Alison Happel - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Alison Happel
Gender Forum, Jul 1, 2013
1 Little Miss Sunshine is a recent (2006) film that was popular among various audiences within th... more 1 Little Miss Sunshine is a recent (2006) film that was popular among various audiences within the United States. The screen-play was written by first-time writer Michael Arndt and was directed by Jonathon Dayton and Valerie Faris. It was nominated for four Academy Awards and received two, one for Best Original Screen Play and the other for Best Supporting Actor.2 We argue that Little Miss Sunshine is an important text that needs to be theorized for its messages about normalized subjectivities and gendered expectations. Because of its popularity, this film serves as an important representation of cultural norms and ideals since it is through popular culture we learn lessons about gender, race, class, and sexuality. We begin our analysis by outlining Judith Butler's theory of gender performance. We then review the cultural significance of beauty pageants, paying specific attention to feminist critiques of beauty pageants and the cultural norms that they represent. Next, we explain our methods of film analysis that informed our interaction with the text of the film. We follow this with a brief synopsis of the film. Finally, we provide our analysis of the film and explore the implications of the gender representations and interruptions present within the text. Using Butler's theory of gender performance, along with a discussion of post-feminism, we offer our interpretation of the film, arguing that Olive's final performance illustrates important cultural ideals and expectations about gender.3 It is important to note the social and political climate in which this movie was created and consumed. Many scholars have asserted that the turn away from critiquing and engaging with political power structures (including patriarchy) has created what has been termed post-feminism. We argue that Little Miss Sunshine was produced within a post-feminist climate in which popular discourses about feminism assume that it is no longer necessary and relevant; these assumptions assert that social critiques of sexism and patriarchy are unnecessary. Angela McRobbie is one of the leading scholars who challenges and critiques post-feminism. Although this term has wide variation depending upon discipline (and even within disciplines), McRobbie defines post-feminism as:An active process by which feminist gains of the 1970s and '80s come to be undermined. It proposes that through an array of machinations, elements of contemporary popular culture are perniciously effective in regard to this undoing of feminism, while simultaneously appearing to be engaging in a well-informed and even well-intended response to feminism. (258)Post-feminism suggests that the goals of feminism have been attained and, thus, there is no need for further collective mobilization around gender. As McRobbie argues, in order for feminism to be "taken into account," it has to be understood as having already passed away (259). Women are presumed to be free to articulate our desires for sex, power, and money without fear of retribution. The notion of choice discussed in terms of post-feminism takes the stance that women are free agents in their lives thus they are able to make choices free from sexist constraints and institutionalized oppression. The focus remains on the individual (the personal as split from the political) instead of how the individual is located within a heteropatriarchal culture (the personal is political). Arguing against notions of "victimization," post-feminism assumes that women are now equal to men, and can therefore make agentic, rational decisions unencumbered by sexism (Hua 68). These discourses about gender, freedom, and individualism are present throughout the film, and an understanding of post-feminism is important when engaging theoretically about the social significance of the film.Theoretical Framework4 Judith Butler has made substantial contributions to constructivist understandings of sex, gender, and sexuality. …
The Urban Review, Oct 16, 2014
This ethnographic case study investigates social networks and forms of social capital accessed by... more This ethnographic case study investigates social networks and forms of social capital accessed by a group of five urban male youth (ages 15-19), from diverse racial backgrounds, who were disenfranchised economically. We refer to the youth as ''disenfranchised'' because they were disconnected from forms of institutional support, especially families and schools. Findings indicate that, in the absence of adult mediated social networks, youth create their own. The participants in this study banded together and create networks that offered financial support as well as education about life on the streets. Keywords Social networks Á Social capital Á Urban Á Case study Introduction ''You have to hold your own'': Investigating the social networks of a diverse group of disenfranchised urban male youth Research suggests that social networks are one of the most important resources for youth, especially urban youth (Ahn 2010; Larson et al. 2002). Because social networks are an integral part of youths' development into adults, it is important to investigate the ways in which urban youth are being supported, by both institutional and interpersonal networks. The purpose of this study was to examine the social
Ecocritical Perspectives in Teacher Education
American Journal of Sexuality Education
Encyclopedia of Teacher Education, 2019
Encyclopedia entry in the Encyclopedia of Teacher Education
Issues in Teacher Education, 2017
The acronym STEM is a ubiquitous term for seemingly anything in—or related to—the fields of scien... more The acronym STEM is a ubiquitous term for seemingly anything in—or related to—the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and the current dominant educational STEM discourse in teacher education is often organized around questions of how to integrate math and science into the other content areas or vice versa. The purpose of this essay is to pose a different question: How can an ecological model for subject inquiry become the organizing focus for an integrated ecological inquiry? In this article, we provide a glimpse of where we are currently in our thinking and writing as we put theory to work in teacher education. For the past few years, we have been working on a number of exciting endeavors in teacher education, ranging from theoretical explorations to more practitioner-based projects that attempt to outline how PK-12 educators might utilize ecocritical frameworks in their Common Core State Standards (CCSS) aligned lesson plans. However, in our efforts to dev...
