In affluent western societies, digital communication and information technologies increasingly reshape our social relations and identities, the way we perceive our selves and others. Given that we are all communicative and relational bodies in complex webs of power, the media of communication are central to the ways we are socially structured and relate to one another. The purpose of my thesis is to sketch a framework which can account critically for the dangers and benefits of embodying digital technologies while rethinking the gendered body politics of the everyday world. In this thesis, I develop a set of theoretical abstractions through which to think our bodies. With these theories, I paint images of modern body politics and of the micro- and macro-politics of power over life in larger socio-historical processes. M y textual analysis of Tampax's TRoom (http://www.troom.com), a corporate website exemplifies thinking these broader historical and social issues of embodiment. I focus on this website as a discursive frame that calls girls as free and subjugated subjects into digital texts of feminine protection. Thinking girl bodies through and against the 'civilizing' and disciplinary dimension of digital and sanitary technologies provides us with both liberating and confining images of what it may be like to be or become a girl. In the conclusion, I present the image of cyborgs, as hybrids of human organism and technology, to think our selves through everyday life techniques and technologies. Tamponed cyborgs provide realities that reformulate a bodily unity, capture contemporary issues of "girls" embodiment and incorporation of technology, and contribute to an understanding of the possibilities for discursive remappings of girls' social relations and selves.

This interpretive descriptive study explored the meaning and lived experience of breast cancer for 5 mothers and their 5 adolescent daughters, and for these mother-daughter relationships. Mothers had been diagnosed with breast cancer between 2 and 6 years ago, and their daughters were between 11 and 13 years old at the time of the diagnosis. A series of six in-depth interviews with mothers and daughters, conducted both jointly and separately, afforded a view of aspects of experience that were shared and privately held. Interview data were supplemented with participants' drawings of their experience, and the researcher's observations. The interpretive descriptive framework employed was augmented with the lens of portraiture in the conduct of study, data analysis, and composition of the product of inquiry. Portraiture utilizes five essential features: voice, relationship, context, emergent themes, and aesthetic whole. Individual and relational experience and meaning were described in four themes: (a) Inhabiting Another Landscape, (b) Intending and Acting, (c) Acquiring Wisdom, and (d) Enduring Mother-Daughter Relationships. The theme of Inhabiting Another Landscape described a trajectory of experience and meaning that began with diagnosis, persisted through prolonged effects of treatment, and continued in the present and into imagined futures. Mothers and daughters had privately held concerns about the mothers' breast cancer and the possibility that breast cancer might one day visit daughters as well. The most prominent reminder of vulnerability was recurrence among friends in the social networks of breast cancer. The theme of Intending and Acting described the mutual caring and protectiveness of these mothers and daughters. Mothers and daughters described actions and strategies to minimize the threat of breast cancer for themselves and for the other person. Actions included attempts by both persons to create and maintain a sense of normalcy. Conversations between mothers and daughters on the experience of breast cancer were limited, in particular around prognosis and the possibility of death. The theme of Acquiring Wisdom described personal growth and change after the diagnosis of breast cancer. For both persons, realizations of mortality brought a new perspective on what was important in life. Mothers passed on the wisdom gained from their experience either directly in what was said to daughters or indirectly in the attitudes and behaviours they modelled. The theme of Enduring Mother-Daughter Relationships described the quality of mother-daughter relationships and the import of breast cancer for these relationships. Mothers and daughters described their relationships as close. Daughters described their relationships as closer than most, in part because of their experience with breast cancer. Parenting and being parented was in some cases complicated by breast cancer. Friction between mothers and daughters was described as par for the course during the teen years, but one source of friction was the unexpected and prolonged effects of treatment. The findings in this study indicate the value in attending to the voices of teenage daughters, which remain largely absent in the literature. Mothers and daughters have needs for information and support that are not being met. The emotional landscape of breast cancer, which entails prolonged uncertainty for both mothers and daughters, deserves further study. Personal growth described by both mothers and daughters provides an alternative view of the largely problem-focused perspective in the literature of the meaning and experience of breast cancer.

