Key Words: migration, gender, transnational motherhood, care work, reproductive remmitences, Ukrainian female migrants in the Czech Republic Abstract: The aim of my dissertation is to analyze how gender operates in transnational spaces, and what impacts it has on the experience of motherhood and the formation of new gender identities. I will try to describe how transnational Ukrainian mothers narratively construct and emphasise their experiences with transnational motherhood. I will also focus my attention on the social practices of transnational motherhood and social conditions of female care migration in the Czech Republic.

[pt] O presente trabalho tem como objetivo de analisar de que forma o lúpus interfere na experiência de gravidez dessas mulheres. O mesmo é classificado como uma doença crônica multissistêmica de natureza autoimune conhecida pela sua imprevisibilidade, apresentando períodos de remissões e recaídas. A gestação para mulheres com lúpus é considerada como de alto risco e necessitam de um planejamento sistemático, pois estas podem apresentar recorrentes abortos e a ativação da doença durante o período gestacional. Ao discutirmos sobre gestantes com lúpus, iremos dar ênfase as suas experiências em relação à patologia, a saúde sexual e reprodutiva, e a maternidade, onde estas são perpassadas pelas relações familiares. Nessa perspectiva configuram-se como objetivos específicos deste trabalho: 1) Discutir os sentidos da maternidade para mulheres gestantes com doença autoimune convivendo com lúpus; 2) Verificar como as relações familiares se expressam no que se refere ao cuidado e apoio de mulheres com lúpus; 3) Discutir como as gestantes com lúpus convivem com sua patologia. O percurso metodológico deste trabalho buscou compreender sob essas perspectivas o cotidiano de cinco mulheres na vivência desse cenário. Como procedimentos de investigação, utilizamos entrevistas semiestruturadas que foram realizadas individualmente por meio de plataforma virtual. Os resultados apontam para a importância das relações familiares quando dissertamos sobre gestantes e lúpus. Ademais, pensarmos o medo existente em relação aos desdobramentos da gestação e a maternidade, e também a relevância das associações e grupos de mulheres que convivem com lúpus para a convivência com a patologia. Destacamos a imprescindibilidade do planejamento e execução de políticas públicas e a ampliação dos estudos sobre o lúpus. / [en] The present work aims to analyze how lupus interferes in the pregnancy experience of these women. It is classified as a chronic multisystem disease of an autoimmune nature known for its unpredictability, periods of remissions and relapses. Pregnancy for women with lupus is considered to be at high risk and elements of systematic planning, as they may present with recurrent abortions and the activation of the disease during the gestational period. When discussing pregnant women with lupus, we will emphasize how their experiences in relation to pathology, sexual and reproductive health, and motherhood, where these are permeated by family relationships. In this perspective, the specific objectives of this work are configured: 1) Discuss the meanings of motherhood for pregnant women with autoimmune disease living with lupus; 2) Check how family relationships are expressed in terms of the care and support of women with lupus; 3) Discuss how pregnant women with lupus live with their pathology. The methodological path of this work sought to understand these perspectives in the daily lives of five women in the experience of this scenario. As investigation procedures, we use semistructured changes that were carried out through a virtual platform. The results point to the importance of family relationships when we talk about pregnant women and lupus. In addition, we think about the existing fear in relation to the consequences of pregnancy and motherhood, and also the descent of women and groups of women who live with lupus to live with the pathology. We highlight the indispensability of planning and implementing public policies and the expansion of studies on lupus.

[pt] Esta tese realiza uma releitura crítica das elaborações freudianas acerca da maternidade no desenvolvimento psicossexual feminino. Baseada nas ideias feministas de performatividade e interseccionalidade, questiona-se em que medida os principais conceitos envolvidos na teorização freudiana, especialmente o complexo de Édipo, contribuem para uma visão normativa da maternidade. Para isso, apresenta-se uma contextualização histórica a fim de problematizar a naturalização da função materna para a mulher. Posteriormente, empreende-se um estudo metapsicológico da teoria freudiana sobre o desenvolvimento da feminilidade, passando pela investigação do complexo de Édipo, do complexo de castração e inveja do pênis, a partir do que se conclui que, para Freud, a maternidade localiza-se como uma compensação à falta fálica, considerada fundamental ao amadurecimento psíquico feminino. Criticamos essa teoria, pela universalização de uma narrativa de viés falocêntrico, branco, burguês, norte-ocidental, que desconsidera as múltiplas possibilidades de subjetivação feminina de diferentes contextos raciais, sociais e étnicos. Por meio da própria teoria freudiana, propõe-se que a maternidade seja abordada de forma a considerar o aspecto anárquico e criativo da pulsionalidade, não conformada, à priori, a nenhum caminho privilegiado, desvinculando-a, assim, do caráter imperativo da constituição binária de gênero, bem como desidealizando as formas de maternar, quando estas se apresentam. / [en] This thesis pretends a critical rereading of Freud s elaborations about motherhood in feminine psychosexual development. Based on feminist ideas of performativity and intersectionality, the question is to what extent the main concepts involved in Freudian theorizing, especially the Oedipus complex, contribute to a normative view of motherhood. For this, a historical contextualization is presented in order to problematize the naturalization of the maternal role for women. Subsequently, a metapsychological study of the Freudian theory on the development of femininity is undertaken, through the understanding of the Oedipus complex, castration complex and penis envy, we conclude that, for Freud, motherhood is located as a compensation for the phallic lack, considered fundamental to the female psychic maturation. We criticize this theory for the universalization of a phallocentric, white, bourgeois, north-western narrative that disregards the multiple possibilities of female subjectivation in different racial, social and ethnic contexts. Through the Freudian theory itself, it is proposed that maternity be approached in order to consider the anarchic and creative aspect of the drive, not conformed, a priori, to any privileged path, thus delinking it from the imperative character of the binary constitution of gender, as well as deidealizing the ways of mothering, when they present themselves.