Issues in Teacher Education, 2018
Teaching in our current moment in history is a challenging task. While teachers may ostensibly fo... more Teaching in our current moment in history is a challenging task. While teachers may ostensibly focus on one designated subject or content area, they can find themselves struggling to help students grapple with, and respond to, the complex and interrelated problems facing society and the world. However, exciting work is being done to help teachers do just this—to courageously confront and critically and creatively examine the injustices of violence and destruction that are increasingly sanctioned all around us. Furthermore, this kind of work is being done with a fierce commitment to the possibilities that PreK-12 and higher education classrooms can be places of such transformation. This special issue of Issues in Teacher Education provides highlights from diverse scholars working at the intersections of social justice and sustainabil-
Issues in Teacher Education, 2018
In this chapter we discuss a case study from Detroit, Michigan, that highlights what educators ca... more In this chapter we discuss a case study from Detroit, Michigan, that highlights what educators can learn from community efforts to address food insecurity. Advocating that educators and policy makers rethink how they recognize and come to understand food enclosures—socio-political and economic arrangements that limit access to the production, preparation, and consumption of local, healthy, and culturally relevant food—the chapter emphasizes the importance of working together to learn from and with food movements.
In this article, we explore narrative inquiry data we collected with women who attempted to have ... more In this article, we explore narrative inquiry data we collected with women who attempted to have a natural, drug-free childbirth for the birth of their first child. The data presented come from semi-structured life story interviews with six women who live in a metropolitan city in the midsouthern United States. Using creative analytic practice (CAP), the women's experiences are presented as a composite poem. The (re)presentation of the women's narratives in the poem emphasizes the tensions between what women desired and planned for in contrast to what they actually experienced during pregnancy and birth. The poem illustrates the politics of agency, the ways in which consent is bypassed or assumed in some medical institutions in the United States, and the resilience of the women.
The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2021
INTRODUCTION Despite a growing body of research on psychosocial factors in Genito-Pelvic Pain/Pen... more INTRODUCTION Despite a growing body of research on psychosocial factors in Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (GPPPD) during sexual intercourse, there are few studies examining adolescent and young adult women's experiences with painful sex and the effects of religiosity, sexual education, and sex guilt. AIM The purpose of the study was to examine the occurrence of GPPPD among sexually active female college students, including psychosocial factors of religiosity and religious practice, sexual education, sex guilt, and sexual distress. METHODS Data were collected from 974 college women from a university in the Northeastern U.S. We limited our sample to sexually active women (n = 593, 60.9%; mean age: 18.96) who responded to the questionnaire item, "In general, do you feel pain with sexual intercourse?" Participants completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS), Revised Mosher Sex Guilt Scale, Abbreviated Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire, 10-item Gender Role Beliefs Scale, and measures on sexual wellness and practice and sexual education experiences. Data were analyzed using standard bivariate and regression analyses as well as path analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Women were asked, "In general, do you feel pain with sexual intercourse?" and categorized into one of three pain groups: occasional (10%-25% of the time), frequent (50% or more), and no pain (less than 10%). RESULTS GPPPD with sex was prevalent among young college women, with 113 (19.1%) reporting frequent pain and 143 (24.1%) occasional pain (control n = 337, 56.8%). Numerous statistically significant factors were identified, including frequency of sex, ability to orgasm, sensations during intercourse, presence of a steady sexual partner, expectations of painful sex, sex guilt, and sexual distress. Sex guilt acted as full mediator between religiosity and painful sex. IMPLICATIONS Healthcare providers should proactively initiate conversations with young female patients about painful intercourse to identify issues and normalize language on pain with sex. Educators are urged to teach evidence-based information on pain-free and guilt-free sexual experiences inside and outside religious contexts. CONCLUSION Painful sex affects adolescent and young adult women at a similar rate as non-college adult women and while religiosity does not directly impact young women's GPPPD, religiosity does lead to painful sex if it causes sex guilt. Further research is needed into the mechanisms of religion-based sexual shaming and among religiously conservative women who practice abstinence until marriage. Azim KA, Happel-Parkins A, Moses A, et al. Exploring Relationships Between Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder, Sex Guilt, and Religiosity Among College Women in the U.S. J Sex Med 2021;xxx:xxx-xxx.
