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One Size Does Not Fit All: An Autoethnographic Account Of Fat Representation In Yal As A Catalyst For Fat Acceptance, Laura Beal

Doctoral Dissertations

With campaigns like We Need Diverse Books (Mabbott, 2017), readers and authors of young adult literature (YAL) are calling for more diverse representations of adolescents and adolescence, such as in race, gender, sexuality, and ability, to name a few. However, size inclusivity is often left off this list. As a young adult, I was fat, and I never had characters who were productive representations to turn to. I did not see ‘me’ in the pages of the books I read. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to explore my own relationship with YAL novels that center the fat …

"Abuse Of The Disabled": Analyzing Disability Representation In Young Adult Literature And Disrupting Ableism In The Literature Classroom, Caitlin Metheny

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to highlight an area of young adult literature (YAL) and social justice education that is often ignored: disability. Informed by a Critical Disability Studies lens, this qualitative study explores the representation of disability in YAL through three independent yet interconnected articles. Specifically, these three articles function together to answer the following guiding research questions: 1) How is disability represented in contemporary young adult literature? and 2) How do readers respond to the representations of disability in YAL and what are the effects of those responses?

First, due to historical misrepresentations of disability and the …

What Am I Reading To My Students? A Critical Content Analysis Of Best-Selling Latinx Children's Picture Books, Amy Maples

Doctoral Dissertations

Diversity in children’s literature has been explored significantly within the past several decades. For Latinx children’s books, scholars have found issues surrounding representation and authenticity. Books involving Latinx stories and themes are underrepresented in the publishing industry, and portrayals of Latinx individuals and groups are often stereotypical and culturally inauthentic. This study sought to contribute to the research base surrounding representation in Latinx children’s literature by critically analyzing narratives and themes in best-selling Latinx children’s picture books. Using a qualitative critical content analysis guided by Latinx Critical Theory and Critical Whiteness Studies, I examined the top ten best-selling Latinx children’s …