The Girl Guides of Canada is a youth service organization, serving almost 10% of the Canadian female population aged 5-17, that aims to teach girls and young women to become responsible citizens. In this thesis, I review the curriculum of the Pathfinder branch (for girls and young women aged 12-15) of the Girl Guides of Canada. Using feminist, anti-racist, and queer perspectives, I treat "responsible citizenship" as a discursive concept and conduct a discourse analysis of the Pathfinder programme to discover how it attempts to gain the consent of girls and young women to particular definitions of responsible citizenship. Drawing on feminist citizenship theory developed by Yuval-Davis, Anthias, Alexander, and Ross, I argue that the state implicates select female citizens in nation building practices as biological reproducers and transmitters of culture. I also draw on theories of moral regulation extended by Sangster, Strange, and Loo to illustrate ways in which the state and voluntary organizations attempt to gain the consent of citizens to particular ways of being. I argue that, because its texts authorize particular definitions of responsible citizenship, the Pathfinder curriculum implicates girls and young women in capitalist nation building in Canada. Specifically, I argue that the Pathfinder programme normalizes heterosexuality, whiteness, and ability, and privileges middle-class values. I also demonstrate that a responsible citizen, according to the Pathfinder curriculum, performs caregiving and environmental stewardship as volunteer service, prepares to join the labour force, and is healthy, hygienic, cheerful and obedient. I raise questions about the nature of the organization's efforts to teach about sexism, racism, classism, ableism, homophobia and heterosexism, and suggest some ways in which the curriculum can attend to these social relations to develop a more inclusive image of the ideal responsible citizen. I also suggest a number of directions for future research.

This thesis was designed to investigate differences in aggression between girls with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Forty girls with ADHD and 43 girls without ADHD aged 9- to 12- years and their mothers and teachers participated. A multiassessment methodology was used to investigate these differences, employing mothers' reports, teachers' reports, and a laboratory aggression analogue task (a computer game involving simulated girls in other rooms). The results indicated that mothers and teachers saw girls with ADHD as having much higher levels of all types of aggression assessed, including overt, relational, proactive, and reactive aggression, than girls in the control group. On the lab task, girls with ADHD used a strategy that involved more threatening and bragging comments, and social exclusions of their co-players. Expected differences on some of the lab task measures did not emerge. Also, according to mothers, teachers, and the results from the lab task, girls with ADHD were significantly less prosocial than girls in the control group. Where significant group differences had been found, follow-up tests generally indicated that girls with ADHD and comorbid oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD) were more aggressive than girls in the control group, with girls with ADHD but not ODD falling in between. In sum, these results indicate substantial cause for concern for the concurrent and future psychosocial well-being of girls with ADHD.

Recent research has revealed a gender gap in reading attitudes and achievement. Broadly speaking, when compared with girls, boys display a more negative attitude towards reading and perform less well on measures of reading achievement. Yet, why boys appear to have such difficulties with reading and why girls appear to have fewer difficulties with it has yet to be fully explored. This thesis examines the talk of a group of grade five and six students at a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, mixed socio-economic urban elementary school, concerning their ideas of gender normative behaviour, gendered reading practices and the consequences of non-normative gender performances or gender crossing behaviour. Using Critical Socio-Cultural theories of literacy and learning and Feminist Post-Structuralist theories of gender and identity, this year long ethnographic study reveals that students' investments in their gender identities may help to create and maintain the gender gap in reading attitudes and achievement. In particular, boys' investment in maintaining a heteronormative masculine identity may interfere with their participation in school based print literacy. The implications of these findings for bridging the gender reading gap are discussed. In addition, this thesis raises questions about the simplicity of current conceptions of the gender reading gap that depict boys as victims and girls as victors in school. This thesis adds to research that calls for a more complex understanding of issues of gender, "race" and class in .contemporary classrooms.