Departures in Critical Qualitative Research, 2017
This feminist narrative inquiry discusses the experiences of two women in a metropolitan city in ... more This feminist narrative inquiry discusses the experiences of two women in a metropolitan city in the Midsouth of the United States who each intended to have a drug- and intervention-free childbirth for the birth of their first child. This data came from a larger study that included narratives from six participants. Using Alecia Y. Jackson and Lisa A. Mazzei's concept of “plugging in,” we read and analyzed the data through three feminist theorists: Sara Ahmed, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, and Susan Bordo. This allowed us to push the limits of intelligibility of women and their narratives, challenging the dominant, medicalized discourses prevalent in the current cultural context of the United States.
Policy Futures in Education, 2018
This article seeks to address often overlooked cultural assumptions embedded within neoliberalism... more This article seeks to address often overlooked cultural assumptions embedded within neoliberalism; specifically, the researchers explore what ecofeminist Val Plumwood describes as centric thinking, leading to a logic of domination. The authors argue that social justice educators and activists who are committed to critiquing neoliberalism must take into consideration the ways in which a logic of domination undergirds the unjust and destructive social and economic ideologies and policies that constitute neoliberalism. The authors examine and share pedagogical moments from experiences in teacher education seeking to: (a) challenge and disrupt dualistic thinking; (b) interrupt perceptions of hegemonic normalcy—referring to a socio-cultural process by which actions, behaviors, and diverse ways of interpreting the world are perceived by dominant society as “fitting in” and being socially acceptable; and, (c) contest false notions of independence—the degree to which an individual is percei...
Urban Education, 2018
This study investigated how Black middle school girls negotiated an after-school club, with a spe... more This study investigated how Black middle school girls negotiated an after-school club, with a specific focus on ways of knowing and acting as “ladies.” Drawing from Fordham’s intersectional analyses of the histories and politics behind her conceptualization of “those loud black girls,” we explore and critique the ways in which the girls were subjects of, and subjected to, context-specific discourses of race, class, and gender. Critical race theory and poststructural theory are merged to inform the study. The findings illustrate how the girls negotiated and resisted the traditional conceptualizations of femininity that were expected of them.
Journal of Womenʼs Health Physical Therapy, 2020
Culture, Health & Sexuality, 2020
Dyspareunia is painful attempted or completed vaginal-penile intercourse, and vaginal pain from o... more Dyspareunia is painful attempted or completed vaginal-penile intercourse, and vaginal pain from other forms of touch. Because there is a persistent underlying message of shame and taboo surrounding female sexual pleasure in some Christian-informed cultural contexts, we sought to examine how self-identified Christian women in the Midsouthern USA conceptualise and experience dyspareunia. Data were collected through initial surveys and semi-structured interviews and analysed using incident-to-incident and in-vivo coding. Creative Analytic Practice was used to create composite character narratives from the data, storying five aspects of participants' experiences: (1) ignorance and abstinence at home, church, and school; (2) socially-informed expectations of sex and painful realities; (3) making sense of, coping with, and seeking help for painful sex; (4) validation, diagnosis, and treatment; and (5) sex mis-education and desire for a different future. Findings suggest that participants' understandings of and coping with their sexuality and the accompanying painful sex are shaped by implicit and explicit religious messages they encountered in their family upbringing, schooling, social and religious circles, and interactions with healthcare providers. Health professionals are urged to pre-screen women for symptoms of dyspareunia and include sexual wellness checks as routine procedure, and subsequently refer patients to pelvic health physical therapy when appropriate.
