Elementary German language textbooks today lack diverse representations of gender, social class, race, and ability. This thesis argues that the exclusion of those categories of diversity impedes the objectives of the communicative learning approach for students in first-year German courses. It examines research on diversity in textbooks with a focus on the concept of the “third space”, and shows how these findings apply to German students. An analysis of chapters from three German textbooks published between 2018 and 2020: Netzwerk neu A1, Impuls Deutsch 1, and Grenzenlos Deutsch provides specific examples of how images, texts, dialogs, grammar, and vocabulary exercises could be designed or redesigned to make the German language classroom a space in which all students are able to communicate and express themselves.

This study explored the ways in which intercultural relationships are affected by cross-cultural transition through the lens of the female experience. Specifically, this research examined (1) in what ways women felt that cross-cultural transition impacted their relationship, especially with regards to cultural values and male-female role taking; and (2) what kinds of benefits women experienced in their relationships as a result of moving across cultures with their partner. A total of 15 non-Chilean women in intercultural relationships with Chilean men were interviewed; all women had lived with their partners in her home country and then moved together to Chile. Results revealed that all 15 participants maintained at least some of their own core cultural values regardless of conflicting societal pressure after moving to Chile. In addition, 11 women reported adopting Chilean values of being more relaxed surrounding time and schedules as well as openly expressing affection, which directly benefited their families. Female participants who reported gender role shifts in their relationship either described it as circumstantial since they simultaneously became stay-at-home mothers, or as a direct result of moving to a culture that adhered to stricter notions of male-female role taking. Although about half of the women reported having to make career sacrifices, most felt their roles as females, wives, and mothers directly benefited from moving to Chile due to more affordable domestic help and living in a more child friendly culture. Finally, although most women discussed some of the challenges of moving across cultures with their partner, 11 women felt their relationship had been strengthened as a result. They also described a number of skills for achieving relationship maintenance: practicing patience, good communication, and a willingness to continually negotiate with one another were the most important abilities for sustaining a highly mobile yet stable intercultural marriage.

This study focuses on the challenges faced by U.S. college students who identify as gay or lesbian and choose to study abroad in Latin American countries. The focus is on the challenges to the formation and negotiation of a gay or lesbian identity in a new cultural construct. The study incorporates information from identity development and identity negotiation perspectives in an effort to explain the problems that these students face. There is also an emphasis placed on how these students receive support while on site, and how these supports help students continue a successful negotiation of a gay or lesbian identity while in a new cultural environment. Recommendations for providing effective support to gay and lesbian students are included.

Women still rarely choose to seek employment in advanced manufacturing. Lack of familiarity with manufacturing jobs and education programs, lack of role models, and too few experiential opportunities contribute to women not choosing manufacturing jobs as well as other jobs traditionally held by men (Reha, Lufkin, & Harrison, 2009; St. Rose & Hill, 2013; Starobin & Laanan, 2008). Nontraditional jobs for women often provide higher wages and more opportunity for advancement than traditional jobs for women. This study is a qualitative thematic narrative analysis of factors that influenced women who chose an advanced manufacturing program at a community college to enter employment in a male-dominated career sector. Intersectionality and agency were the overarching concepts used to examine how working-class women navigated the unfamiliar spaces of higher education and manufacturing. Data were collected through interviews that spanned across several years as the women in the study advanced through the community college and into the manufacturing workplace. The primary research questions included: 1) What motivated the women to begin the program and what were their doubts? 2) How did the women’s experiences in the community college and participation in an advanced manufacturing program influence their education and career choices? And, 3) What might be learned through their stories, particularly their perspectives related to identity and agency? Women reported their top reason for initially pursuing education and employment in manufacturing was the potential income and employee benefits; however, as the women progressed, they reported additional benefits that included increased confidence at work and at home. The women cited earning a college credential as the most transformative aspect of their journey and attributed unexpected personal growth and self-discovery to their college experience. Additional findings pertained to the value of the college support program, the challenges of exercising agency in a patriarchal environment, and the advantages of women’s ways of working for both the employee and the employer. The results of this study have financial implications for women, programmatic implications for colleges, workforce development implications for communities, and employee recruitment and retention implications for manufacturers.

