Symbolic Capital and Gender: Evidence from Two Cultural Fields

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 462-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana L. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Symbolic Capital ◽  
Field Structure ◽  
Symbolic Boundaries ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Symbolic Boundary

This article builds a gendered understanding of Bourdieu’s concept of symbolic capital. Through a comparison of two cultural fields – the heavy metal scene and the contemporary folk scene in Toronto, Canada – I show that field structure impacts the extent to which gendered dispositions (which we can understand as masculine capital and feminine capital) are exchangeable for symbolic capital, or reputation. Using semi-structured interviews, discourse analysis, and participant observation, I highlight two features of the fields that shape the extent to which masculine and feminine capital produce symbolic capital: the degree to which symbolic capital is institutionalized, and the level of symbolic boundary-drawing in the field. The heavy metal field’s low institutionalization of symbolic capital and high symbolic boundaries heighten the salience of gender as a basis of symbolic capital, while the folk field’s high institutionalization of symbolic capital and low symbolic boundary-drawing reduce the extent to which gender matters.

scholarly journals ‘CEO equals man’: Gender and informal organisational practices in English sport governance

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 1009-1025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy V Piggott ◽  
Elizabeth CJ Pike
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equity ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Cultural Resources ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Specific Detail ◽  
Theory Of Practice ◽  
Organisational Values ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Alternative Practices

Despite the benefits of diversity amongst sport leaders increasingly being argued by both researchers and practitioners, English sport governance remains gender-imbalanced at all levels of leadership. Within this article, we aim to explore how informal organisational practices within two established English national governing bodies impact upon gender equity and gender balance within their governance. This is important to raise awareness of the power of informal organisational practices to favour one gender over another. We present findings generated through a multi-method qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Official documents from the two organisations were also drawn upon to add specific detail or fill information gaps during the collection, analysis and write-up of data. Throughout the article, we draw upon Bourdieu’s theory of practice to focus on the ways in which cultural resources, processes and institutions hold sport leaders within gendered hierarchies of dominance. We found that informal organisational practices contribute to the reinforcement of gendered structures of dominance which privilege (dominant) men and masculinity, and normalise and naturalise the positions of men as leaders. Some examples of resistance against inequitable informal practices were also evident. Drawing upon Bourdieu’s theorising, we highlight that alternative practices must be valued more highly by the organisation than current problematic practices in order for them to become legitimised, habitual and sustainable. We suggest that one way of achieving this is by linking gender-equitable governance to organisational values and performance to provide motivation for organisations to make genuine, sustainable change.

scholarly journals Chaos in the Clinic:Applications of Choas Theory to a Qualitative Study of a Veterinary Practice

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Craven Brennan
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Sociological Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Observation Study ◽  
Site Analysis ◽  
Veterinary Practice ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Veterinary Technicians ◽  
And Gender

This paper is the result of a twelve hour participant observation study of a local, private veterinary practice in southeastern Pennsylvania. Field notes and semi-structured interviews, the result of naturally occurring conversation between me and practice members, were taken over a twelve week period, one hour of site visit each week. Using a grounded theory methodology, categories of social interaction among veterinarians, veterinary technicians, clerical staff, owners and animal clients were assembled, discarded and re-assembled. The resulting categories were analyzed using the conceptual framework of chaos theory and the principles of uncertainty. It appears that the most striking feature of the intra-site analysis centers around the chaotic notion of similarity of patterns or fractals, those patterns that repeat at smaller and smaller scales. In this micro-sociological analysis, these patterns or fractals are presented as behavior patterns within this veterinary practice. The analysis of the similarity of behavior is based on intra-practice comparative data of roles and status and gender. The triangulation of owner, veterinary worker and animal is a fascinating one; from a chaotic perspective it is a subject ripe with the possibilities of patterned order within disorder.