Rock-a-Buy Baby: Consumerism by New, First-Time Mothers, is the first known sociological exploration of need-based consumption for babies, despite the baby gear industry being a $6-billion-dollar business (whattoexpect.com). Data stemmed from qualitative, semistructured interviews with new, first-time mothers (3 months – 1 year postpartum) conducted within participants‘ households. The insights gained from the present study tell us a great deal about the ―needs‖ that predominantly white, middle-class mothers socially constructed in anticipation of their first child, and the consumptive behaviors used to accomplish these "needs." Respondents had turned to similar resources (other mothers, online forums, consumer reports, books, magazines, etc.) to help them construct ―need‖ and formulate decisions among commodities. Provided they were relying on comparable, if not overlapping, bodies of knowledge, mothers‘ narratives about consumer ―need‖ were often congruent. Additionally, the ways expectant mothers accumulated items are ritualized and made tradition. The baby shower and gift registration process (which all of my respondents participated in to some variation) are social constructions; these practices, which are so strongly tied to consumption, also constituted reality for mothers, and inevitably, their babies.

The lived experiences of previously infertile mothers in the early postpartum period have not been previously studied. The purpose of the research was to explore the experiences of previously infertile mothers during their early postpartum period. Colaizzi’s (1978) approach to descriptive phenomenological inquiry was used to analyze the interview data obtained from twelve first-time, previously infertile mothers. These new mothers, aged 27 to 43 years, were interviewed twice. The first interview focused on eliciting descriptions of new motherhood in the early postpartum period after overcoming infertility. The second interview validated the interpretations from the first interview and provided additional information and reflection. Two main themes emerged that described the early postpartum experience of first-time, previously infertile mothers: 1) Lingering Identity as Infertile; and 2) Gratitude for the Gift of Motherhood. Participants reported that their lingering identity as infertile and immense gratitude for the gift of motherhood propelled them to establish unrealistic expectations to be the perfect mother. When they were unable to live up to being the perfect mother, they censored their feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and shame. Findings from this study sensitize healthcare providers to the difficulties faced by previously infertile women during their transition to motherhood.

[pt] Brenda. Lorena. Bella. Tatiana. O que essas mulheres têm em comum? São brancas, de classe média, moradoras de grandes metrópoles, têm aproximadamente 30 anos e, principalmente, não estão certas se desejam ou não ser mães. Partindo de indagações a respeito dos medos que tais mulheres sentem acerca da maternidade, esta pesquisa se debruça sobre dados gerados em entrevistas semiestruturadas (MISHLER, 1986), a fim de compreender as relações estabelecidas entre os temores apresentados pelas entrevistadas e questões de gênero, classe e raça. O estudo se insere no campo da Análise da Narrativa, subárea da Linguística Aplicada, que observa, dentre outros fatores, de que modo as histórias que as pessoas contam dialogam com os discursos macrossociais. Diante disso, a presente investigação esquadrinha as pequenas histórias (BAMBERG; GEORGAKOPOULOU, 2008) narradas pelas entrevistadas por meio de duas lâminas de análise: uma estrutural e uma discursiva. A primeira examina a forma como as narradoras estruturam suas narrativas, e a segunda observa de que modo tais enunciados reafirmam ou contestam discursos macrossociais. As análises evidenciam, assim, a intensidade com que o discurso feminista hegemônico se entrelaça com o discurso neoliberal, criando um contexto sociocultural em que a maternidade – pelo menos para as mulheres brancas abastadas – vem perdendo o status de outrora, o qual agora passa a situar-se no sucesso profissional e no poder de consumo. / [en] Brenda. Lorena. Bella. Tatiana. What do these women have in common? They arewhite, middle-class residents of major cities, approximately 30 years old, and,most importantly, they are uncertain about whether they want to be mothers ornot. Starting with inquiries into the fears these women feel regarding motherhood,this research delves into data generated from semi-structured interviews(MISHLER, 1986) to understand the relationships established between the fearspresented by the interviewees and issues of gender, class, and race. The study fallswithin the field of Narrative Analysis, a subarea of Applied Linguistics, whichexamines, among other factors, how the stories people tell interact withmacro-social discourses. In light of this, the current investigation scrutinizes thesmall stories (BAMBERG; GEORGAKOPOULOU, 2008) narrated by theinterviewees through two layers of analysis: a structural one and a discursive one.The first examines how the narrators structure their narratives, and the secondobserves how these statements reaffirm or challenge macro-social discourses. Theanalyses thus reveal the intensity with which the dominant feminist discourseintertwines with the neoliberal discourse, creating a sociocultural context in whichmotherhood – at least for affluent white women – is losing the status it once had,now being situated in professional success and consumer power.

