This thesis explores the use of feminist participatory action research (FPAR) within women-only youth and community work settings. The project investigated possibilities for flexible sports participation with non-sporty young women. Underpinned by poststructural feminism, the research considers the complex ways that gendered subjectivities are contested and constructed in relation to sporting embodiment and broader power relations. FPAR's, explicit aim is to affect positive social change. It is: participatory; defined by the need for action; and creates knowledge but not for the sake of knowledge alone. FPAR combines the sharing of common experiences of oppression with collective action. By using FPAR within youth and community settings over the course of 12 months, a group of young mums and a group of young women were encouraged to examine their relationship with physical activity and develop physical activity projects that suited their own needs. Research proceeded through three broad phases: interactive group discussion activities; planning of and participating in needs-led physical activity projects; and project evaluations. This project sought to find new ways of understanding young women’s engagement in physical activity and open up safe spaces for them to consider and experiment with new subjectivities and physically active subject positions. The thesis illuminates the highlights and challenges of implementing physical activity through participatory action research in youth work settings. Findings from the study outline the ways in which young women’s ‘non-sporty’ subjectivities are constructed in relation to discursive practices of gender. Young women’s critical reflections of previous experiences of physical activity revealed the workings of conflicting perceptions of valued emotional capital. The participatory projects provided opportunities for cross-field experiences, which shifted the social field of physical activity, and readdressed relations of power.

This study is an exploration of participants' experiences of being pregnant as young women. The study attempts to respond to the following set of questions: What are the issues that surround young women's pregnancy in general? How has history shaped the construction of womanhood, family, sexuality, motherhood and young women's pregnancy? What are the beliefs, perceptions and policies surrounding young women's pregnancy and that underlie responses to it and how might they (beliefs, perceptions and policies) be changed? How do issues of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS among young women interact with issues of pregnancy? What are the ways in which schools, students and pregnant young women handle the issue of pregnancy, the continuation of pregnancy while schooling, and the implications or impact on the women's career trajectories? What are the experiences of women who have been pregnant at young ages with regard to their education (including the implications for it)? The study utilized a feminist research methodology to interact with women who have been pregnant while schooling. In addition, the study employed feminist research to establish the way in which the Basotho construct young women's pregnancy and to decipher the basis for the way this is constructed. A survey questionnaire was used to generate baseline data on the current interactions of school and young women's pregnancy. The storied lives of pregnant women have been shared in the study in their Lesotho context, a small mountain Kingdom completely land locked by South Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight previously pregnant women while some past pregnant women were accessed by the use of focus group interviews. Additional interviews were conducted with principals, parents, siblings, proprietors, and partners of past pregnant young women. The researcher’s autobiography as a previously pregnant young woman was also used. The data in the study was analyzed at different levels. The first level was a narrative analysis of the eight stories, including the autobiography, which have been presented as their stories. Data from the focus group interviews was analyzed by picking up themes from the interviews and presented by discussing the themes together with some of the direct words of the participants to reinforce the discussion. A cross sectional narrative analysis was done for principals, parents, siblings, proprietors and partners. A narrative analysis was also done for a separate principals ' survey. At the final stage the study brings together information that relates to the research questions. The analysis of the experiences of young woman's pregnancy has been illuminated by the interrogation of who constructs these experiences, what the constructions are and what they are based upon. Each story in the study is unique and not dependent on another however, it is interesting to note that the way young women's pregnancy interacts with the family, partner, school and religion has much to do with the social construction. The sudden altering of context of "good girl" to "bad girl" causes a sharp shift of the pregnant young woman's experiences, thus the fluid nature of social construction is observable. The negotiations that occur as individuals struggle to handle pregnancy are brought forward. The study has not gone without observations on the challenges faced. The study has also moved from the context based possibilities to the way forward. / Theses (Ph.D.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