Acting Their Age? An Intersectional Approach on Young Motherhood From Young Mothers’ Perspectives

Affilia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 466-484
Author(s):  
Marijke Sniekers ◽  
Els Rommes
Keyword(s):  
Single Mothers ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Young Mothers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Categories ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Working Parents ◽  
Child Centered ◽  
And Gender

This article challenges the assumptions in social policy and practice of how the combination of youth and motherhood is problematic and morally wrong. Using an intersectional approach, this study uncovers how young mothers’ social categories of youth and motherhood collide, concur with, or reinforce each other. The research question is the following: What are young mothers’ perceptions and practices of youth when combining youth with motherhood? The research methods include 18 months of participant observation and 41 semi-structured interviews with young mothers in the Netherlands. Analysis shows that young motherhood should not be conflated with problematic motherhood. Young mothers position themselves as “new” parents, single mothers, and working parents. Their motherhood practices illustrate adherence to an ideology of child-centered, omnipresent, and responsible motherhood. They might not be good girls, but they show they are good mothers. Young mothers navigate intersecting dimensions of youth, age, motherhood, and gender through (1) discontinuing youth practices, (2) alternating between motherhood and youthfulness, (3) transforming youth practices into young motherhood practices, and (4) reinforcing youth through young motherhood. Professionals can use the strengths of these practices more to the advantage of the youth to provide support that is tailored to clients’ needs.

scholarly journals Sexualidade e gênero: o que a Biologia tem a enunciar?

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 259
Author(s):  
Elaine de Jesus Souza ◽  
Dagmar Elisabeth Estermann Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Cross Section ◽  
Sexual Education ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Palabras Clave ◽  
Sexuality And Gender ◽  
Recent Graduates ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Empirical Material

Este artigo é um recorte de uma pesquisa mais abrangente que articula os campos de estudos de sexualidade, gênero, currículo e os estudos culturais pós-estruturalistas com aporte em teorizações foucaultianas, para analisar os modos pelos quais a Educação Sexual vem sendo abordada no currículo de licenciatura em Biologia na Universidade Federal X. A produção do material empírico envolveu exame de documentos, grupos focais com sete licenciandos/as e/ou recém-licenciados/as e 14 entrevistas semiestruturadas, utilizamos a análise foucaultiana do discurso para problematizar os discursos acerca de sexualidade e gênero que perpassam esse cenário curricular. Desse modo, ao questionarmos ‘o que a biologia tem a enunciar’ sobre sexualidade e gênero, os ditos dos/as (futuros/as) biólogos/as anunciaram confl itualidades e contradições decorrentes de uma multiplicidade de discursos essencialistas, fundacionalistas e universalistas, que instituem binarismos e normatizações acerca dessas dimensões da vida. Entretanto, evidenciamos também um incessante exercício de problematização e desconstrução desses discursos que parecem deixar marcas nesse currículo para além do que a Biologia costumava ‘enunciar’, principalmente ao incitar o reconhecimento de sexualidade e gênero como “constructos socioculturais”.Palavras-chave: Sexualidade. Gênero. Currículo. Biologia.Sexuality and gender: what does Biology has to say?AbstractThis article is a cross-section of a more comprehensive research that articulates the fields of studies of sexuality, gender, curriculum and poststructuralist cultural studies with the contribution of Foucaultian theorizations, to analyze the ways in which Sexual Education has beenapproached in the curriculum of degree in Biology at Federal University X. The production of the empirical material involved the examination of documents, focus groups with seven graduates and recent graduates and 14 semi-structured interviews, using the Foucauldian discourse analysis to problematize speeches about sexuality and gender that permeate this curricular scenario. Thus, by questioning ‘what biology has to say’ about sexuality and gender, the sayings of future biologists have announced conflicts and contradictions stemming from a multitude of essentialist, foundationalist and universalist discourses that institute binarisms and norms about these dimensions of life. However, there is also an incessant exercise of problematization and deconstruction of these discourses that seems to leave marks in this curriculum beyond what Biology used to ‘enunciate’, mainly by inciting the recognition of sexuality and gender as ‘sociocultural constructs’.Keywords: Sexuality. Gender. Curriculum. Biology.Sexualidad y género: ¿qué la Biología tiene en enunciar?ResumenEste artículo es un recorte de una investigación más amplia que articula los campos de estudios de sexualidad, género, currículo y los estudios culturales post-estructuralistas con aporte en teorizaciones foucaultianas, para analizar los modos por los cuales la Educación Sexual viene siendo abordada en el currículo de la educación sexual en la Universidad Federal X. La producción del material empírico involucró el examen de documentos, grupos focales con siete licenciandos/as y/o recién licenciados/as y 14 entrevistas semiestructuradas, utilizando el análisis foucaultiana del discurso para problematizar los discursos acerca de sexualidad y género que atraviesan ese escenario curricular. De este modo, al cuestionar ‘lo que la biología tiene que enunciar’ sobre sexualidad y género, los dichos de los biólogos/as anunciaron conflictos y contradicciones derivadas de una multiplicidad de discursos esencialistas, fundacionalistas y universalistas, que instituyen binarismos y normatizaciones acerca de esas dimensiones de la vida. Sin embargo, se evidencia también un incesante ejercicio de problematización y deconstrucción de esos discursos que parece dejar huellas en ese currículo más allá de lo que la Biología solía “enunciar”, principalmente al incitar el reconocimiento de sexualidad y género como “constructos socioculturales”.Palabras clave: Sexualidad. Género. Plan de estudios. Biología.