The Journal of Negro Education, 2019
Abstract:Black women engineering students often find themselves in an uninviting space in a field... more Abstract:Black women engineering students often find themselves in an uninviting space in a field dominated by White men. Thus, as Black women matriculate toward completion of their engineering degrees, they encounter instances of racism, sexism, and prejudice that result from the intersection of their race and gender. In an effort to identify and understand their similar experiences, the present study used Black feminist theory and intersectionality. Nine undergraduate Black women engineering students at a predominantly White institution engaged in semi-structured life history interviews. The interviews revealed two themes that exposed how others view participants, how participants view themselves, the similarities among Black women engineering students’ experiences, the different ways Black women can be oppressed, and the ways in which Black women experience and respond to different forms of prejudice.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 2019
Gender Forum, Jul 1, 2013
1 Little Miss Sunshine is a recent (2006) film that was popular among various audiences within th... more 1 Little Miss Sunshine is a recent (2006) film that was popular among various audiences within the United States. The screen-play was written by first-time writer Michael Arndt and was directed by Jonathon Dayton and Valerie Faris. It was nominated for four Academy Awards and received two, one for Best Original Screen Play and the other for Best Supporting Actor.2 We argue that Little Miss Sunshine is an important text that needs to be theorized for its messages about normalized subjectivities and gendered expectations. Because of its popularity, this film serves as an important representation of cultural norms and ideals since it is through popular culture we learn lessons about gender, race, class, and sexuality. We begin our analysis by outlining Judith Butler's theory of gender performance. We then review the cultural significance of beauty pageants, paying specific attention to feminist critiques of beauty pageants and the cultural norms that they represent. Next, we explain our methods of film analysis that informed our interaction with the text of the film. We follow this with a brief synopsis of the film. Finally, we provide our analysis of the film and explore the implications of the gender representations and interruptions present within the text. Using Butler's theory of gender performance, along with a discussion of post-feminism, we offer our interpretation of the film, arguing that Olive's final performance illustrates important cultural ideals and expectations about gender.3 It is important to note the social and political climate in which this movie was created and consumed. Many scholars have asserted that the turn away from critiquing and engaging with political power structures (including patriarchy) has created what has been termed post-feminism. We argue that Little Miss Sunshine was produced within a post-feminist climate in which popular discourses about feminism assume that it is no longer necessary and relevant; these assumptions assert that social critiques of sexism and patriarchy are unnecessary. Angela McRobbie is one of the leading scholars who challenges and critiques post-feminism. Although this term has wide variation depending upon discipline (and even within disciplines), McRobbie defines post-feminism as:An active process by which feminist gains of the 1970s and '80s come to be undermined. It proposes that through an array of machinations, elements of contemporary popular culture are perniciously effective in regard to this undoing of feminism, while simultaneously appearing to be engaging in a well-informed and even well-intended response to feminism. (258)Post-feminism suggests that the goals of feminism have been attained and, thus, there is no need for further collective mobilization around gender. As McRobbie argues, in order for feminism to be "taken into account," it has to be understood as having already passed away (259). Women are presumed to be free to articulate our desires for sex, power, and money without fear of retribution. The notion of choice discussed in terms of post-feminism takes the stance that women are free agents in their lives thus they are able to make choices free from sexist constraints and institutionalized oppression. The focus remains on the individual (the personal as split from the political) instead of how the individual is located within a heteropatriarchal culture (the personal is political). Arguing against notions of "victimization," post-feminism assumes that women are now equal to men, and can therefore make agentic, rational decisions unencumbered by sexism (Hua 68). These discourses about gender, freedom, and individualism are present throughout the film, and an understanding of post-feminism is important when engaging theoretically about the social significance of the film.Theoretical Framework4 Judith Butler has made substantial contributions to constructivist understandings of sex, gender, and sexuality. …