Parental behaviors and socialization practices are among the most cited micro-level factors related to adolescents‘ performance in school. For African American youth, families provide the foundation for negotiating their identities and learning ―how to go to school‖ in a racist and sexist society (Hill, 2002; Jeynes, 2005). Yet, a sparse amount of research has examined familial factors that shape African American girls‘ identity development and academic outcomes. This mixed method study examined how racial socialization, ethnic socialization and parental involvement influence African American adolescent girls‘ multiple identities and academic performance. Participants included African American girls (N=106) between the ages of 11 and 14. Data were collected using a questionnaire and focus group interviews. The questionnaire included racial identity, gender identity, racial socialization, ethnic socialization, and parental involvement scales. Student grades were retrieved from schools administrators. Stepwise regression analysis was employed to examine the associations among familial socialization and involvement, identity factors and academic performance. Socialization messages regarding African American history, and coping with racial discrimination were negatively related to African American girls‘ academic performance. Socialization messages regarding African American cultural values were positively related to African American girls‘ academic performance. African American girls who were frequently exposed to African American cultural expressions, taught the African American value system, and taught strategies for dealing with racial discrimination were highly aware of how others view African Americans, had positive feelings about being Black, and their blackness was central to their identity. Gender identity exploration was linked to transmission of African American values and celebrating African American heritage. Gender belongingness/affirmation was predicted by messages about African American history. Six focus group interviews were conducted with girls (n=45) randomly selected from the larger sample. Participant answered questions about their feelings about their gender and racial groups, preparation for womanhood, and parental messages about academic achievement. A modified ground theory of data analysis was used to examine the focus group data. Four themes emerged from focus groups: (1) the importance of race and gender, (2) socialization for black womanhood, (3) avoiding a legacy of school failure, and (4) using education as a tool for personal advancement.

The institution of schooling is one of the most formative spaces in which young people learn about gender norms and expectations. Rather than being a biological given, gender identity is achieved through gender practices and gender achievements (Butler, 1990/1999; Nayak & Kehily, 2008). This study was a year-long ethnography during which I observed an all girls’ after-school club. The club included 15 girls who were in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. The majority of the club’s participants were African American girls. This ethnography utilized participant observation and interviews. Club documents were also analyzed during data analysis. My primary research question was: How was girlness conceptualized, perpetuated, and performed in an after-school club for middle school girls? Using critical theory and feminist poststructuralism, I investigated the work that goes into creating and maintaining current binary gender formations, and how this is related to race, class, and sexuality.

Ce mémoire porte sur la présence de l'ironie comme stratégie esthétique et politique. Les œuvres analysées le sont dans l'objectif de connaître comment cette figure s'articule à l'intérieur de créations à contenu féministe et quels indices de l'ironie apparaissent de façon parfois récurrente. Ne prétendant pas universaliser le mode fonctionnel de l'ironie dans la militance féministe, ni dans les arts visuels, ce mémoire cherche plutôt à saisir de quelle manière l'ironie, en tant que méthode rhétorique, agit à l'intérieur de pratiques artistiques précises et distinctes les unes des autres. Le concept d'ironie est analysé principalement à partir des définitions qu'en donnent Catherine Kerbrat-Orecchioni, Linda Hutcheon et le Groupe MU, c'est-à-dire une figure avançant une affirmation et qui, à l'aide de certains éléments, en suggère à la fois la négation. Ce paradoxe qui conduit à la notion d'ambiguïté permet d'éliminer ce qui peut être perçu telle une attitude totalitaire, menant de force ou forcément le récepteur ou la réceptrice vers une Vérité. En fait, la stratégie ironique oblige à la réflexion et exerce l'esprit critique dans la mesure où le public oscille entre deux lectures contradictoires. Cette incitation à faire preuve d'une pensée critique à l'égard de thèmes fondamentaux à l'étude, notamment la notion de genre, révèle le type particulier d'engagement que propose la stratégie ironique. Ce travail se concentre sur divers courants féministes et conceptions du genre. Parmi les écoles de pensée abordées, une attention particulière est portée à l'égard de la philosophe et féministe Judith Butler. Celle-ci propose d'ouvrir les possibilités identitaires et de miser sur les différences, au-delà de la pensée binaire contraignante. Son concept de pratiques parodiques du genre a été retenu afin d'analyser subséquemment ce que la psychanalyste Joan Riviere qualifie de "mascarade de la féminité". À partir de ces concepts, les pratiques artistiques de deux collectifs d'artistes, soit les Guerrilla Girls et Les Fermières Obsédées, ainsi que de l'artiste Dana Wyse seront abordées de sorte à faire voir des variantes postmodernes qui élargiraient la définition d'un art militant. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : art et féminisme, ironie, genre, pratiques parodiques, Guerrilla Girls, Les Fermières Obsédées, Dana Wyse.

