Recent theory on the role of celebrity in a contemporary context emphasizes the unique manner in which celebrity pervades public discourse. This thesis examines the interrelationship between celebrity and disaster theory in order to evaluate the extent to which celebrity had access to public and media discourse about Hurricane Katrina. Attention is also focused on the ways in which celebrity was manifested within this discourse. Social constructionism is employed here as the theoretical lens through which celebrity and disaster merge. With regard to methodology, qualitative elements of Altheide’s (1987) ethnographic content analysis are used to decipher the claims made by and about celebrity within the Katrina news media narrative. In order to address questions of context, Fine’s (1997) adaptation of Smelser’s (1962) value-added model is used to identify some of the structural considerations from which these claims emerge. From this examination, three substantive themes emerge: (1) Gabler’s (1998) celebrity theory offers a suitable approach to the examination of the intersection between celebrity and Hurricane Katrina; (2) Due to the character of this assessment, constructionist applications which consider not only the role of claims-makers but the structural context of claims-making activities provide the most comprehensive framework; (3) The pervasiveness of celebrity in the contemporary context, combined with the dissensus surrounding the Katrina event, allowed celebrities to adopt unique roles within the Katrina narrative. / Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-08 15:45:08.895

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Human sexual behaviour is highly variable and not tightly linked to biological reproduction. However, it has not been studied as social behaviour until the last 40 years and until recently it is largely deviant behaviour that has gained the attention of sociologists. Sociology has adopted an unnecessarily antibiologistic position and consequently neglected the body. In reviewing sociological approaches to sex I draw on social constructionism, particularly the work of Gagnon and Simon (1974) and their notion of scripts; these can be interpreted as discursive structures defining sexual acts and sexual actors at both the individual and societal level. I outline a range of social constructionist positions in relation to sexuality and adopt a moderately radical but realist one that concedes some place for the physiology of arousal linking the elements of the discursive realm of the sexual in social life. Finding the basic assumptions of symbolic interactionism a fruitful base from which to approach sexual conduct I reject the concept of 'desire' as too complex and obscure to serve as a starting point in understanding the social organisation of sex. A review of the ethnographic observational studies of settings in which men have casual sex shows that beats (public places such as parks and toilets) operate in a similar manner in many countries. Commercial sex venues are more varied. They are safer and more comfortable than beats and may offer private rooms and facilities for esoteric sex such as bondage. Sex in such settings is impersonal and anonymous, costs little effort, time or money, and offers a variety of partners. Interaction is largely nonverbal. Interview studies of men who have casual sex with other men tend to undersample men who are not gay-identified, but they offer insights into men's motivations and understandings. Both kinds of research are necessary. The empirical component of the thesis is a thematic analysis of transcripts from three interview studies of gay men in Sydney done between 1993 and 1997: Negotiating Sex (n = 9), the Sites study (n = 21) and the Seroconversion study (n = 70). All involved detailed narratives of sexual encounters. The analysis takes a situational interactionist approach with a specific focus on practice. Central questions asked are: how does the setting (beat, sex venue, home) affect what happens? What does sex mean to the men, and how does this affect what they do? How do men's sexual skills, tastes and experience relate to their practice? How do men's bodies and their understandings of the body affect their practice? What do different sexual practices mean and how are they organised and negotiated within the encounter? How (if at all) do men integrate considerations of safe sex into their practice? Physical surroundings were found to have a profound effect on practice. Sex venues as cultural institutions enable patterns of practice that do not occur elsewhere. Physical arrangements within beats and venues encourage or enable particular practices, such as oral sex or group sex. Motivations for and meanings of sex to the participants varied widely; these were related to practice within the men's own accounts but not in any clear predictive way. Men's sexual skills, tastes and preferences, which were also very varied, related to their practice. Men made trade-offs between risk and pleasure. Men looked for a range of features in casual partners. Suppression of social cues restricted the range of criteria on which partners were selected, enabling wider choice. Men's bodies affected their practice most strikingly in the issue of erection or the lack of it. Understandings of the body and physiological processes affected men's interpretations of information about HIV risk. These men have a vocabulary of sexual practices within which some common practices are less salient. These practices are socially patterned in ways that benefit men with certain tastes and abilities and frustrate those with others. Safe sex considerations are routinely integrated into sexual practice but in a way that leaves room for considerable risk of HIV transmission. In conclusion I argue that conceptualising sex between men exclusively in terms of gay identity and culture is inappropriate. The outcome of the empirical work confirms the theoretical analysis that found it necessary to incorporate some physiological notions, such as 'libido', into a social constructionist view of sex. The findings and their interpretations have important implications for framing effective HIV prevention programs. Some specific suggestions are made for how this might be done.