The Urban Review, Oct 16, 2014
This ethnographic case study investigates social networks and forms of social capital accessed by... more This ethnographic case study investigates social networks and forms of social capital accessed by a group of five urban male youth (ages 15-19), from diverse racial backgrounds, who were disenfranchised economically. We refer to the youth as ''disenfranchised'' because they were disconnected from forms of institutional support, especially families and schools. Findings indicate that, in the absence of adult mediated social networks, youth create their own. The participants in this study banded together and create networks that offered financial support as well as education about life on the streets. Keywords Social networks Á Social capital Á Urban Á Case study Introduction ''You have to hold your own'': Investigating the social networks of a diverse group of disenfranchised urban male youth Research suggests that social networks are one of the most important resources for youth, especially urban youth (Ahn 2010; Larson et al. 2002). Because social networks are an integral part of youths' development into adults, it is important to investigate the ways in which urban youth are being supported, by both institutional and interpersonal networks. The purpose of this study was to examine the social
Ecocritical Perspectives in Teacher Education
American Journal of Sexuality Education
Encyclopedia of Teacher Education, 2019
Encyclopedia entry in the Encyclopedia of Teacher Education
Issues in Teacher Education, 2017
The acronym STEM is a ubiquitous term for seemingly anything in—or related to—the fields of scien... more The acronym STEM is a ubiquitous term for seemingly anything in—or related to—the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and the current dominant educational STEM discourse in teacher education is often organized around questions of how to integrate math and science into the other content areas or vice versa. The purpose of this essay is to pose a different question: How can an ecological model for subject inquiry become the organizing focus for an integrated ecological inquiry? In this article, we provide a glimpse of where we are currently in our thinking and writing as we put theory to work in teacher education. For the past few years, we have been working on a number of exciting endeavors in teacher education, ranging from theoretical explorations to more practitioner-based projects that attempt to outline how PK-12 educators might utilize ecocritical frameworks in their Common Core State Standards (CCSS) aligned lesson plans. However, in our efforts to dev...
Issues in Teacher Education, 2018
Teaching in our current moment in history is a challenging task. While teachers may ostensibly fo... more Teaching in our current moment in history is a challenging task. While teachers may ostensibly focus on one designated subject or content area, they can find themselves struggling to help students grapple with, and respond to, the complex and interrelated problems facing society and the world. However, exciting work is being done to help teachers do just this—to courageously confront and critically and creatively examine the injustices of violence and destruction that are increasingly sanctioned all around us. Furthermore, this kind of work is being done with a fierce commitment to the possibilities that PreK-12 and higher education classrooms can be places of such transformation. This special issue of Issues in Teacher Education provides highlights from diverse scholars working at the intersections of social justice and sustainabil-
Issues in Teacher Education, 2018
In this chapter we discuss a case study from Detroit, Michigan, that highlights what educators ca... more In this chapter we discuss a case study from Detroit, Michigan, that highlights what educators can learn from community efforts to address food insecurity. Advocating that educators and policy makers rethink how they recognize and come to understand food enclosures—socio-political and economic arrangements that limit access to the production, preparation, and consumption of local, healthy, and culturally relevant food—the chapter emphasizes the importance of working together to learn from and with food movements.
In this article, we explore narrative inquiry data we collected with women who attempted to have ... more In this article, we explore narrative inquiry data we collected with women who attempted to have a natural, drug-free childbirth for the birth of their first child. The data presented come from semi-structured life story interviews with six women who live in a metropolitan city in the midsouthern United States. Using creative analytic practice (CAP), the women's experiences are presented as a composite poem. The (re)presentation of the women's narratives in the poem emphasizes the tensions between what women desired and planned for in contrast to what they actually experienced during pregnancy and birth. The poem illustrates the politics of agency, the ways in which consent is bypassed or assumed in some medical institutions in the United States, and the resilience of the women.