The Catalina Triangle is a work of historical fiction focusing on the final weekend in the life of the actress Natalie Wood with flashbacks highlighting her rise to fame and references to Reagan-era America as well as the history of Catalina Island.

There are many African American women in leadership positions such as Assistant Superintendents, Network Superintendents, Directors, Principals, Assistant Principals, and Coaches. There is a disconnect for African American women in leadership and the highest position of authority in a school district. This leads to the question, what are the barriers, if any, that are limiting the amount of African American Women in the far western states to transition into Superintendent positions? In the reverse, what supports did the women who are superintendents have in their leadership ascension? Finally, what structures need to be developed and formalized in order to facilitate the transition of African American Women into Superintendent positions? This research engages with six the current African American Women superintendents to obtain their stories and develop structures that school districts that are interested can use to develop supports that will directly support African American Women who are interested in obtaining the Superintendent positions in far western states schoolsThe purpose of this study is to identify systemic barriers to the superintendency for African American women and identify strategies to disrupt these systems. The findings of this study may be used to increase the number of female African-American superintendents in the region. The following research questions were used to guide this study: 1. What systemic barriers hinder African American women from becoming superintendents in public school districts? 2. What strategies do African American women superintendents use to overcome these barriers? 3. In what ways, if any, do African American women superintendents perceive the influence of race and gender on their path to the superintendency? 4. What systemic reforms are needed to increase the diversity of superintendents in the western United States? This study is significant because it explains how African American Women in the far western states have experienced the journey into the superintendency, both good and bad. This research can serve as support for other African American Women who are interested in the journey/position. School districts that are looking to dismantle and recreate systems that are supportive of African American Women and their desire to become superintendents can use this research to create said programs. More important, it will add the voices of underrepresented participants to the body of scholarship. This study is a basic qualitative study student with underpinnings of Patricia Hill Collings Black Feminist Thought, which explains that Black women are the most adequate source to explain their journey and offer solutions to the representation shortage. The research data was collected through two one on one (virtual) interviews.

The problem is that little is known about the life experiences and womanist characteristics of African-American female school leaders and how these experiences and characteristics have collectively influenced their leadership skills and practices within American schools. The phenomenological study sought to understand and describe the lived experiences of African-American female educational leaders who embody womanist characteristics and to identify how the following five factors have influenced their practices in educational leadership: (a) activism, (b) the knowledge and acceptance of multiple identities, (c) the usage of motherwit and othermothering (d) the care-ethic, and (e) the breaking of barriers. A purposive sample of African-American women who are educational leaders in urban school districts with predominately racial and ethnic minority student populations in the southwestern and southern parts of the country were used in this study. Data was analyzed to answer the following three research questions: (a) What do the characteristics of womanism mean to African-American female educational leaders?, (b) What perceived role do womanist characteristics have in the professional practices and leadership-styles of African-American female educational leaders?, and (c) What elements of womanism influence the African-American female educational leader’s efforts in helping to close the achievement gap experienced by many students of color? The study was conducted using an explanatory, qualitative style based on a phenomenological methodology. Participants completed telephone and face-to-face interviews. The four female participants (a) have held educational leadership positions, (b) are between the ages of 30 and 80, and (c) are African-American. This research can be a source of information and motivation to all women who aspire to become educational leaders, specifically African-American women who serve or desire to serve minority students in urban schools. The analysis revealed the nine themes: A mentor is a must, teacher leadership, activism, overcoming stereotypes, a strong sense of self, a vocation, breaking barriers, care, and high expectations.