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / Menstruation is a quintessential phenomenon unique to females which prepares the body for reproductive functioning. Although this phenomenon is a natural biological process of development, social institutions such as science, socio-cultural factors, religion and the media impact young women’s perceptions of menstruation. Media, in particular advertising has been instrumental in conveying specific versions of reality that mirrors Western capitalist and patriarchal ideologies of women and their bodily processes. Media representations of menstruation portrays it as a ‘hygiene crisis’, rational and in need of symptomatic treatment. Media portrayal of women’s bodies highlights the importance of identifying ways in which advertising contributes to young women’s perceptions of menstruation. The aims of this study are twofold; firstly this study aims to understand how young women’s perceptions of menstruation are constructed. Secondly, this study also aims to explore young women’s perceptions of menstrual product advertising in print media. Literature shows that the media often portrays menstruation as a ‘hygiene crisis’ instead of a maturation process. Improved hygiene seems to be the rationale and modern answer of ‘treating’ symptoms. Literature also identifies advertising as a pervasive form of media, which is often unconsciously acknowledged, and it is thought to convey specific versions of reality in order to mirror Western capitalist and patriarchal ideology. Taking these factors into consideration shows the importance of identifying ways in which advertising contributes to young women’s perceptions of menstruation. Positioned within a social constructionist framework, specifically on macro social constructionism the emphasis is on unpacking power relations and how this exercises social control over women. The use of social constructionism strengthens the study with focusing on the importance of how perceptions are constructed through interactions with our environments. This study utilized a qualitative approach using focus groups as the data collection method. The sample comprised of 16 participants recruited from the female population aged 18-23 years from a University in the Western Cape. Foucauldian discourse analysis was employed to analyse the data collected. All ethical requirements as stipulated by the University were strictly adhered to. This study will therefore contribute to the dearth of literature in the South African context as literature in this area is very limited and inaccessible. This study in particular contributes to the South African body of knowledge by furthering the understanding of how societal messaging influences and perpetuates power relations and the social control of women.

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Addiction has been predominantly viewed through the lens of the individual, thereby leaving the family largely out of the scope of treatment or prevention. Csiernik (2002) calls the family the ‘secondary element’ in addiction treatment. The definitions of addiction and research on the prevalence of use are examples of this narrow, individual focus. This qualitative study sought to widen the lens and explore the family’s experiences of addiction. Families’ voices will be presented and their perspectives captured regarding what would be helpful to them in addiction treatment. This study’s theoretical underpinnings are Family Systems Theory and Social Constructionism. Interviews with the participants were conducted through the use of an open-ended interview process. Interpretive data analysis and phenomenology were used to explore possible themes and meanings to gain a better understanding of the participants’ perspectives regarding addiction. The main finding of this study, based on the testimony of the participants, was that families perceived there to be a need for more clinical and supportive services to deal with the impact of addictions on the family. This study fills a gap in the literature because, though there is ample research on the consequences of addiction for the family, there is very limited research on the family’s perspective regarding what services they require in order to cope with those consequences. The information supplied by the participants of this study will help social workers and treatment centers provide more holistic, family-centered addiction treatment. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW)

This essay looks to examine how eight religious women within Sunni Islam and Conservative Judaism in Sweden perceive their place in the religious community. The essay in itself rests on the theories of social constructionism and intersectionality, along with a qualitative interview study conducted with the eight different women. The results show that the women have very different opinion in regards to their thoughts about their place in the religious community depending on a variety of pre-consisting social factors which includes (but are not limited by) religious background, ethnicity and culture. Some women feel satisfied with their place in the religious community and in society while others call for a change to be made both in the religious community they belong to and in the society they live in.