The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2021
INTRODUCTION Despite a growing body of research on psychosocial factors in Genito-Pelvic Pain/Pen... more INTRODUCTION Despite a growing body of research on psychosocial factors in Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (GPPPD) during sexual intercourse, there are few studies examining adolescent and young adult women's experiences with painful sex and the effects of religiosity, sexual education, and sex guilt. AIM The purpose of the study was to examine the occurrence of GPPPD among sexually active female college students, including psychosocial factors of religiosity and religious practice, sexual education, sex guilt, and sexual distress. METHODS Data were collected from 974 college women from a university in the Northeastern U.S. We limited our sample to sexually active women (n = 593, 60.9%; mean age: 18.96) who responded to the questionnaire item, "In general, do you feel pain with sexual intercourse?" Participants completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS), Revised Mosher Sex Guilt Scale, Abbreviated Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire, 10-item Gender Role Beliefs Scale, and measures on sexual wellness and practice and sexual education experiences. Data were analyzed using standard bivariate and regression analyses as well as path analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Women were asked, "In general, do you feel pain with sexual intercourse?" and categorized into one of three pain groups: occasional (10%-25% of the time), frequent (50% or more), and no pain (less than 10%). RESULTS GPPPD with sex was prevalent among young college women, with 113 (19.1%) reporting frequent pain and 143 (24.1%) occasional pain (control n = 337, 56.8%). Numerous statistically significant factors were identified, including frequency of sex, ability to orgasm, sensations during intercourse, presence of a steady sexual partner, expectations of painful sex, sex guilt, and sexual distress. Sex guilt acted as full mediator between religiosity and painful sex. IMPLICATIONS Healthcare providers should proactively initiate conversations with young female patients about painful intercourse to identify issues and normalize language on pain with sex. Educators are urged to teach evidence-based information on pain-free and guilt-free sexual experiences inside and outside religious contexts. CONCLUSION Painful sex affects adolescent and young adult women at a similar rate as non-college adult women and while religiosity does not directly impact young women's GPPPD, religiosity does lead to painful sex if it causes sex guilt. Further research is needed into the mechanisms of religion-based sexual shaming and among religiously conservative women who practice abstinence until marriage. Azim KA, Happel-Parkins A, Moses A, et al. Exploring Relationships Between Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder, Sex Guilt, and Religiosity Among College Women in the U.S. J Sex Med 2021;xxx:xxx-xxx.
Departures in Critical Qualitative Research, 2017
This feminist narrative inquiry discusses the experiences of two women in a metropolitan city in ... more This feminist narrative inquiry discusses the experiences of two women in a metropolitan city in the Midsouth of the United States who each intended to have a drug- and intervention-free childbirth for the birth of their first child. This data came from a larger study that included narratives from six participants. Using Alecia Y. Jackson and Lisa A. Mazzei's concept of “plugging in,” we read and analyzed the data through three feminist theorists: Sara Ahmed, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, and Susan Bordo. This allowed us to push the limits of intelligibility of women and their narratives, challenging the dominant, medicalized discourses prevalent in the current cultural context of the United States.
Policy Futures in Education, 2018
This article seeks to address often overlooked cultural assumptions embedded within neoliberalism... more This article seeks to address often overlooked cultural assumptions embedded within neoliberalism; specifically, the researchers explore what ecofeminist Val Plumwood describes as centric thinking, leading to a logic of domination. The authors argue that social justice educators and activists who are committed to critiquing neoliberalism must take into consideration the ways in which a logic of domination undergirds the unjust and destructive social and economic ideologies and policies that constitute neoliberalism. The authors examine and share pedagogical moments from experiences in teacher education seeking to: (a) challenge and disrupt dualistic thinking; (b) interrupt perceptions of hegemonic normalcy—referring to a socio-cultural process by which actions, behaviors, and diverse ways of interpreting the world are perceived by dominant society as “fitting in” and being socially acceptable; and, (c) contest false notions of independence—the degree to which an individual is percei...
Urban Education, 2018
This study investigated how Black middle school girls negotiated an after-school club, with a spe... more This study investigated how Black middle school girls negotiated an after-school club, with a specific focus on ways of knowing and acting as “ladies.” Drawing from Fordham’s intersectional analyses of the histories and politics behind her conceptualization of “those loud black girls,” we explore and critique the ways in which the girls were subjects of, and subjected to, context-specific discourses of race, class, and gender. Critical race theory and poststructural theory are merged to inform the study. The findings illustrate how the girls negotiated and resisted the traditional conceptualizations of femininity that were expected of them.