Tyrimo objektas. 8–12 klasių mergaičių fizinis pajėgumas. Tyrimo problema. Lietuvoje per pastaruosius penkerius metus ilgalaikių tyrimų susijusių su 8–12 klasių mergaičių fizinio pajėgumo kitimo ypatumais nepavyko surasti. Netiesiogiai susiję tyrimai Lietuvoje – Lietuvos moksleivių fizinio pajėgumo, fizinio aktyvumo, fizinės saviugdos tyrimai (Trinkūnienė, 2001; Volbekienė, Baublienė, 2002; Volbekienė, Kavaliauskas, 2002; Batutis, 2003; Mozūrienė, 2006; Puišienė, 2005, 2007; Volbekienė, 2002, 2007). Nustatytos Lietuvos moksleivių fizinio pajėgumo kitimo neigiamos tendencijos ir vyraujanti sėdima gyvensena. Tyrimo tikslas. Nustatyti Kauno miesto mergaičių fizinio pajėgumo rezultatų kitimo ypatumus nuo 8 iki 12 klasės. Tyrimo uždaviniai. 1. Nustatyti Kauno miesto 8–12 klasių mergaičių fizinio pajėgumo rezultatų kitimą per vienerius mokslo metus. 2. Nustatyti Kauno miesto 8–12 klasių mergaičių fizinio pajėgumo rezultatų kitimą per vienerius kalendorinius metus. 3. Nustatyti Kauno miesto 8–12 klasių mergaičių fizinio pajėgumo rezultatų kitimą per dvejus kalendorinius metus. 4. Nustatyti Kauno miesto 8–12 klasių mergaičių fizinio pajėgumo rezultatų kitimą per trejus kalendorinius metus. 5. Nustatyti Kauno miesto mergaičių fizinio pajėgumo rezultatų kitimą nuo 8 klasės rudens iki 12 klasės pavasario. Išvados. 1. Per vienerius mokslo metus 8 ir 10 klasių mergaičių vikrumo rezultatai pablogėja, 9 klasės mergaičių pagerėja širdies ir kraujagyslių sistemos ištvermė. Vyresniųjų, 11–12... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The object of the study. Physical fitness of 8–12 forms girls in Kaunas. The problem of the study. In Lithuania the investigation of peculiarities of the changes of physical fitness of 8–12 forms girls during latter five years wasn‘t found. In Lithuania such studies as physical fitness, physical activity, physical self – practice of Lathuanian school children were not connected directly (Trinkuniene, 2001; Volbekiene, Baubliene, 2002; Batutis, 2003; Mazuriene, 2006; Puishiene, 2005, 2007; Volbekiene, 2002, 2007) negative tendencies of changes of physical fitness and predominant sitting manner of life were determined. The aim of the study. To determine the peculiarities of physical fitness changes of 8–12 forms girls in Kaunas. The tasks of the study. 1. To determine the change of physical fitness indexes during one school year among 8–12 forms girls in Kaunas. 2. To determine the change of physical fitness indexes during one calendar year among 8–12 forms girls in Kaunas. 3. To determine the changes of physical fitness indexes of 8–12 forms girls in Kaunas during two years period. 4. To determine the changes of physical fitness indexes of 8–12 forms girls in Kaunas during three calendar years’ period. 5. To determine the changes of physical fitness indexes of girls in Kaunas from 8 form autumn till 12 form spring. Conclusions. 1. The indexes of physical fitness of the girls of senior classes do not change in one school year, the indexes of agility of the girls of forms 8 and... [to full text]