Despite the increased rate of women in the workplace and more women acquiring advance degrees, there are still barriers in the workplace that hinders the advancement of women. The focus of this qualitative study was first to understand the perceptions and beliefs of six female managers' experiences during the developmental process of an all-female mentoring program. The second focus was to provide information on the importance of mentoring in the development and advancement of women in the workplace. Utilizing a phenomenological methodology, a descriptive approach was employed to examine and describe the thought processes and subjective views of the participants' role, understanding, and expectation of the program development. The purpose of this applied dissertation was to examine and describe from the participants' perspectives the factors that hindered the successful development of the mentoring program. Based on the analysis of the data collected from the semi-structured interviews, four themes emerged: (a) purpose for mentoring program development, (b) perception of barriers to mentoring program development, (c) perception of management role in program development, and (d) perception of program outcome. The data collected as a result of this study revealed five findings: (a) mentoring programs are an important human resource intervention, (b) the lack of top management support and commitment adversely affected the successful development of the mentoring program, (c) the successful development of a mentoring program requires the clear establishment of the program goals and objectives, (d) research does not fully support the findings that women in senior positions will advocate for women in lower ranking positions, and (e) the top management role is an essential component in the continued success of mentoring programs. This study offers insight into female managers' perceptions of the barriers that affect mentoring program development and insight into the development of successful mentoring program.

The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of Jamaican Expatriate Female C-suite executives in the diaspora of working in Multi-national Companies (MNCs). A further question to be answered was the meaning they derived from their experiences. With little research emerging from the Caribbean about this elite class of professionals, the research intended to expose the challenges faced as an outsider in unfamiliar spaces. Research on other groups have exposed limiting factors to women’s progress in MNCs. Critical Race Theory with a brief mention of Critical Human Geography and Intersectionality are lens applied to critique the experiences of the eight participants. This research mined the extant literature that looked at navigating barriers, disrupting stereotypes and gender diversity in international careers. The method of inquiry applied to this research was existential phenomenology and its utility in getting to the essence of the women’s lived experiences highlighted the glass-border phenomenon. In reflecting on the outcome, this research opens the door for scholars and practitioners alike, to critically assess the expatriate literature and to probe further the complex relationship between international business, the movement of black talent across geographic and culturally diverse boundaries and the challenges encountered. The results of this study illuminated several themes from the participants textural descriptions: (1) Moving from Invisible to Visible – Disrupting Bias; (2) Who am I? – Identity, Gender and Heritage; (3) Renegotiating the Rules of Engagement paired with Re-branding the Role and Authority of Women in Business; (4) Male Sponsorship Leads to Acceptance; (5) Improving Skill and Competency Capital for New Roles; (6) Building and Maintaining Bridges – Network Management.

Transgender individuals go through their intrapersonal differentiation between covert “I” (expressed gender) and overt “I” (assigned gender), often unnoticed by family members before their coming out. Consequently, their coming out rockets anxiety in the family system and the process of differentiation of transgender parents seem to go through its unique path to search for equilibrium. Recent social and clinical studies about transgender parents have paid attention to the experience and challenges of the gender transition process, social pressure, acceptance of transgender individuals in a parenting role, and readiness of families to cope with the transition of a parent (Bischof, Warnaar, Barajas, & Dhaliwal, 2011; Chung, 2016; Di Ceglie, 1998; Freedman, Tasker, & Di Ceglie, 2002; Haines, Ajayi, & Boyd, 2014; Hines, 2006; Theron & Collier, 2013; Veldorale-Griffin, 2014; White & Ettner, 2004, 2007). No research study has attempted to explore the essence of transgender parenting and the related self-differentiation process (Bowen, 1978; Kerr & Bowen, 1988). In this research, I intended to address this gap in knowledge by utilizing a heuristic phenomenological research design to explore the essence of parenting and self-differentiation of transgender parents. I used interviews with ten transgender parents, both females, and males, to embrace the elements of the lived experienced. The first conducted heuristic analysis revealed five emerging themes: Selfish Unselfishness: Becoming Me; Relationship with My Close Family: It is About Respect; Battle of Emotions: Do the Right Thing; Competence, Confidence, and Legacy: This Is How We Do It. Or Not; and Life Satisfaction: Welcome to My World. The second, qualitative data analysis, brought evidence of these qualities of self-differentiation: Balancing Individuality and Togetherness; Balancing Thoughts and Feelings; and Self-differentiation in the Expressed Gender.