Journal of Womenʼs Health Physical Therapy, 2020
Culture, Health & Sexuality, 2020
Dyspareunia is painful attempted or completed vaginal-penile intercourse, and vaginal pain from o... more Dyspareunia is painful attempted or completed vaginal-penile intercourse, and vaginal pain from other forms of touch. Because there is a persistent underlying message of shame and taboo surrounding female sexual pleasure in some Christian-informed cultural contexts, we sought to examine how self-identified Christian women in the Midsouthern USA conceptualise and experience dyspareunia. Data were collected through initial surveys and semi-structured interviews and analysed using incident-to-incident and in-vivo coding. Creative Analytic Practice was used to create composite character narratives from the data, storying five aspects of participants' experiences: (1) ignorance and abstinence at home, church, and school; (2) socially-informed expectations of sex and painful realities; (3) making sense of, coping with, and seeking help for painful sex; (4) validation, diagnosis, and treatment; and (5) sex mis-education and desire for a different future. Findings suggest that participants' understandings of and coping with their sexuality and the accompanying painful sex are shaped by implicit and explicit religious messages they encountered in their family upbringing, schooling, social and religious circles, and interactions with healthcare providers. Health professionals are urged to pre-screen women for symptoms of dyspareunia and include sexual wellness checks as routine procedure, and subsequently refer patients to pelvic health physical therapy when appropriate.
The Journal of Negro Education, 2019
Abstract:Black women engineering students often find themselves in an uninviting space in a field... more Abstract:Black women engineering students often find themselves in an uninviting space in a field dominated by White men. Thus, as Black women matriculate toward completion of their engineering degrees, they encounter instances of racism, sexism, and prejudice that result from the intersection of their race and gender. In an effort to identify and understand their similar experiences, the present study used Black feminist theory and intersectionality. Nine undergraduate Black women engineering students at a predominantly White institution engaged in semi-structured life history interviews. The interviews revealed two themes that exposed how others view participants, how participants view themselves, the similarities among Black women engineering students’ experiences, the different ways Black women can be oppressed, and the ways in which Black women experience and respond to different forms of prejudice.
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 2019
This special issue seeks manuscripts focused on addressing how 21st century challenges that emerg... more This special issue seeks manuscripts focused on addressing how 21st century challenges that emerge from the complex intersections of social justice and sustainability are addressed through public scholarship influencing and being enacted in teacher education. As critical educators have been arguing for decades, teacher educators as public intellectuals can, and arguably must, be activists-scholars (Collins 2012; Giroux 2004; Giroux et al. 1986). The editors of this special issue maintain that scholar-activist educators must acknowledge and reject all forms of domination and injustice against both humans and nonhumans, recognizing that these injustices are mutually reinforcing. Such a position necessitates the examination of how a cultural logic of domination (Warren, 2000) undergirds the unjust and destructive social and economic ideologies and policies that constitute schooling and thus teacher education. Consequently, we believe it is essential for teacher educators to consider how anthropocentric assumptions and actions work to limit education as a transformative practice in relationship to addressing social justice and sustainability. Western industrial notions of human-centered progress exist in K-12 curriculum and in Colleges of Education, and this special issue seeks diverse critical perspectives from those situated within teacher education programs. Specifically, the editors solicit manuscripts that reflect insights from teacher educators who are working to challenge and shift cultural logics that support domination and injustice, logics that are often pervasive in Western industrial schooling.
Issues in Teacher Education, 2017
The acronym STEM is a ubiquitous term for seemingly anything in—or related to—the fields of scien... more The acronym STEM is a ubiquitous term for seemingly anything in—or related to—the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and the current dominant educational STEM discourse in teacher education is often organized around questions of how to integrate math and science into the other content areas or vice versa. The purpose of this essay is to pose a different question: How can an ecological model for subject inquiry become the organizing focus for an integrated ecological inquiry? In this article, we provide a glimpse of where we are currently in our thinking and writing as we put theory to work in teacher education.