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the potential reciprocal growth in undergraduate peer-mentoring relationships in the context of a formal peer-mentoring programme at a first-year university residence from a dyadic relational perspective. The investigation adopted a case study research design to study four dyads from a relational point of view within the context of a formal peer-mentoring programme at a university residence. The study used purposive selection procedures to identify actively participating dyads that could contribute to providing a rich description of the research problem. The study was premised on the assumption that, as a reciprocal relationship, peer mentoring is an effective means of facilitating the transition from school to university, and that universities have a joint responsibility in this regard. At the end of the mentorship year, a semi-structured, in-depth interview covering both the psychosocial and academic issues related to their experiences was conducted from a relational perspective with each of the four dyads to harvest their perceptions and lived experiences as participants. Finally, the interviews were processed and subjected to monadic as well as dyadic analysis to develop an understanding of the internal dynamics of each mentoring dyad. The study addressed a number of lacunae, such as the paucity of theoretically underpinned research and mentoring theories in student-peer mentoring, by introducing into peer-mentoring research the triple theoretical framework of social constructionism (constructing meaning by acknowledging the value of a sense of social interdependence as opposed to individual independence), relational theory (acknowledging the reciprocal nature of the mentoring relationship rather than focussing on the single perspective of the mentor or mentee), and the principles of Ubuntu (an African cultural belief system stressing the value of relational interdependence for existence, the importance of family and extended family support, and spirituality). In exploring the theoretical challenges endemic in peer-mentoring research, the study examined role-model theory, attribution theory, attachment theory, and involvement and social integration theories to abstract and highlight elements pertinent to the field of peer-mentoring research. In addition, the study developed a multi-perspective development process for the selection of theories; a theoretical framework for the analysis and interpretation of the data using the computer program ATLAS.ti., as well as a dyadic process for analysing mentoring dyads both from a monadic and dyadic perspective. Finally, the study recontextualised and expanded the meaning of key concepts culled from the literature for use in future peer-mentorship research. Given the rich perspective this study provided on the reciprocal nature and dynamics of peer mentorship on the theoretical, conceptual and practical levels, the research has made a contribution to raising awareness of this crucial field, which could stem the relentless tide of costly attrition. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie verken die potensiële wedersydse groei in voorgraadse portuurgroepverhoudinge in die konteks van formele portuurgroep-mentorprogramme by ʼn eerstejaar-universiteitskoshuis vanuit ‘n diadiese perspektief. Die ondersoek maak gebruik van gevallestudie as navorsingsontwerp om vier diades binne die konteks van ‘n formele portuurgroep-mentorprogram by ‘n enkele universiteitskoshuis vanuit ‘n verhoudingsperspektief te bestudeer. Daar is van doelgerigte seleksie gebruik gemaak om aktiefdeelnemende diades te identifiseer wat ‘n deeglike beskrywing van die navorsingsprobleem kon lewer. Die studie gaan van die veronderstelling uit dat portuurgroepondersteuning as ‘n wedersydse verhouding ‘n effektiewe manier is om die oorgang van die skool na universiteit te fasiliteer en dat universiteite ‘n gesamentlike verantwoordelikheid het in dié verband. Aan die einde van die mentorskapjaar is ‘n semi-gestruktureerde in-diepte onderhoud wat sowel die psigososiale en akademiese aspekte wat verband hou met hulle ervarings gedek het, vanuit ‘n verhoudingsperspektief met elkeen van die vier diades gevoer om hulle persepsies en belewings op te teken. Uiteindelik is die onderhoude geprosesseer en onderwerp aan sowel monadiese- as diadiese analise om ‘n begrip te ontwikkel van die interne dinamika van elke mentorpaar. Die studie het ‘n aantal leemtes probeer beredder soos die gebrek aan teoreties gefundeerde navorsing en mentorteorieë ten opsigte van portuurgroepondersteuning deur ‘n drievoudige teoretiese raamwerk van sosiale konstruksionisme (om betekenis te konstrueer deur die waarde van ’n sin van sosiale interafhankliheid eerder as individuele onafhanklikheid te erken), relasionele teorie (die erkenning van die wedersydse aard van die mentorverhouding eerder as om op die enkelperspektief van die mentor of persoon wat gementor word te fokus) en die beginsels van Ubuntu (’n kulturele geloofsisteem wat klem lê op verhoudingsinterafhanklikheid vir bestaan, die belangrikheid van familie en uitgebreide familie-ondersteuning en spiritualiteit) aan te wend. In ‘n poging om die teoretiese uitdagings endemies aan die navorsing van portuurmentorskap te beskryf, het die studie rolmodelteorie, gehegtheidsteorie en betrokkenheid- en sosiale integrasieteorieë ondersoek om die elemente eie aan die veld van portuurgroepondersteuning te abstraheer en te belig. Daarby het die studie ’n multiperspektief-ontwikkelingsproses daargestel vir die seleksie van teorieë; ’n teoretiese raamwerk vir die singewingsproses van datahantering deur die rekenaarprogram ATLAS.t.i., sowel as ’n diadiese proses vir die analisering van mentordiades vanuit sowel ’n monadiese- as diadiese perspektief. Laastens het die studie die betekenis van sleutelkonsepte wat in die literatuur voorkom, gerekontekstualiseer en verbreed vir gebruik in toekomstige navorsing oor portuurmentorskap. Gegewe die ryk perspektief wat hierdie studie verskaf op die wedersyde aard en dinamika van portuurmentorskap op teoretiese, konseptuele en praktiese vlakke, het dit ‘n bydrae gemaak tot ’n verhoogde bewustheid van hierdie baie belangrike veld en sal moontlik in die toekoms die groot uitvalsyfer onder studente kan teëwerk.