Darbo pavadinimas: Vyresnių klasių mergaičių fizinio aktyvumo ir fizinio pajėgumo kaita pavasario ir rudens laikotarpiu. Raktažodžiai: fizinis aktyvumas, fizinis pajėgumas, eurofito testai, mergaitės. Probleminis klausimas: ar vyresnių klasių mergaičių fizinis aktyvumas ir fizinis pajėgumas geresnis pavasarį ar rudenį? Darbo tikslas: Nustatyti vyresnių klasių mergaičių fizinio aktyvumo ir fizinio pajėgumo kaitą pavasario ir rudens laikotarpiu. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti vyresnių klasių mergaičių fizinį aktyvumą pavasarį ir rudenį. 2. Nustatyti vyresnių klasių mergaičių fizinį pajėgumą bei tarpusavio ryšius pavasarį ir rudenį. 3. Nustatyti fizinio aktyvumo ir fizinio pajėgumo tarpusavio ryšius pavasarį ir rudenį. Darbe nagrinėta Tauragės rajono vyresnių klasių mergaičių bendros apimties fizinis aktyvumas (FA) ir fizinis pajėgumas (FP) rudenį ir pavasarį, taip pat tarpusavio ryšys tarp fizinio aktyvumo ir fizinio pajėgumo pavasarį ir rudenį. Tyrimo metodas: anketinė apklausa ir fizinio pajėgumo testavimas. Buvo pasirsirinkti tokie testai: šuolis į tolį iš vietos, 10x5m bėgimas šaudykle, sėstis ir siekti, sėstis ir gultis. Darbo objektas: vyresnių klasių mergaičių fizinis aktyvumas ir fizinis pajėgumas rudenį ir pavasarį. Hipotezė: vyresnių klasių mergaičių fizinis aktyvumas ir fizinis pajėgumas geresnis pavasarį negu rudenį. Išvados: 1. Atlikus tyrimą nustatyta, kad vyresnių klasių mergaitės fiziškai aktyvesnės pavasarį negu rudenį. Pavasarį dideliam fiziniam aktyvumui per... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The name of the work: the change of physical activity and physical capasity of senior form girls during spring and autumn periods. Keywords: physical activity, physical capasity, eurofit tests, girls. Problem question: Is physical activity and physical capasity of senior form girls better in springo r in autumn period? The aim of the work: to clear up and disclose physical activity and phsysical capasity of senior form girls. The tasks of the work: 1. To define physical activity of senior form girls in spring and autumn. 2. To define physical capasity and the relation of senior form girls in spring and autumn. 3. To define the relation between physical activity and physical capasity in spring and in autumn. The work analyses physical activity and physical capasity of senior form girls in Taurage district and the relation between physical activity and physical capasity in spring and in autumn. The method of the research:questionnaire test, testing of physical capasity. The object of the work: physical activity and physical capasity of senior form girls in spring and in autumn. Hypothesis: physical activity and physical capasity of senior form girls better in spring than in autumn. Conclusions: 1. Study results indicated that high school girls are more physically active in spring than in autumn. The frequency of vigorous physical activity (PA) was 2 days/week in spring and 1.5 days/week in autumn; the frequency of moderate PA was 3.3 days/week in spring and 2.7 days/week in... [to full text]