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Theses/Dissertations

Gender

Sociology

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

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Institutionalized Normative Heterosexuality : The Case Of Sexual Fluidity, Nicole Lamarre Jan 2022

Institutionalized Normative Heterosexuality : The Case Of Sexual Fluidity, Nicole Lamarre

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Since Alfred Kinsey’s early exploration of sexual behaviors, identities, and desires, there has been a proliferation of studies on what is generally regarded today as sexual fluidity. Inquiry into sexual histories that are neither wholly heterosexual nor homosexual (or even bisexual) has been incredibly well documented by this time. Generally, theories about sexual fluidity have taken one of two positions. The first camp interprets sexual variance as a sign of changing times and crumbling sexual and gender binaries. The second group of theorists postulate that sexual fluidity is neither new nor a particularly positive or liberating social trend. Instead of …


Space, Place, Gender, And Sexuality : Situational Gender In Four Coffee Houses, Kimberly Tauches Jan 2016

Space, Place, Gender, And Sexuality : Situational Gender In Four Coffee Houses, Kimberly Tauches

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In this dissertation, I explore the notion of situational gender in four coffee houses. Drawing on recent theoretical contributions by Barrie Thorne (1993) and Jacob Hale (1997) I determine the ways in which gender changes salience, as well as how gender shifts for individuals in these specific social settings. The crux of my research question focuses on determining the fluidity of gender in everyday life by highlighting the importance of situation while still maintaining a deep understanding of how gender operates as a major social structure. I draw on recent theoretical notions in gender performance, queer theory, and postmodern theory …


All The Single Ladies : How The Intersections Of Race And Family Type Influence Health, Cassandra G. Carter Jan 2016

All The Single Ladies : How The Intersections Of Race And Family Type Influence Health, Cassandra G. Carter

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Decreasing rates of marriage and the delay of motherhood or decision to forsake childbearing altogether are emergent trends in the United States. Historically, shifts in family composition have always been important, yet the increase in the number of unmarried and child-free adults is rarely acknowledged by health researchers. Race and family type will be used to investigate the health of Black and White unmarried, childless women (SWANS), using intersectional theory, the Social Determinants of Health, and the Sojourner Model. The frequencies of poor health outcomes are analyzed to determine if family type influences health outcomes, and if so, does this …


Condom Use Among Married Women In India, Claire Arielle Nicolas Jan 2014

Condom Use Among Married Women In India, Claire Arielle Nicolas

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Recent research on HIV/AIDS in India has not focused on married women, although married women have shown increasing rates of infection. This study examines how condom use among married women varies by regional and residential location, and further examines how the variation may be explained by a set of potential mediators. My theories used in this study are Urbanization, Information-Motivation-Behavioral Model, and Gender Theory to capture how society and location may not only provide women with the necessary education about HIV/AIDS prevention, but also motivate them to put that knowledge to use. Using the Demographic and Health Survey for India …


"I'M Not Good Enough For Anyone" : Legal Status And The Dating Lives Of Undocumented Young Adults, Daniela Jan Torres Pila Jan 2014

"I'M Not Good Enough For Anyone" : Legal Status And The Dating Lives Of Undocumented Young Adults, Daniela Jan Torres Pila

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Legal status' impact on romantic relationships has not yet been adequately explored in the literature. Based on video and phone interviews with twenty five undocumented activists from the ages of 18 to 28 years old, this research brings to light how legal status affects the romantic relationships of undocumented women and men. Gender roles are highly prevalent among young adults' accounts and were consistent with stereotypical male and female roles in dating which often attribute more power and responsibility to men. As such, women experienced a slight advantage because traditional notions of courtship did not require them to provide resources, …


Making Sense Of Mason Jars : A Qualitative Exploration Of Contemporary Home Canning, P. Suzanne Pennington Jan 2013

Making Sense Of Mason Jars : A Qualitative Exploration Of Contemporary Home Canning, P. Suzanne Pennington

