Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Interpretive textual analysis, informed by a feminist perspective, is applied to five independent films written and directed by female filmmakers in order to understand to what extent the rhetorical construction of motherhood as presented in the films deviates from or supports a patriarchal Western vision. This study provides a rich textual analysis of Amreeka (2009), Frozen River (2008), Waitress (2006), The Dead Girl (2006), and Lovely and Amazing (2001); five films that each considers the role of contemporary mothering as a central part of its plot. Each film has been distributed within ten years of the inception of this study, is considered an independent film, has received some degree of critical acclaim, and is written and directed by a female filmmaker. Using a feminist critical interpretive lens, this study investigates the public and private sphere identification of the mothers, the mother-child relationships, and the family systems that work to unveil a vision of motherhood in contemporary independent film and identify the extent to which this vision challenges or adheres to traditional representations. The readings of these films rely on theoretical insights of feminist film criticism and feminist theory. In addition, feminist rhetorical perspectives provide the framework to reveal the broader cultural implications of the representation of contemporary motherhood in public discourse. The analysis reveals a subversive reading of contemporary mothering characterized by the rejection of domesticity and other traditional mothering ideologies. Informed by resistance theory, the findings suggest the female filmmakers utilize the symbolic inversion tactic as a tool to resist their subordinate status. The subversive discourses give voice to female filmmakers attempting to negotiate power in a traditionally patriarchal forum by invoking a rhetoric of resistance. However, the rhetorical construction of the “indie” mother is characterized by maternal sacrifice and maternal autonomy which ultimately forces women to negotiate their mothering identity in relation to the hegemonic childrearing model of intensive mothering. The production of contradictory messages illustrates an attempt to adapt to existing conditions rather than transform the patriarchal system suggesting that independent film is a dynamic medium that both reflects hegemonic discourse while remaining open to ideological variance.

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published_or_final_version / abstract / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The aim of this thesis is to look into the lives of young mothers of Roma nationality and to get better understanding of influences that affect them and their adoption and perception of their maternal role. The choice of this theme is based on experience with previous working with Roma families. For the research, it has been chosen five mothers aged under 25 years, with whom were conducted unstructured interviews. In the theoretical part, there is a discussion about motherhood in general and later about its specifics in the Roma community. The greatest emphasis is taken on the receiving parent role. Firstly, the empirical part is a discourse about the choosen method - grounded theory. Then there is detailed description of data processing and data analysis. The following chapters are devoted initially to environmental influences to motherhood and later to the concrete experience of the respondents. The experience of motherhood is viewed from several angles - the time horizon (from conception to birth and the first reaction to child) and the importance of her baby to the mother, especially in terms of commitment and in the context of plans and wishes. This work gives an insight into the lives of five Roma mothers. Mothers have the greatest influence on the upbringing of a new generation - for those who are...

This research addressed the challenges faced by women in today's society during the transition to motherhood, and explored the possible benefits of an online natural helping network of blogging peers. Given the content of the literature describing the transition to motherhood and the many hardships that pose possible obstacles for an ideal transition, this research attempted to uncover the reasons why mothers blog and what benefit, if any, they experience as a result of blogging. This study explored the following questions: Why do women blog during the transition to motherhood? What is the relationship among the seven identified variables: blogging intensity, authentic self-disclosure, perceived general social support, perceived social support from blogging, current depression, stress, and parenting competence? This dissertation employed a cross-sectional research design using a web-based survey. The data were trimmed to limit the participants to residents/citizens of the United States and mothers of preschool aged (0-5) children who lived with them four or more days per week. The data were further limited to include only those participants (N = 501) who completed the survey in its entirety. New mothers experienced benefits as a result of their authentic participation in blogging and reported key reasons that they participated including: to share their experiences with others, to preserve their memories, to interact with a like-minded audience, and to feel understood. There were significant positive correlations between authentic self-disclosure and perceived social support, and sense of parenting competency, and a negative relationship between authentic self-disclosure and maternal depression and perceived stress. Multiple regression analysis indicated that social support was the strongest predictor of current depression. Social support was also a predictor of stress and of perceived parenting competence. Additionally, social support significantly predicted authentic self-disclosure. With a growing reliance on technology and social media, social work has an obligation to identify and utilize the beneficial aspects of this medium.

The purpose of this diploma thesis is to analyze the experience of motherhood in the selected works of the female Nigerian author, Buchi Emecheta. The books chosen for the analysis include "Second-Class Citizen" and "The Joys of Motherhood". The theoretical part introduces the writer and gives an insight to the history, culture, and the position of women in Nigeria. This is followed by a discussion of universal topics reflecting the issues of motherhood: the influence of patriarchy on the institution of motherhood, the pressure to be a perfect mother, the preference for boys, and the parent-child relationship. The practical analysis reveals that the chosen topics appear problematic in the motherhood experience of the main protagonists from the selected books. By discussing the mentioned topics, the writer intends to improve the position of women in Nigeria through the strong moral teachings in her works.