This thesis explores the experiences of women - mothers who regret having children. In mainstream society, it is assumed that mothers find their roles fulfilling and it makes them happy despite possible hardships. The topic of maternal regrets is not discussed enough, it is still a taboo. It is assumed that there is something wrong with a woman regretting her motherhood. This topic not only has a lack of general attention, but also of academic one. It is very under-researched. Although there are more and more studies exploring why people choose not to have children, women who regret motherhood are still waiting for support and understanding. In the vast majority, they never admit to their feelings. The outcomes present the fact that motherhood does not have to be a pleasant and simple experience. The women who shared their personal stories in this thesis experienced motherhood as something that oppressed them and complicated their lives. They became pregnant unexpectedly and unplanned and had to adjust all their life plans and expectations to motherhood. They did not find fulfillment in the role of mother. Overall, this work sheds light on the taboo topic of maternal regret and presents the diverse factors that influence mothers' lives and well-being. It highlights the issue of traditional division of gender roles, especially in terms of childcare, working conditions, earnings, and economic dependence on a partner. It addresses the issue of social pressure and expectations that mothers face. It emphasizes the importance of sex education and the importance of making an informed decision. And it demonstrates the complexity of the problem of motherhood regrets.

Parenting, one of the most complex and fulfilling roles for most human beings creates not only a sense of responsibility, but also emotions with different meanings that contribute to the level of satisfaction that parents perceive from their parental role. Factors, other than socio-economic ones, create differences in the way people parent. And individuals from other cultural traditions may bring different values to their parenting practices. In an effort to find commonalities and differences in parenting and trying to put them in perspective in order to improve the interventions aimed to help parent-child relationships, this study proposed to investigate the relationships, this study proposed to investigate the relationship between mothering strategies and maternal satisfaction among three different ethnic groups of at-risk mothers: Latin Americans, Afro Americans, and Anglo Americans. The Latin American group reported supporting a lower use of physical punishment when disciplining a child than its counterparts the Afro American and the Anglo American groups. All three groups of mothers supported the use of reason as a means of disciplining when mothering their child. Most of the participants supported praising their children as a way of mothering. And, the majority of them disagreed with the use of permissive ways of mothering their children. The results from regression procedures suggested that ethnic group membership and the use of reason were the best predictors of maternal satisfaction. These results are discussed as well as implications for clinical practice. / Master of Science

This dissertation studies how Catholic schools in a post-feminist world approach the topic of educating women both with a professional mindset but also with a Catholic understanding of the importance of motherhood. The theoretical framework of the dissertation draws on second-wave feminism as well as Catholic scholars on feminism, with a special focus on scholars using Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. The study aims to reveal specifically how four faithfully Catholic high schools in geographically different areas of the United States are united in a mission to educate students to live an integrated life, through a personal faith based on reason, virtue ethics, vocation, and exemplars. Through interviews with alumnae, teachers, and administrators, the study concludes that the schools’ vision of a fully integrated virtuous life is a prerequisite for the girls to peacefully make vocational decisions about balancing professional life and motherhood. The alumnae and the school administrators show that while the mission is clear, the execution of the mission in all four schools is fraught with tensions because of the conflicts between the integrated life view and mainstream cultural views regarding happiness and fulfillment.

<p dir="ltr">The concept of homeschooling in the United States, though more mainstream today, remains an alternative way of educating our children. Researchers seeking to examine this method of education often focus on the outcomes for the children who receive their education through this mode of education. Seldom does the attention fall to the educator, the homeschool parent. The mother typically takes the active role in educating the children and she receives little attention as a person (Lois, 2016). This study examines the ways in which these mother/teachers navigate the academic and non-academic parts of their lives and what impact that has on their own and their family’s well-being. Because the number of families who choose this mode of education continues to rise, examining factors that affect their well-being is crucial (Ray, 2022). Nine online discussions with 26 homeschooling mothers set up as focus groups revealed strong connections to self-efficacy and agency. Group sizes ranged from two to four participants making some of the groups dyadic interviews rather than focus groups (Morgan, 1996). Agency and self-efficacy contributed to the sense of well-being for the mother and by extension to her family (Bandura 1977, 2006). The findings from this study suggest other homeschool mothers and past experiences played a role in their self-efficacy that contributed to their well-being leading to their self-efficacy expectation. Though previous literature suggests that homeschooling mothers connect strongly to the concept of <i>good mother</i>, the mothers in this study rejected many of the principles Hays (1996) suggests a <i>good mother</i> exhibits. The use of metaphors as a qualitative tool aided in the discovery of ways these mothers navigate their lives and how their management impacted their families. As an engaged qualitative inductive study, suggestions to existing homeschool groups and organizations that hope to support homeschooling families gave a connection back to communities outside of academia.</p>