scholarly journals Development of Cultural and Environmental Awareness Through Sámi Outdoor Life at Sámi/Indigenous Festivals

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bente Ovedie Skogvang
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Symbolic Capital ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Reindeer Husbandry ◽  
Social And Cultural Capital

The indigenous people Sámi are an ethnic minority living in Finland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. Throughout history, Sámis have been living close to nature. Working with reindeer husbandry, fishing-farming, hunting, herding, and harvesting for food supplies, has traditionally been an integral part of their lives. Currently, only 2,500 of the ~65,000 Sámis in Norway are operating reindeer husbandry (2019). Most Sámis today work in mainstream jobs, and the fishing-farming culture gradually become more like the mainstream societies where Sámis live. Fieldwork with participant observation and semi-structured interviews carried out at Riddu Riđđu Festivala in the period 2009–2018. In addition, the governing bodies of seven other Sámi festivals have been interviewed. All together 46 in-depth interviews and participant observations conducted, in addition to document analysis of the festivals. The aim was to study how physical and outdoor activities included in the festivals create indigenous people's identities and cultural understanding and how the activities at the festivals might develop climate and environmental awareness. Indigenous festivals and their governing bodies offer many different forms of physical and cultural activities from Sámis and different indigenous peoples to the youth and children taking part. Further, the study shows that important aims for the organizers are to spread the knowledge about Sámis (i.e., local coastal Sámis and regional reindeer/Inland Sámis) and other indigenous peoples, and making environment-friendly festivals. They are trying to educate the children and youth in the cultural practices of their forefathers and foremothers. The manifold of activities offered at the festivals seem to create sustainable ties between persons, which equip the participants with social and cultural capital in addition to networks across festivals organizations internationally. The participants further express that taking part in the festival activities create symbolic capital, due to that they might express their indigeneity at the festivals both for people living in the region and for a greater audience. According to the participants, the festivals have equipped the participants with cultural awareness, as well as the children and youth taught an appreciation of nature so they can enjoy and respect nature and develop climate and environmental awareness.

Portrait of a Human Smuggler

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriella E. Sanchez
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Border Crossings ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Empirical Inquiry ◽  
The Us ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Violent Men ◽  
Migration Flows ◽  
And Gender

The hypervisibility of contemporary migration flows has generated significant interest in human smugglers, and reports of their activities are ubiquitous. Smugglers as facilitators of irregular migration are most often characterized as young and violent men from the Global South organized in criminal networks who are responsible for the tragic journeys of migrants around the world. Yet despite their frequent appearance in dramatic migration accounts, smugglers have hardly been the subject of empirical inquiry, which has led to the prevalence of male-centred, racialized, and classist characterizations of their activities. This chapter, drawing from structured interviews and participant observation conducted among twelve women charged with human smuggling offences and twenty-five women who travelled with smuggling facilitators in the US states of Arizona and Utah, situates the narratives of smuggling and its intersections with race, class, and gender in the facilitation of border crossings along the US–Mexico border.

Polyamory in Paris: A social network theory application

Sexualities ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136346072097532
Author(s):  
Janet Bennion
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Multiple Sexual Partners ◽  
Mitigating Factors ◽  
Trans Women ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Multiple Sexual Partnerships ◽  
Cis And Trans