Magister Legum - LLM / In this research, I sought to investigate the extent to which South Africa recognises international surrogacy agreements. I examined Chapter 19 of the Children's Act as the first legislation to afford surrogate motherhood agreements legal recognition in South Africa. Section 292(1)(b)-(e) of the Children's Act sets out the requirements for the validity of a surrogate agreement. The validity of the agreement is governed by South African law if it was concluded in South Africa, and at least one of the commissioning parents and the surrogate mother and her husband or partner must be domiciled in South Africa at the time of entering into the agreement. I explored South African legislation that may be applicable to the children born of commissioning parents (whether the commissioning parents are South Africans or foreign nationals) who entered into international surrogacy agreements. I concluded that the main issue that relates to international surrogacy are the implications that rise from registering a surrogate born child’s birth in South Africa and in other countries. I further concluded that the current position of South African law will result in a surrogate born child being left stateless and parentless. I considered the criminal aspect of international surrogacy agreements as a consequence of a null and void international surrogacy agreement. Furthermore, I referred to the legal difficulties of international surrogacy and potential rights infringed on or denied to the child born of an international surrogacy by examining international case law. I concluded that South African courts do not have precedents, guidelines or legislation governing international surrogacy agreements and thus it is important to examine international case law. I further concluded that, it is important for South African authorities and courts to consider the possibility of international surrogacy occurring in South Africa. I hope that the South African courts take a child-centered approach, building on the views established in the international case law, and that courts do not adopt a strict interpretation of our current laws. Lastly, I suggested recommendations for the appropriate manner in which to legislate international surrogacy agreements in South Africa. I submitted that judicial and administrative authorities could inspect the international surrogacy agreement and ensure that the terms do not harm the child and that the child is recognised as the legal child of the commissioning parents. The courts should first look at the suitability of the commissioning parents and finally consider the best interest of the child as being of paramount importance, before ordering the international surrogacy agreement null and void. I further suggested that a statutory regulation that contemplates international surrogacy should be formulated, as a source of reference, which will assist a court when faced with determining the issue of the parentage of a surrogate born child, and consequently, his or her nationality. I concluded that the South African Parliament should either re-draft or provide clearer guidelines regarding surrogacy and the possibility of international surrogacy agreements.

Le Liban est fondé sur une société patriarcale dont l’une des multiples exigences est la naissance d’un garçon au sein des familles. Nous avons pu constater que cette exigence est relayée par les femmes elles-mêmes qui disent souhaiter plus que tout la maternité d’un fils, si possible le premier né. Ce désir si souvent exprimé semble donner raison à la théorie phallo-centrée de Freud qui pose pour la femme une envie primaire du pénis et de sa résolution par la naissance d’un enfant mâle. Pourtant, d’autres théories sur le développement psychosexuel de la femme ont vu le jour déjà chez les disciples directs de Freud puis dans les théorisations psychanalytiques contemporaines. Nous avons voulu explorer cette question en étudiant, grâce à des entretiens cliniques de recherche et la passation de projectifs, le développement psychosexuel de jeunes femmes libanaises à qui depuis leur plus jeune âge, leur entourage et particulièrement leur mère, leur avait explicitement évoquer le fait qu’elles avaient désiré durant leur grossesse un garçon.Si cela nous ne nous a pas permis de trancher le débat entre théorie phallo-centrée et les autres théories, notre travail a mis en évidence que quand le désir inconscient, certes mu par ses conflits inconscients reliés à son propre développement psychosexuel, rencontre le désir de répondre aux mieux à la contrainte sociale de la société patriarcale, la femme bénéficie d’un certain épanouissement. En revanche, force est de constater que dans le cas contraire, les femmes paient une lourde tribu sous formes d’accidents ou d’événements périnataux volontaires et d’une grande souffrance psychique. On a pu aussi mettre en évidence, l’induction de troubles dans les relations précoces avec leur nouveau-né fille qui font le lit à une répétition trans-générationnelle mortifère. Ainsi, à leur tour et en dépit du fait qu’elles déplorent avoir souffert de leur statut de filles-nées, elles désirent donner naissance à un garçon. / Lebanon is based on a patriarchal society whose multiple demands include the birth of a boy within families. We have seen that this requirement is supported by the women themselves, who say they want more than anything the motherhood of a son, if possible the first born. This desire so often expressed seems to support Freud's phallocentric theory, which poses for women a primary desire for the penis and its resolution through the birth of a male child. However, other theories on the psychosexual development of women have already emerged among Freud's direct disciples and then in contemporary psychoanalytical theorizations.We wanted to explore this question by studying, through clinical research interviews and the passing of projective tests, the psychosexual development of young women to whom from an early age, their environment and especially their mother, had explicitly told them that they had wanted a boy during their pregnancy.If this did not allow us to settle the debate between phallocentric theory and other theories, our work has shown that when the unconscious desire, certainly driven by its unconscious conflicts related to its own psychosexual development, meets the desire to respond as well as possible to the social constraint of patriarchal society, women enjoy a certain fulfillment. On the other hand, it must be noted that, otherwise, women pay a heavy price in the form of accidents or voluntary perinatal events and great psychological suffering. We have also been able to highlight the induction of disorders in early relationships with their newborn daughter who make the bed at a deadly transgenerational repetition. Thus, in turn, and despite the fact that they regret having suffered from their status as born girls, they wish to give birth to a boy.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / During the 20th century, production and labor flows across borders have increased the frequency of transnational constituted families. In the past, family configurations across borders were composed primarily of an immigrant male income-producer living apart from women and children who remained in the sending country. In contrast, in recent years more women are also leaving their loved ones behind in order to become their family’s main source of income. In many cases, women even leave their children to be cared for by their relatives. This social phenomenon is now known as transnational motherhood. In the U.S., transnational motherhood has become increasinly common, particulalry among women of Filipino and Latin American origins. The new trends of transnational motherhood, challenge mainstream western ideas about family configuration and in particular, about women’s maternal role. Whereas in Western cultures mothering is generally understood as a practice that involves the physical presence, nurturance and training of children for adulthood, transnational mothers generally choose physical separation in order to better their children material conditions. Consequently, transnational mothers may suffer as a result of social stigma and peer pressure of 'good mothering'. The present study examined the processes of meaning construction that serve to promote and negotiate motherhood identity and stigma management among Mexican mothers who left their children back in their country. In doing so, this study relied on theoretical frameworks about ideology, identity construction, social roles and stigma management.

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