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The practice and popularity of home canning in the United States has dramatically fluctuated since John Mason’s 1858 invention of the ‘fruit’ jar, influenced by cultural trends and sociopolitical events such as war, economic oscillation, activist movements such as environmentalism, and the politicization of food. The contemporary social context in which popular interest in home canning has most recently revived is an era of high cultural awareness and activity regarding multiple food issues. Traditional American foodways, including food preservation techniques such as home canning, are regaining importance as many Americans look to the past for solutions to current needs. This …


Critical Mass On Campus : An Analysis Of Race/Ethnicity And Organizational Outcomes, Renee Overdyke Jan 2013

Critical Mass On Campus : An Analysis Of Race/Ethnicity And Organizational Outcomes, Renee Overdyke

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The United States is an increasingly diverse society. The recent Supreme Court hearings on Affirmative Action have reiterated the need to study the impacts of changing demographics on organizations. Race-based policymaking fundamentally rests on a "diversity is good for the organization" philosophy, yet there is relatively little research that directly measures the institutional effects of racial/ethnic diversity. Diversity within organizations, also known as structural diversity or organizational heterogeneity, is overdue for a broader range of scholarly attention. Building on an organizational demography framework, this study investigates whether or not there are relationships between diversity and outcomes at higher education institutions …


Flowers In The Trenches : The Experiences Of Women In The Landscaping Profession, Paul E. Calarco, Jr. Jan 2012

Flowers In The Trenches : The Experiences Of Women In The Landscaping Profession, Paul E. Calarco, Jr.

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This research project aims to provide an in-depth analysis of women in the landscaping field. It is important to expand on the literature on nontraditional blue-collar occupations, as more women are moving into these jobs in this 21st century. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (2001), the landscape and horticultural services industry is ranked 11th in the top twenty fastest growing service industries, almost two times the average for job growth. This occupation represents a significant, viable and fruitful arena for sociological investigation, as well a fantastic occupational option for women.


Puerto Rican Intermarriages : The Intersectionality Of Race, Gender, Class And Space, Gabriel Aquino Jan 2011

Puerto Rican Intermarriages : The Intersectionality Of Race, Gender, Class And Space, Gabriel Aquino

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Puerto Ricans have an intermarriage rate of 38.5 percent, the highest among Mexican, Cubans, Dominicans, European Americans, and African Americans in the United States. What govern the process of Puerto Rican intermarriage? Who do Puerto Rican intermarry with? And, do these intermarriages affect Puerto Rican ethnic identity? Traditional theories of intermarriage use a one dimensional explanation for intermarriages and for many posit an eventual ethnic identity transition. I propose the use of an intersectionality paradigm that incorporates a multidimensional approach, specifically race, gender, class, and space to explain Puerto Rican intermarriage and to test Puerto Rican ethnic identity transformation through …


Modern Day Mary Poppins : Uncovering The Work Of Nannies And The Expectations Of Employers, Laura Ann Bunyan Jan 2010

Modern Day Mary Poppins : Uncovering The Work Of Nannies And The Expectations Of Employers, Laura Ann Bunyan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Throughout the past few decades the number of parents relying on child care has risen. Most research on parental use of child care focuses on relationships between employers and employees of differing racial-ethnic, social class, and educational status. This dissertation was designed to examine the experiences of those who perform nanny work, the process of selecting care, and understand the experiences of those who do not seek to maximize social space between employee and employer.


Individualized Intimacy? : The Negotiation Of Self And Other In Heterosexual Relationships, Daniel Santore Jan 2010

Individualized Intimacy? : The Negotiation Of Self And Other In Heterosexual Relationships, Daniel Santore

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Sociologists working in various scholarly traditions posit an individualization of contemporary romantic relationships occurring in Western societies over the passed several decades. This dissertation uses North American and European theoretical perspectives on "individualized intimacy" as the basis for a qualitative interview study of 45 women and men involved in heterosexual relationships. In keeping with the theoretical perspectives that ground the study, the interviews focus on how concepts of self-development, communication, gender and social class collide with one another in, and serve to shape, respondents' narratives of self and other in intimacy. Findings demonstrate that: (a) regarding gender, women and men …