This qualitative case study explores the experiences of adolescent boys and their female teacher in two single sex drama classrooms over a two year period. It has been influenced by sociological and educational frames of knowledge with a specific emphasis on gender studies. Driven by the work of Biddulph (1995), Bly (1990), Pollack (1999), Hawkes (2001), Hartman (1999), Connell (1995,1996) and Kenway (1997), this research is ideologically grounded in theories that investigate the areas of masculinity, boys' education and drama practice. It takes as its pivotal focus the notion that educationally, adolescent boys are facing complex and troubled times and that a reassessment of the way boys are taught in schools is crucial. Additionally, the role and influence of the female teacher in the single sex boys' classroom was significant, providing an essential backdrop for investigating the classroom experiences of the boys. In the area of educational drama, research into adolescent boys and classroom drama is still unfolding.This thesis contributes to knowledge in this area and reveals the important benefits and potential that educational drama holds for empowering young males to explore their own masculine identities and understand their world with clarity and insight. Data collected during this research forms the basis of a narrative journey shared between the reader and the researcher. The research is heavily grounded in the ethnographic tradition of 'telling stories' from the field - stories which reveal the authentic lived experiences of the participants. Part of the greater story told here includes that of the researcher and documents some of the more notable challenges and highlights of working in the field over an extended time frame. Specifically, the research addresses the following questions: What benefits do adolescent boys perceive they gain from doing drama? How do adolescent boys communicate with each other in the drama classroom? How do adolescent boys approach drama work in their classroom? How do they perceive their own experiences and relationships in a single-sex drama classroom? What role does their female teacher play in their experiences in the drama classroom? The research revealed a number of important considerations for the fields ofsociology, gender studies and education. Amongst some of the major findings was the potential of drama to break down stereotypical notions associated with masculinity and boys' abilities to excel in area such as the Arts. The enjoyment and fulfillment that the boys felt they gained from participating in drama resulted in a heathlier classroom environment characterised by a greater tolerance and understanding of each boy's individual masculinity. It was also revealed that the presence of a female drama teacher was considered an advantage, granting the boys access to a field of knowledge and feeling that was different to their 'male ways of knowing.' Additionally, for the field of drama, the research revealed that the value of solid planning, a defined understanding of contemporary drama practice and implementing learning experiences carefully and thoughtfully grounded in the lives of the students, cannot be underestimated as essential components of effective drama teaching.

Last spring I did a study where I studied how young girls where being depicted in Swedish novels of 2010. My ambition with this exam is to study how young teenage boys are being depicted in Swedish novels of 2010 and to compare this study and the results with the results from my study last spring. Throughout history we can see that boy’s novels have had the purpose to bring up boys into being adventurous. In the novels of 2010 we can see that boys now are being depicted in another more modern and contemporary way. From my analysis we can see that all the books have many things in common. One of them is the young boys search for identity and for finding who they really are. They all are struggling with their trust to themselves and their self-confidence. We can see that all the books show how young boys today are struggling to find the courage to stand up for themselves and their identity. In my comparison with the results of both of my studies we can see many similarities. Both studies shows young teenagers search for identity and for finding the courage to show how they really are and for standing up for themselves. We can that despite gender the young teenagers are all having the same reflections and feelings.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2008. / Adviser: Lisa A. Dieker. Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-136).

In a small town in a Canadian prairie province where spots, particularly football and basketball, are the chief activities, many young men in school define their self-worth based on their thletic ability. To determine the impact that sports had on the young men in this particular town, 20 boys between the ages of 15 and 19 were selected for interviews. Due to the importance placed upon sports in the school and the small size of the school, all 20 of the boys had some association with football and basketball. They either played on one of the sports teams but spent much of the time sitting on the bench, or they desired to play but failed to qualify for team play. Only one of the boys had never tried to play on one of the teams. The boys were interviewed about how they fit into the circle of sports and how their participation or non-participation has influenced them. It was determined that sports did influence their self-esteem. Many of the boys, both those who were part of the team and those who had been cut from the team, felt left out and began to dought their abilities and their worth. The study confirms much of the current literature. Recommendations include making coaches and administration aware that boys were being negatively influenced by a successful sports program, as well as calling for further research to determine the extent and depth of the negative influence of sports on boys who are not the stars of the team. / viii, 83 leaves ; 28 cm.

