“…[T]his is What We are Missing”: The Value of Communicating Infant Feeding Information Across Three Generations of African American Women

Background Breast/Chestfeeding remains a public health issue for African Americans, and increased rates would mitigate many health disparities, thus promoting health equity. Research Aims To explore the interplay of generational familial roles and meaning (or value) ascribed to communicating infant feeding information across three generations. Method This prospective, cross-sectional qualitative study used an asset-driven approach and was guided by Black Feminist Thought and Symbolic Interactionism. African American women ( N = 35; 15 family triads/dyads), residing in the southeastern United States were interviewed. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The older two generations described their role using assertive yet nurturing terms, while the younger generation carefully discussed the flexibility between their familial roles. Emergent themes described the meaning each generation attributed to communicating infant feeding information: “My Responsibility,” “Comforting,” “Bonding Experience,” “She Cared,” and “Gained Wisdom.” Conclusions Our findings have potential to contribute to achieving health equity in African American families. Future breast/chestfeeding promotion efforts may benefit from reframing the current approach to including protection language and not solely support language. Lactation professionals should further recognize and support strengths and resource-richness of intergenerational infant feeding communication within African American families using strength-based, empowerment-oriented, and ethnically sensitive approaches.

Correlation between familial roles and persistence of female students on distance education programmes in Ghana: Through the lens of an administrator

The contributions of individuals towards a nation’s development cannot be underestimated. Nevertheless, research has proven that gender roles could create some setbacks to the extent that some individuals may not be able to reach the optimum in higher education. This correlational study explored whether the interplay of some female gender roles affected persistence as female students juggled with studies. A total of 21 study centres with female enrolment of a 100 and above were purposively selected. Using simple random sampling, a sample of 441 female students were drawn from two distance education institutions in Ghana. The study employed the correlational research design. A questionnaire was used to collect data and analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. It was revealed that female students had family roles they performed. The study found that there was a positive correlation between persistence and familial roles among the participants. This implied that as the level of familial roles of the respondents increased, their persistence increased as well, thus revealing some level of resilience towards the progression of their education. It was therefore recommended that administrators of distance education institutions equipped female students with the needed knowledge and support to ensure the effective management of their familial roles.

Reproducing Elite Lives

This chapter explores the social reproductive roles performed by elite ‘upper’-caste Aggarwal women in family businesses in Delhi. By focusing on women’s associational and familial roles in a South Delhi neighbourhood, three strategies of reproduction are discussed: first, forging inter-strata fictive kinship ties for caste cohesion through women’s ‘social work’; second, forging intra-strata fictive kinship ties for business opportunities through sustained interactions; and third, steering the individuating aspirations of children around marital choices for the unity of the joint family and business. These strategies of elite reproduction highlight the secularizing pulls on gender and caste in urban contexts, despite the dependence of family businesses on caste and family ties. Furthermore, by focusing on women in family businesses, this chapter shows that while they are not passive victims of caste patriarchy neither are they invisible in the male-centric family businesses.

Trends in U.S. Gender Attitudes, 1977 to 2018: Gender and Educational Disparities

These figures display gender- and education-related gaps in U.S. gender attitudes from 1977 to 2018. The authors use data from the General Social Survey ( N = 57,224) to estimate the historical trajectory of U.S. attitudes about women in politics, familial roles, and working motherhood. Of all attitudes analyzed, Americans hold the most liberal attitudes toward women in politics, with no gender gap and little educational difference on this issue. Attitudes toward familial roles have the largest educational gap but a small gender difference. The gender gap in attitudes toward working motherhood has persisted over time, with women holding more egalitarian attitudes than men. The educational disparity on this issue disappeared during the mid-1990s “stalled gender revolution” but has widened since. Although the “stall” occurred among all gender and educational groups on all four gender attitude measures, the decline was starkest among the college educated regarding working motherhood.

The Maternal Dilemma And Nuptial Ordeals In Jodi Picoult’s Fiction: The Lens Of Maternal Feminism

Choice is an illusion non-existent in the lives of mothers; and selflessness to them, is not a decision but an encumbrance. This case is proficiently presented by Jodi Picoult in her novel Handle With Care (2009). Dealing with the issues of motherhood and nuptial ties, the novel raises a few important questions in the backdrop of mothering children with special needs. The novel introduces us to a helpless mother fighting for the survival of her dying daughter and gradually moving towards a troubled marriage and dissatisfied relationships. She is committed to saving her daughter’s life by whatever fair or foul means she can think of. This study examines why motherhood, is still the least valued and what are the factors that make motherhood suffer in the hands of other familial roles a mother plays. Another supplementary source My Sister’s Keeper (2008), by the same author, has also been taken into account since it also deals with an identical maternal crisis. Under the theoretical canopy of maternal feminism put forth by Andrea O’Reilly(2007, 2010), an exhaustive critical analysis of Picoult’s plea in question is done.

Conclusion

This chapter begins with the ordination of Dhanam’s son and pans out to compare all three women. Aananthan is ordained in Mātāpuram, with the bishop of Meerut (Agra) presiding. The ritual offers a bottom-up view of the interdependent power relations within hegemonic orders such as the Roman Catholic Church in village India, and the Church’s relation to Brahmanical and non-Brahmanical Hindu authority. Marian possession is investigated as covert activity and agency. Meanwhile, Nancy’s marriage has tempered her possession activity and lends credence to interpretations that her possession allowed her to manipulate gender and familial roles. Rosalind’s following has grown and her family and community believe that Jecintho has consecrated the Eucharist. The many Marys of South India are compared to the Mary of the orthodox Roman Catholic Church. Final conclusions are presented, and the reader is taken to an intimate Mass in Dhanam’s natal village, presided over by her son.

Proof of Manhood

This chapter looks at the sexuality of parish clergy and their masculine identity, exploring why priests were involved in relationships that were, for all intents and purposes, marriages. Indiscriminate sex alone was not enough to prove manliness; marriage and progeny were central attributes of the dominant forms of masculinity in medieval society. However, acquiring adult male status and attaining the role of paterfamilias was more than just a way for clerics to take part in a common social practice. Although clerical unions would never be on par with lay marriages because they lacked legal recognition and the ceremonial trappings of a relationship sanctioned in the eyes of the Church, these marriage-like relationships nevertheless afforded clerics important social and familial roles as husbands and fathers. Moreover, the role of husband and father allowed clerics to participate in the culture of lay masculinity.