Syfte och frågeställningar: Det övergripande syftet handlar om att undersöka hur villkoren för killars och mäns deltagande i ridsportverksamheter gestaltas i berättelser om ridsport. Annorlunda uttryckt är jag intresserad av hur kön konstrueras, eller ”görs”, i killars och mäns ridsportberättelser. Centrala frågeställningar är: Hur hanteras killarnas och männens könsgränsöverskridande i berättelserna? Vilka normer och föreställningar kring kön och sexualitet blir synliga i berättelserna? Hur positionerar sig killarna och männen i förhållande till rådande köns- och sexualitetsnormer? Metodologi: Studien bygger på kvalitativa intervjuer med 19 killar och män, 13 till 55 år gamla, aktiva på såväl bredd som tävlingsnivå i verksamheter knutna till Svenska Ridsportförbundet. I ett första analyssteg genomfördes en narrativ analys, där fem berättelser – eller narrativ – konstruerades. Dessa illustrerar på olika sätt centrala teman, erfarenheter och problematiker i intervjupersonernas berättelser. I ett andra analyssteg gjordes en feministisk poststrukturell läsning av de fem narrativen. Resultat och diskussion: Sammanfattningsvis verkar det som att deltagandet i en kvinnligt kodad idrott som ridsporten kan öppna upp för andra, och mindre stereotypa, sätt att vara kille än traditionellt manligt kodade idrotter. Eftersom den vardagliga verksamheten innehåller både sådant som (i vår kultur) brukar definieras som kvinnligt, exempelvis omsorg, kommunikation och lyhördhet, och sådant som brukar definieras som manligt, exempelvis handlingskraft, styrka och mod, får man som kille (och tjej) möjlighet att inta såväl feminint som maskulint kodade positioner. På detta sätt utmanas dominerande diskurser om hur tjejer och killar, män och kvinnor ”är”. Samtidigt måste man som kille inom ridsporten förhålla sig till det omgivande samhällets syn på ridning som en ”tjejsport” liksom till en heteronormativ särartsdiskurs enligt vilken killar inom ridsporten är tävlings-, prestations- och målinriktade, inte gillar att pyssla med hästarna och tycker att det bästa med ridsporten är tjejerna. Det verkar göra att det kan bli extra viktigt att betona maskulinitet – och framförallt heterosexualitet – för att visa att man trots allt är en ”normal” kille. Bögen blir här en form av ”gränsvakt”, en stereotyp som både möjliggör och begränsar, men som framförallt synliggör en heteronormativ ordning. / Aim: The overall aim is to investigate how conditions of boys and men’s participation in equestrian sports activities are framed in stories about equestrian sports. In other words I´m interested in the construction of gender, or the ‘doing of gender’, in boys and men´s stories about equestrian sports. Research questions are: How is the gender bending of the boys and men treated in the stories– both inside and outside equestrian sports? Which norms and representations about gender and sexuality are visible in the stories? How do the boys and men position themselves in relation to prevailing gender- and sexuality norms? Methodology: 19 boys and men, between the ages of 13 and 55, active on different levels in the Swedish Equestrian Sports Federation, were interviewed in the study. In a first step, a narrative analysis was conducted. Five narratives, illustrating central themes and experiences in the informants´ stories were constructed. In a second step a feminist post-structuralist reading of the five narratives was carried out. Results and discussion: The results indicate that participation in female-coded sports, like equestrian sports, can open up to other and less stereotypical ways of being a boy or man than participation in sports traditionally seen as masculine. Since the everyday activities contains both elements that we usually (in our culture) define as female, for example care, communication and sensitivity and elements we usually define as male, for example initiative, strength and courage, boys get the opportunity to practice assumed feminine as well as assumed masculine positions. In this way dominant discourses about boys and girls and men and women – how they “are” and what they like – are challenged. At the same time the stories make visible that boys and men in equestrian sports have to relate to the surrounding society’s view of horse riding as a “girl sport” and to heteronormative gender discourses in which men in equestrian sports are competitive and goal oriented, don’t like to cuddle with horses and think that the best thing with horse riding is the girls. It seems as if one strategy for handling this is to emphasize masculinity – and especially heterosexuality – to show that you in spite of everything are a “normal” guy. In this way the “fag” becomes a sort of “border agent” – a stereotype that both allows and restricts, but above all makes visible a heteronormative order. / <p>Uppsatsen tilldelades stipendiemedel ur Överste och Fru Adolf Johnssons fond för VT 2014.</p>