This PhD takes a social constructionist approach (see Burr, 2003) to explore how professional women in Sri Lanka make sense of and enact their careers. By explaining career through the recursive relationship between social context and individual agency, this study adds new insights into existing understandings of women s careers which are dominated by psychological models of women s development over their lifespans (see Maneiro and Sullivan, 2005; O Neil and Bilimoria, 2005; Pringle and Dixon, 2003). Most importantly this study which addresses women s experiences in Sri Lanka fulfils a significant gap in the extant literature which has paid only little attention to careers in South Asian nations. This study is based on qualitative interviews (see King, 2004) conducted with 24 professional Sri Lankan women: eight in early career, eight in mid-career and eight in late career (see O Neil and Bilimoria, 2005). All respondents aspired to reach the highest possible level in their organisations hierarchies and therefore continuously engaged with work organisations, home and family and wider contextual structures in Sri Lanka in pursuit of achieving their career goals, contributing towards maintaining and/or transforming these social structures in the process. Based on these findings I developed a theoretical framework to understand women s careers in a dynamic and contextually significant manner. This framework highlights eight different strategies women use to develop their careers which has four possible social outcomes. In illuminating specifically what women do to advance their careers within their social contexts and with what implications this framework makes a significant contribution to the careers literature which gives only little attention to individuals career strategies. Moreover by appreciating both social context and individual agency as explanations of women s careers this model refrains from taking an overly deterministic (see McRae, 2003; Crompton, 2011) or voluntaristic (see Maneiro and Sullivan, 2005; O Neil and Bilimoria, 2005) stance to conceptualising women s career development. Second, I outline a South Asian model of women s career development highlighting family, moral notions, religious philosophies and wider belief systems such as astrology and horoscopes as central constituents of women s careers. I highlight how these understandings could be used to identify blind spots in existing literature and further develop prevailing ideas of women s careers in the West. Specifically I argue that traditional notions do not altogether disappear as societies develop (see Gerth and Mills, 1991), but rather individuals use these notions to walk towards modernity. Finally I conclude the thesis by outlining how scholars could develop my work further, calling upon authors to bring moral character, traditional notions and enchantment back to the careers field. Key words: Gender, Career development, Social constructionism, Sri Lanka.

Abstract The aim of this study is to illustrate how people with drug abuse problems are being depicted in drug courts, by examining the statements of the social welfare board and the individual, and the drug courts evaluation and judgement. These statements are being examined from power theories and a social constructionist perspective. Furthermore, the study aims to examine how these statements relate to each other. The study has a qualitative approach based on a discourse analytical method with following analytical tools; modality, processes, terminology, passive sense and nominalization. Based on the social constructionist perspective, the language in the verdicts is considered as both constructed and constructing. The empirical data consists of two verdicts concerning compulsory drug treatment, acquired from a drug court located in a medium-sized city in Sweden. In conclusion, the parties' statements may include varying degrees of truth and credibility, depending on structure and word choices. Further, different groups, in this case the social welfare board, the drug court (lawyers) and doctors, throughout the study is given the role of so-called privileged speakers with a special interpretative prerogative, whose expertise and opinions are often a kind of unchallenged knowledge. It is also evident how there are power differences even between these groups. I the two analyzed cases, the results show that different parties have the primary interpretative prerogative. Common to both cases is that the person with drug abuse problems are attributed to the least power, credibility and degree of truth, and thus end up at the bottom of this chain. A key finding in the study is that people with drug abuse problems are constructed in different ways in the verdicts, depending on the choice of words, sentence structure and current discourse. The language in the verdicts becomes a power tool that create, recreate and maintain beliefs about the abuser. Compulsory treatment, discourse analysis, social constructionism, power, drug abuser