Multiple sexual partnerships can be viewed as networks in order to assess the nature of links between lovers and metamours (lover’s lovers) as well as the larger population. In such non-monogamous networks, where participants share sex, friendship, ideas, and economic resources, there exists a vast web of nodes connected in much more intimate and complex ways than one finds in the mono-normative landscape. This study explored gender dynamics in network centrality on a sample of 62 polyamorists in Paris, France using participant-observation, informal and structured interviews, and social network analysis. Though evolutionary psychology and pornographic film tend to reinforce heteronormative stereotypes of males as central social actors with multiple sexual partners and women as sexually passive, feminist theorists have argued for a more “agentic female sexual subjectivity”. My data showed that cis- and trans-women, with a strong sense of family and skills in interpersonal communication, score highest on network metrics of density/degree, homophily, indirectedness, and transitivity. The network data also indicate high modularity and endogamy with clustering tendencies for both cis-men and cis- and trans-women linked to kink, atypical intelligence, sexual and gender non-conformity, and mitigating factors of socioeconomic advantage and racial privilege.

scholarly journals Gender and rural economic relations: ethnography of the Nrobo of South Eastern Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ugochukwu Titus Ugwu
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Adequate Explanation ◽  
Southeastern Nigeria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Inequality Theory ◽  
Gendered Roles ◽  
And Gender

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine gender and rural economic relations of the Nrobo of Southeastern Nigeria. Specifically, the study was designed to examine the subsistence strategies, gendered role patterns and gender gaps in economic relations of the Nrobo. Design/methodology/approach This study used ethnographic methods of participant observation – adopting chitchatting and semi-structured interviews. Also, focus group discussion (FGD) was used to cross-check the validity of data from the other instrument. Findings This study found among other things, that although there is still verbal expression of gendered roles division, it does not mirror what actually obtains in society, except bio-social roles. Ideological superiority of men reflects the patrilineal kinship arrangement of society. Theoretically, some of the hypotheses of gender inequality theory were disputed for lack of adequate explanation of gender and economic relations in an egalitarian-reflected society such as Nrobo. Originality/value This study, to the best of my knowledge, is the first attempt to ethnographically examine gender and economic relations among this group. As such it adds to the corpus of ethnographies on the Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria.

Cultural Responses to Water Shortage among Palestinians in Jordan: The Water Crisis and Its Impact on Child Health

1998 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nedal Arar
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Gender Ideology ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Household Structure ◽  
Biological Factor ◽  
Water Crisis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Morbidity Data ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Cultural Responses

Jordan is facing a serious problem with regard to its water supply. This problem has implications for the distribution of childhood diarrhea. Previous anthropological studies have related diarrheal illnesses to both water quality and quantity. This project has applied an integrative biocultural model to the study of the cultural responses to the water crisis among Palestinians living in two urban sites in Amman-Jordan. This study was carried out over a one-year period. Research phases included: an ethnographic phase, baseline censuses, morbidity surveys, and collection of water samples for microbial analysis. Participant observation and structured and semi-structured interviews in households provided information about the different cultural and environmental factors that influenced the distribution of diarrhea. These factors covered: mothers' age, educational levels, parity, income, household structure, breastfeeding and gender ideology. The biological factor was investigated by analyzing water specimens taken during family visits. Morbidity data indicated that the occurrence of diarrhea among children under five in Hassan site was two and a half times as great as that in Mahatta. In both sites, females infants accounted for the highest number of diarrheal cases. Income, mother's age, and education showed no significant impact on the spread of diarrhea, while lack of water, parity, breastfeeding, and household structure were significantly associated with the occurrence of diarrhea.

Cross-border Migration and Gender Boundaries in Central Eastern Europe – Female Perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-509
Author(s):  
Ágnes Erőss ◽  
Monika Mária Váradi ◽  
Doris Wastl-Walter
Keyword(s):  
Gender Roles ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Labour Migration ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Livelihood Strategy ◽  
Central Eastern Europe ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Dual Earner ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Gender Boundaries

In post-Socialist countries, cross-border labour migration has become a common individual and family livelihood strategy. The paper is based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with two ethnic Hungarian women whose lives have been significantly reshaped by cross-border migration. Focusing on the interplay of gender and cross-border migration, our aim is to reveal how gender roles and boundaries are reinforced and repositioned by labour migration in the post-socialist context where both the socialist dual-earner model and conventional ideas of family and gender roles simultaneously prevail. We found that cross-border migration challenged these women to pursue diverse strategies to balance their roles of breadwinner, wife, and mother responsible for reproductive work. Nevertheless, the boundaries between female and male work or status were neither discursively nor in practice transgressed. Thus, the effect of cross-border migration on altering gender boundaries in post-socialist peripheries is limited.

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