<p>This dissertation explores ten teachers´ approaches to managing conflicts with/between pupils. The relevance of gender is analysed according to the strategies and representations chosen by the teachers. The methods used for data collection include ´rounds´, role-plays and ongoing reflexivity, mainly in single-sex groups. Three main strategies were identified in managing conflicts with/between pupils: challenging, confirming and physically touching. The strategy of challenging reveals that teachers have high expectations of how competent pupils ought to be. It is no longer enough to be competent and independent as a pupil (in Sweden); he or she is also expected to have an integrated ethic of caring. Values such as an ethic of caring are conventionally associated with femininity, and are usually invisible and/or low status; though they have now become the dominant norm for both female and male teachers. The strategy of confirming is used to give support to the pupil but there is a risk of confirming one individual “too much” which can lead to relational problems with other pupils. Physical touching as a strategy relates to dilemmas arising from gendered expectations of physicality in teacher-pupil interaction. Overall, difficulties were found in getting male teachers to discuss and ‘role-play’ conflicts with girls, which did not arise with female teachers concerning conflicts with boys. Also criticized were the demands on teachers’ workloads as a result of their social responsibility for pupils’ welfare, and also lack of institutional support. When the teachers had time to reflect together on their experiences, they seemed willing to criticize norms and representations. Four phases in the mode of talking were identified: (1) the telling of an experience; (2) interpretation of experience as a form of difference, either as deviance or according to gender; (3) narration of experience that contradicts the above dichotomy of difference; and (4) ongoing reflexivity resulting in motivation to change strategy or strengthen former strategies based on a wider awareness of work context.</p>

This dissertation explores ten teachers' approaches to managing conflicts with/between pupils. The relevance of gender is analysed according to the strategies and representations chosen by the teachers. The methods used for data collection include 'rounds', role-plays and ongoing reflexivity, mainly in single-sex groups. Three main strategies were identified in managing conflicts with/between pupils: challenging, confirming and physically touching. The strategy of challenging reveals that teachers have high expectations of how competent pupils ought to be. It is no longer enough to be competent and independent as a pupil (in Sweden); he or she is also expected to have an integrated ethic of caring. Values such as an ethic of caring are conventionally associated with femininity, and are usually invisible and/or low status; though they have now become the dominant norm for both female and male teachers. The strategy of confirming is used to give support to the pupil but there is a risk of confirming one individual "too much" which can lead to relational problems with other pupils. Physical touching as a strategy relates to dilemmas arising from gendered expectations of physicality in teacher-pupil interaction. Overall, difficulties were found in getting male teachers to discuss and 'role-play' conflicts with girls, which did not arise with female teachers concerning conflicts with boys. Also criticized were the demands on teachers' workloads as a result of their social responsibility for pupils' welfare, and also lack of institutional support. When the teachers had time to reflect together on their experiences, they seemed willing to criticize norms and representations. Four phases in the mode of talking were identified: (1) the telling of an experience; (2) interpretation of experience as a form of difference, either as deviance or according to gender; (3) narration of experience that contradicts the above dichotomy of difference; and (4) ongoing reflexivity resulting in motivation to change strategy or strengthen former strategies based on a wider awareness of work context.

Dominant discourses on power, childhood and gender lead to power inequalities in social relationships in families and schools, allowing abuses of power (the subjugation and marginalisation of women and young people). These dominant structures of belief are often disrespectful of young people's experiences, stories and knowledges. This research attempted to respond to dilemmas in child relationships, to challenge belief structures that construct relationships between adults/young people, and to empower young people to stand up for their beliefs and make their voices heard. The research was guided by a post-modern, narrative pastoral approach. To deconstruct discourses that restrict young people within social institutions, social construction discourse, feminist post-structuralism, narrative theology and feminist theology were used. Narrative practices were used to look at depression, guilt, trouble and anger. Re-authoring conversations were used to construct preferred stories about young people's identities and to explore alternative stories and the not-yet-said on drugs. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology (Pastoral Therapy))

Dominant discourses on power, childhood and gender lead to power inequalities in social relationships in families and schools, allowing abuses of power (the subjugation and marginalisation of women and young people). These dominant structures of belief are often disrespectful of young people's experiences, stories and knowledges. This research attempted to respond to dilemmas in child relationships, to challenge belief structures that construct relationships between adults/young people, and to empower young people to stand up for their beliefs and make their voices heard. The research was guided by a post-modern, narrative pastoral approach. To deconstruct discourses that restrict young people within social institutions, social construction discourse, feminist post-structuralism, narrative theology and feminist theology were used. Narrative practices were used to look at depression, guilt, trouble and anger. Re-authoring conversations were used to construct preferred stories about young people's identities and to explore alternative stories and the not-yet-said on drugs. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology (Pastoral Therapy))