade. Segue-se daí a proposição do marco teórico da standpoint theory e a elaboração do argumento da tese. O argumento proposto é o de que a diversidade, em especial, a inclusão das mulheres no Judiciário é requisito para a imparcialidade judicial, instituto que será analisado a partir do direito processual. Em outras palavras, propõe-se que a imparcialidade judicial depende da diversidade do Poder Judiciário. O reconhecimento, ditado pela standpoint theory, da existência de perspectivas fundadas na posição social dos indivíduos e da necessidade de que elas, quando socialmente relevantes, sejam veiculadas para a construção de objetividades mais fortes vai, ao mesmo tempo, ao encontro dos postulados democráticos, porque amplia a participação e a inclusão social em sociedades plurais, e ao encontro da garantia de imparcialidade, porque favorece a construção plural do conhecimento. Apresento, ao final, o conceito de imparcialidade forte, que é a consequência da aplicação da standpoint theory a um Poder Judiciário democrático e que justifica a necessidade de políticas públicas para a composição paritária de gênero nos tribunais superiores brasileiros. / [en] The presented thesis investigates the problem of the under-representation of women in Brazilian superior courts. The hypothesis is that the absence of gender diversity damages judicial impartiality. The research methodology used has three stages. Firstly, a rigorous investigation of constitutional norms, laws and internal regulations of the judicial selection process of Brazil. Secondly, with inspiration on discourse analysis, an exam of texts on the selection process for electing Superior Court judges. Both methods verify the low presence of women and the gender constraints to reach Brazilian superior courts. The methodologies also demonstrate the current importance of gender as a social differentiation criterion and hence, the current importance of this parameter for the proposed research. The third stage is an interdisciplinary theoretical review on the subject and, more broadly, on the unequal representation of subaltern social groups in positions of power. The analysis identify the contributions already brought to discussion and the gaps that remained, validating the work development. The review also discerns analytical categories valid for the analysis, demonstrating the need for subjects to occupy equal positions in society. The proposed argument is that diversity, in particular women s inclusion in the Judiciary, is prerequisite for judicial impartiality, in the light of procedural law. In other words, the argument is that judicial impartiality depends on the diversity of the Judiciary. The recognition of standpoints based on the social position of individuals and the need for them, when socially relevant, to be conveyed to build stronger objectivities meet democratic postulates. This expands participation and social inclusion in plural societies and it is essential to assure judicial impartiality and the favoring of the plural construction of knowledge. Conclusions present the concept of strong impartiality, which is the result of the application of standpoint theory to a democratic Judiciary and justifies equal gender representation in public policies in Brazilian superior courts.

This thesis sets out to examine the making of femininity in hip-hop, with a special focus on the performances of three artists - Mykki Blanco, Angel Haze, and Brooke Candy - and their representations made through music videos and lyrics. The thesis is structured around critical femininity studies, and created through a somatechnics perspective. I am investigating how femininity and the feminine body is made through and in relation to technology and different expressions of race, class, and sexuality. By questioning how structures of femininity is made and re-made through a somatechnical perspective, this thesis offers alternatives to interpret feminine representations in hip-hop, and bases its conversation in both culture studies and critical femininity studies. In the paper‘s conclusion, questions regarding active feminist resistance in hip-hop are raised, with hope to widen the discussions about female identified artists and their performances in this specific discourse.

This research focuses on the development and study of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) that support religious practices and the use of standpoint theory in ICT evaluation studies. Three phases makeup this work: formative studies to understand how megachurches, their members and leaders use ICT in ways tied to their Protestant Christian faith and the design of a technology probe, a photo sharing website named ChurchShare. The final and most significant phase is the evaluation of this probe in two churches. I deployed ChurchShare in a Christian church comprised of U.S. born individuals and argue this initial deployment took place with â ideal users,â or those I intended to use the application and who represent the traditional targets of HCC (Human-Centered Computing) research. More than 200 photos were uploaded to ChurchShare and findings suggest that the technology probe was successfully integrated into the churchâ s worship services. Standpoint theory guided the second deployment study that was conducted with individuals who are marginalized in HCC researchâ "Kenyan immigrants. Participants rejected ChurchShare and zero pictures were uploaded to the website. I compare findings from both deployments and conclude that conducting ICT evaluation studies with marginalized users leads to more objective findings than conducting such studies with ideal users. I end with a discussion describing how standpoint theory can be incorporated into HCC, focusing on how this approach offers a practical way for researchers to uncover value differences between themselves and the people who interact with their work.

Thesis (M.A.)--Indiana University, 2010. / Title from screen (viewed on February 26, 2010). Department of Communication Studies, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Catherine A. Dobris, Ronald M. Sandwina, Kim D. White-Mills, Kristina H. Sheeler. Includes vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-70).

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Candyce S. Russell / Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) over the past twenty years have increased their visibility by using their clinical skills and a systemic framework in other areas outside of therapy (i.e., business, school, medicine). Many of these individuals have pioneered roads of systems theory application through a creative process. Traditional creativity research has focused mainly on individual factors. However, Csikszentmihalyi’s theories of flow and creativity have offered important insight on the systemic nature of the creative process. Recently, research regarding intrinsic motivation and group creativity has provided more insight on how Csikszentmihalyi’s theory could be further developed. Furthermore, applying an ecological systems theory framework to his current model provides additional levels of influence to be examined in regards to maximizing creative potential in individuals and groups. Using deductive and inductive methodologies, an ecological systems theory of creativity is presented providing a framework for studying how MFTs that have successfully entered into non-traditional realms of systemic application go through the creative process of entering into their endeavors. Interviews with successful MFTs applying skills in non-traditional areas of applications were conducted using a modified phenomenological approach. Creative processes were outlined based on themes and patterns that emerged during the analysis. Implications of these findings are made regarding how to improve creativity in MFTs at the individual, academic, and professional field levels. In addition, implications are made regarding how to improve student recruitment and maximize potential in MFT trainees. Finally, implications regarding the maximization of productivity in university settings and applying systemic creativity to business, school, government, and education settings are presented.

With the rise of "helicopter" parents within primary and secondary education, school officials nationwide have started to address how to manage parental involvement in the educational system, specifically with regard to parent-teacher communication. Beginning in the 1980s, school administrators actively implemented programs targeting increased parental involvement in K-12 public schools, though the use of contact and relationship building strategies, in order to substantiate school-teacher-parent communication and further parental influence over decision making processes. While administrators and parents may view parent-teacher interactions as productive, teachers' negative experiences with parents may lead to stress, burnout, and attrition. Researchers have indicated that between 20 and 50% of first through third year teachers leave the profession due to increased, long-term stress, unrealistic workload, and an overall feeling of decreased personal and professional fulfillment. Likewise, through educational reform initiatives to standardize curriculum and increase parental involvement within public schools, teachers' roles within the educational system have shifted from positions of power, to figureheads for the system. The purpose of this study is to examine public school K-12 teachers' standpoints as they relate to parent-teacher communication.