This qualitative research identified constructions of masculinity among seven adolescent boys who were HIV positive, purposively sampled from the age range of 13 to 16 years and were members of a clinic-based HIV support groups. Central to this research was the critical use of the concept of ‘hegemonic masculinity’, defined as the legitmation of gendered power through masculinity ideals, embodied practices and imperatives. The framework of dialogical self theory was used for exploring the dynamics of individual and group positioning around hegemonic masculinity and this theory was compared with other approaches such as discursive theory. Using multiple research methods within a qualitative design, this research identified individual and group ideals and practices held by the adolescent boys, with a key focus on how young men maintained ‘positions’ in relation to hegemonic masculinity, be these forms of masculinity that retained complete or partial identification with hegemonic masculinity or versions of masculinity that were alternative to the hegemonic form. The study was situated at the intersection of masculinity with the experience of living with a chronic medical condition, and the relatively homogenous and small sample provided an indepth basis for understanding the instantiation of masculine identity in a situation of fairly unique challenges and complexity. A combination of semi-structured interviews, focus groups, autophotography, reflective writing, biographical drawings and biographical interviews were used to match an interpretive, inductive research process, with reflexivity and research ethics as key considerations. Interviews were carried out by the researcher and two of the support group facilitators, creating an opportunity for reflexivity around the complexities of qualitative interviewing. Multiple methods of data analysis were used to analyse and ‘dialogue’ multi-sourced verbal and visual data. Thse methods consisted of thematic analysis, an adaptation of critical narrative analysis for selected texts and content analysis of visual data. The findings suggested that there were active processes of positioning masculine identity at individual and group levels and that positions in relation to hegemonic ideals were emotionally invested. Two hegemonic versions of young masculinity were identified as sets of ideal standards and embodied practices. ‘Township young masculinity’ was a peer-approved version identified with physical invulnerability, risk-taking and an ideal of attaining ‘influence and affluence’ through exceptional performances. ‘Aspirant young masculinity’ was a future orientation towards attaining a commodity masculinity, identified with an independent provider roles and signified through visible displays of ownership both material and symbolic. Interpreting findings from dialogical self theory, it appeared that some of the boys, at some times, established a distance from hegemonic imperatives by taking personally agentive, independent I-positions. This carried the risk of impulsively reacting to hegemonic imperatives without the support of collective identities and social relationships. Some boys developed Ipositions that were contradictory to produce new and more tenable I-positions. This process appeared to be more sustainable when it was connected with a group or collective identity such as being a member of the support group or being a person living with HIV. Some of the boys maintained alternatives through ‘metapositions’ that were made available through contexts or resources which offered alternative perspectives and possibilities. Dilemmas faced included managing the hegemonic imperative of being sexually active as an HIV positive young man or prioritising health where the hegemonic standard promoted physical risk-taking. It was apparent that despite interviewer expectations, the participants did not foreground an HIV positive identity but instead defined themselves foremostly as young men. One of the solutions to these dilemmas was to modify but maintain some alignment or identification with masculinity ideals. Here, the constraints of being HIV positive meant that maintaining health was more important than conforming to masculinity ideals or a reframing of masculinity within the physical, social and symbolic barriers of having a potentially life-threatening illness. The challenge of this solution was that its sustainability relied to a large extent on the availability of safe ‘dialogical’ spaces such as the HIV support group. Some of the boys found ‘principled’ alternatives to hegemonic masculinity from community or cultural values. Some of the boys identified with hegemonic standards but had to constantly defend against the anxiety of not being able to embody these hegemonic standards. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1932.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1932.

Thesis (doctoral)--La Salle University, 2003. / ProQuest dissertations and theses ; AAT 3108287. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-52).