Teen pregnancy in New Zealand has been constructed as a multifaceted problem, which has prompted scrutiny into the lives of pregnant and parenting teens and their children. Research largely presents teen mothers as ‘at risk’ parents and high school drop outs, with high rates of welfare dependence. Teen parents are considered unlikely to achieve the educational and economic success of their non-parenting peers. This research considers the impact of the experience at a Teen Parent Unit (TPU) on the ways pregnant and parenting teens understand and achieve success. Using a qualitative case study of a Teen Parent Unit in an urban setting in New Zealand, this thesis documents the experiences and perspectives of four young women. Its aim is to detail, explain and interpret the ways these pregnant and parenting teens understand their developing identities as successful students and parents. Drawing on social constructionist perspectives, the views of the young women participants, and of the researcher have been analysed through a conceptual lens of culturally responsive pedagogical theory. Comparisons are made between the culture of success that has been developed in the Teen Parent Unit setting and that of schools which have engaged in Māori culturally responsive pedagogical practice. This thesis offers a strengths-based analysis of an environment which, by reframing expectations of success, presents a challenge to negative academic and societal expectations of pregnant and parenting teens. Its goal is to provide educators, social support agencies, education and social policy makers with an analysis of approaches that have made important differences in the lives of the young women and their children.

HIV and AIDS is still a major problem especially in Sub Saharan Africa. The levels of new infections are still relatively high which implies that the numerous national and international efforts to curb the transmission of HIV are not having the desired effect. Furthermore, the accelerated rate of teenage pregnancy is also indicative of the failure of these efforts. The high teenage pregnancy rate suggests that many teenagers do not practise safe sex. This could be attributed to the many pressures teenagers experience regarding sex and sexuality. Teenage mothers are likely to experience the same or double, the pressure and I was curious to understand their stance on unsafe sex practises especially after having a baby. This research study elicits an understanding of how these young mothers construct, present and negotiate their sexuality within the context of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Issues of sex and sexuality in relation to gender roles, gender identities, constructions of sexuality and teenage motherhood were investigated. The findings reveal two key points: regret inspires determination to succeed and that love and romance are dominant discourses in the construction of sexual risk among teenage mothers within the context of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. All the teenage mothers in this research study indicated that completion of their studies should have taken priority to motherhood. Even though most of the participants in this study acknowledge that love and romance are essential, they are now more cautious and either abstains from sex or practise safe sex. This research study has found that the hardship and responsibilities associated with motherhood have served to motivate these participants to change their risky sexual behaviour and verifies Burr’s (2003) social constructionist perspective by showing how identity is fluid and context dependent, relying on social interactions and experiences. / Theses (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

While young women from relatively affluent backgrounds tend to abort their pregnancies, young women from relatively deprived backgrounds tend to keep theirs. It has been suggested that this socio-economic-pregnancy outcome relationship is due to some form of subcultural acceptance of teenage motherhood existing among disadvantaged groups. The aim of this thesis was to assess how young, never pregnant women from diverse social and economic backgrounds perceive teenage pregnancy and early motherhood, and to consider whether these perceptions could, at least in part, explain this relationship. 248 women (mean age 15.6) completed a questionnaire which requested information on their lives, experiences, expectations about their futures, and their views of teenage pregnancy and early motherhood. Six discussion groups were then held with selected sub-groups of these women to explore their views in greater detail. As the thesis had an additional aim of exploring the process embarked upon by women following the confirmation of a teenage pregnancy, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight women who were currently pregnant, had recently entered motherhood, or had an abortion. It was evident that young women from relatively deprived backgrounds may be more likely than their relatively affluent peers to predict they would keep a teenage pregnancy, and may anticipate early motherhood as having fewer implications for their current situation and futures. It was also evident that young women may view this role as beneficial and plan their pregnancies. However, it was clear that young women from diverse backgrounds may view early motherhood in a predominately negative light, and a range of factors may influence the outcome of a teenage pregnancy. Thus, whilst there was evidence to support the subcultural acceptance hypothesis, it did appear that this acceptance is one which would maintain a young woman on the pathway to motherhood rather than encouraging her to enter this role.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 63-68).

Thesis (Ed.D.) -- Teachers College, Columbia University, 1991. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Susan W. Salmond. Dissertation Committee: Jane A. Monroe. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-148).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Laura Lein and Noel Busch. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Also available from UMI.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-83). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 132-139).