Thesis (Ed. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, School of Education, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009. / Prepared for: Dept. of Educational Studies. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 211-228.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Canterbury, 2004. / Typescript (photocopy). "April 2004." Includes bibliographical references (p. 161-166). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1974. / Also available in print.

This thesis explores young people's experiences of, and orientations towards, being and becoming. Using focus groups and interviews with participants aged between 11 and 15, the research investigates how young people form a sense of who they are and who they can become in terms of character, temperament, talents, intelligence, humour, appearance and so on. Particular attention is paid to the role of relationality, and especially siblingship, in these processes as well as to how young people themselves make sense of and theorise being and becoming. The research shines analytical and methodological 'spotlights' on key contexts, relationships and modes of thinking which highlight processes of being and becoming in new and interesting ways. A spotlight on the context of secondary school indicates how ways of being and becoming can be created and constrained by the particularities of the environment of school. A spotlight on being and becoming in a group of friends indicates young people's reflexivity about the moralities of being different to friends, despite the largely homophilous nature of these relationships, and reveals some of the ways in which young people's friendships can affect who they are and who they see themselves as becoming in the future. A spotlight on young people's sibling relationships fills a gap in existing knowledge about the role of lateral kin in shaping young people's lives and indicates how siblings can be a source of social capital (for good or ill) in school. It is also argued that being one in a series of siblings can 'fix' aspects of being and becoming in several ways, including through the construction of relational identities in families and through normative ideas about how siblings ought to behave. Finally, the thesis shines a spotlight on young people's understandings of modes of transmission and the nature of personhood, indicating how young people can think in nuanced and complex ways about how being and becoming works. Taken together the spotlights of this thesis indicate how young people form a sense of who they are and who they can become whilst embedded in webs of relationships through time. The thesis demonstrates that, despite being relational and contextual, processes of being and becoming can feel as though they become 'fixed' as the potential for how one can 'turn out' is limited. It is argued that the lay concept of 'turning out' evokes the idea that, although always continuing through time, we will one day 'turn out' and be 'finished'. As such, this thesis suggests that the concept of 'turning out' allows sociologists to think about being and becoming simultaneously. 'Turning out' also encourages an understanding of the social world that embraces ideas which can seem 'contradictory' in sociological terms - such as fixity and malleability, individuality and relationality or genetic and social inheritance. Finally, it is argued that 'turning out' denotes a broader understanding of personhood than those evoked in familiar sociological terms - such as the self, identity and habitus - and incorporates aspects of being and becoming that might otherwise appear somewhat beyond the social.

This PhD research explored how neoliberal governmentality influenced the UK charity SportHelp and its youth sport programmes. Despite charities being significant providers of non-formal education for young people in the UK, there has been limited work exploring how the neoliberal landscape shapes these organisations and their programmes in practice. Therefore, this thesis addresses this gap in knowledge by a) furthering the limited literature on charities and their operation, b) providing an empirical illustration of how neoliberal governmentality functions, and c) contributing to the ongoing debate about the purpose of non-formal education in the neoliberal marketplace. This case study research focused on a single charity – SportHelp – whose remit is to improve socio-economically disadvantaged young people’s lives through the provision of sport. Over a 9-month period, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a selection of SportHelp’s managers, coaches, and young people. Furthermore, participant observations of three coaching sessions (featuring previously interviewed coaches and young people) were undertaken to complement the interviews. The data were subsequently analysed using thematic analysis. Findings suggest the neoliberal landscape shaped SportHelp and its youth sport programmes profoundly. To maximise its chances of economic survival, SportHelp re-configured itself into a ‘quasi-market’. In doing so, it adopted a deficit-reduction approach towards improving young people’s lives: the charity assumed socio-economically disadvantaged young people were inherently ‘deficient’ (because of their lower socio-economic status) and required ‘fixing’. Using sport, SportHelp coaches ‘fixed’ young people’s personhood by instilling the neoliberal values of individual responsibility, discipline, and life skills. These values were readily internalised by young people because SportHelp operates in the realm of non-formal education; a space where coaches could foster passion, relationships, and a sense of belonging.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-60).

The integration of students with an intellectual disability has been a long standing issue and goal in special education. It is usually assumed that such educational integration will terminate following completion of high school. There are examples however, where persons with an intellectual liability have participated in higher education. One example of an integrated program has been implemented at a junior college in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec. This is a work-study type of program in which students 18-21 years of age follow a specific curriculum in the closed classroom and also participate in certain regular college classes, including physical education. / The purpose of the present study was to investigate this unique program with particular emphasis on physical education. More specifically, it was the intent to measure the perceptions of persons directly involved with the program on such variables as social acceptance, social interaction, self-concept, motor performance, peer performance, attitude, expectations, and perceptions. A questionnaire was distributed to subjects in four groups: students, peers, physical educators, and parents. Mean response scores from each group were reported for each variable. Results indicated a general positive perception regarding the integrated program from all groups.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Northeastern University, 2008. / Title from title page (viewed Aug. 3, 2009) Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology. Includes bibliographical references.