Thesis (MNutr (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Human Nutrition))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to investigate current perceived role of nutritional supplements in adolescent (16-18 years) male rugby players and establish usage practices within Kwazulu Natal (KZN) schools. Methods The nutritional supplementation practices of 68 rugby players from 7 KZN secondary schools were surveyed using an anonymous paper-based questionnaire. The boys were asked to identify from a list (with Other as a selection) which supplement they used, the frequency of use, sources of supplement information and advice they base their choices on, where products were bought from, reasons for use, average monthly spend on buying these supplements, whether dietary changes were made in conjunction with taking a supplement and what was their understanding of the role of supplementation in achieving their performance goals. Results Sixty eight out of 236 invited participants completed the questionnaire. This translated into a response rate of 29%. Fifty four percent of participants admitted to using nutritional supplements, protein and creatine being the most popular products listed (43% and 22% of supplement users, respectively). Thirty five percent of supplement users supplemented daily and 24% supplemented 3-4 times per week. Friends were the most popular source of advice and information regarding nutritional supplements 32% (n=12), with supplement company representatives the next most commonly used source 22% (n=8). Seventy percent (n=26) of supplements are bought from a pharmacy, with an average monthly cost of R250, but ranging from R30 to as much as R1500 per month. Seventy percent (n=26) indicated that they also made dietary changes in addition to taking the nutritional supplement. These dietary changes included making healthier food choices 81% (n=21), increasing intake of protein foods 65% (n=17), planned snacks around exercise 35% (n=9), increasing carbohydrate-rich foods 62% (n=16), increasing fruit and vegetable intake 50% (n=13), and including snacks between meals 35% (n=9). The study participants rated practice sessions and weight training as most important in terms of helping them achieve their goals; diet, rest and supplements were similarly ranked as being between fairly to very important. Twenty two percent admitted that they would consider taking an illegal supplement if it would assist them in achieving their goals. Conclusions This study indicates that at least half of rugby-playing school boys (age 16-18 yrs) are making use of some form of supplementation, with protein and creatine supplementation being the most popular. The data indicate that rugby-playing school boys see their peers as a good source of information, and are willing to spend a large amount of money obtaining it (about R250 per month on average). This is concerning as peer pressure combined with lack of knowledge on nutritional supplement usage (and nutrition) can lead to widespread misuse of supplements, and potential detrimental side-effects in this young study population. However it highlights the value that school-level educational programmes (age and sport specific) can have in improving supplement usage practices and creating sound nutritional practices amongst this population, better equipping them at making informed decisions. In addition, educational programmes should be extended to other influential sources of information such as school coaches, teachers and parents. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om die huidige persepsie oor die waarde van voedingsupplemente en die gebruikspraktyke daarvan in 16 -18 jarige adolessente manlike atlete in Kwazulu Natal (KZN) skole te bepaal. Uitkomste van die studie was om die voorkoms en tipe supplemente wat gebruik word, redes aangevoer vir die gebruik daarvan, kennis oor die rol van supplemente asook die bron van inligting te bepaal. Metodes Die voedingsupplementasie praktyke van 68 rugby spelers uit 7 KZN sekondêre skole is ondersoek deur gebruik te maak van n annonieme vraelys (papier basis). Die seuns is gevra om van n lys (die opsie ander was ingesluit) te identifiseer watter supplement hulle gebruik, die frekwensie van gebruik, die bronne van inligting en raadgewing ontvang, waar die produk aangekoop is, redes vir gebruik, gemiddelde maandelikse kostes aangegaan en of dieetveranderinge tesame met die supplementasie aangegaan is. Kennis rondom die rol van supplementasie in prestasie doelwitte is getoets. Resultate: Agt-en-sestig uit n totaal van 236 deelnemers wat uitgenooi is om deel te neem aan die studie, het die vraelys voltooi. Dus het 29% van die studie-deelnemers het dus op die vraelys gereageer. Vier en vyftig persent van die deelnemers het erken dat hulle supplemente gebruik waarvan kreatien en proteïen gelys is as die mees gewildste produkte (onderskeidelik 43% en 22%). Vyf en dertig persent het daagliks supplemente gebruik en 24% het 3-4 keer per week supplemente gebruik. Vriende was die mees gewildste bron van raad en inligting (32%), gevolg deur supplement maatskappy verteenwoordigers (22%). Sewentig persent van supplemente word gekoop by n apteek en n gemiddelde maandelikse bedrag van R250 word gespandeer, maar dit wissel van R30 tot soveel as R1 500 per maand. Sewentig persent het erken dat hulle dieet veranderinge in hul dieet tesame met die supplementasie aanbring. Hierdie veranderinge het die volgende ingesluit: die keuse van gesonder voedselsoorte (81%); n verhoogde inname van proteïenryke voedselsoorte (65%); beplanning van peuselhappies rondom oefening (65%); verhoogde inname van koolhidraatryke voedsel (62%); meer vrugte en groente (50%) en die neem van peuselhappies tussen maaltye (35%). Die deelnemers het oefening met gewigte en oefensessies as die mees belangrike faktore geag om hul doelwitte te bereik. Dieet, rus en supplemente is daarnaas gelyk geag as redelik belangrik en 22% het erken dat hulle n verbode middel sal gebruik indien dit hulle sal help om hulle doelwitte te bereik. Gevolgtrekkings Die studie wys dat ten minste die helfte van skoolseuns wat rugby speel (16-18 jr) een of ander vorm van supplementasie gebruik, waarvan proteïen en kreatien die mees gewildste is. Die data dui daarop dat skoolseuns wat rugby speel hul tydgenote ag as n goeie bron van inligting oor supplement gebruik en dat hulle bereid is om groot bedrae geld te spandeer om die supplemente te bekom (gemiddeld R250,00 per maand). Dit is kommerwekkend aangesien groepsdruk tesame met n gebrek aan kennis oor supplementasie (en voeding) kan lei tot algemene misbruik van supplemente en moontlike newe effekte in hierdie jong studie populasie. Dit beklemtoon egter ook die waarde wat skool gebasseerde opvoedingsprogramme kan hê om die bewustheid en kennis oor supplement gebruik in hierdie populasie te verbeter om hul in staat te stel om ingeligte besluite te neem. Dit moet ouderdom -en sportspesifieke voedingsonderrig insluit. Opvoedingsprogramme moet ook uitgebrei word na ander partye wat invloedryke bronne van inligting is soos skool afrigters, onderwysers en ouers.

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