In this book, leading international and emerging scholars consider the mixed critical responses t... more In this book, leading international and emerging scholars consider the mixed critical responses to Lena Dunham’s TV series Girls and reflect on its significance to contemporary debates about postfeminist popular cultures in a post-recession context. The series features both familiar and innovative depictions of young women and men in contemporary America that invites comparisons with Sex and the City. It aims for a refreshed, authentic expression of postfeminist femininity that eschews the glamour and aspirational fantasies spawned by its predecessor. The authors of this volume discuss the contemporary scholarship on Girls, from its representation of post-millennial gender politics to revulsion and repugnance at depictions of the messiness and imperfections of sex, embodiment, and social interactions. Topics covered by the chapters include Dunham’s privileged role as author/auteur/actor, sexuality, body consciousness, millennial gender identities, the politics of representation, neoliberalism, and post-recession society. This book provides diverse and provocative critical responses to the show and to wider social and media contexts, and contributes to a new generation of feminist scholarship with a powerful concluding reflection from Rosalind Gill. This work will appeal to those interested in feminist theory, identity politics, popular culture, and media.
There is a well-documented absence of inclusive school-based sex and relationships education (SRE... more There is a well-documented absence of inclusive school-based sex and relationships education (SRE) for Australian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth. Moreover, relatively few studies specifically examine how bisexual and queeridentifying young Australian women experience SRE. This qualitative study addresses the gap and contributes new perspectives by examining bisexual and queer young women’s experiences of school-based SRE in the state of Tasmania through the lens of sexual citizenship. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 15 Tasmanian bisexual and queer young women, we argue that biomedical, risk-based and heteronormative approaches to SRE reduce young women’s sexual health literacy. By framing SRE around the concept of ‘sexual citizenship’, this article provides important guidance on how SRE can more effectively provide bisexual and queer young women with the skills they need to be effective, engaged sexual citizens.
In this article I use a feminist autobiographical approach to present my ‘tattoo narrative’ as a ... more In this article I use a feminist autobiographical approach to present my ‘tattoo narrative’ as a gendered, embodied account in which I map out key moments in my life over two decades through the images inscribed on my skin. Specifically, I examine how my bodily modifications have magnified the social responses to my body as a woman. For example, as a teenager, I acquired a naval piercing and trendy ‘feminine’, discretely located tattoos to satisfy a heterosexual male gaze. In contrast, as a woman in my late thirties, my tattoos satisfy a different purpose. They are larger, bolder, and more ‘masculine’ in line with the evolution of my feminist politics. However, as an academic, the social responses to my tattoos are more complex. In class defined social spaces such as the university where I work, my tattoos cause trouble because they challenge gendered and classed norms for femininity. I conclude by calling for women to engage in autobiographical writing about bodily modification as a critical feminist political act.
This critical reflection provides fellow researchers with insights into the ethical challenges of... more This critical reflection provides fellow researchers with insights into the ethical challenges of using visual methods in remote environments. We draw on Fine's notion of 'working the hyphens' to explore the complexities of studying a leadership program for women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) on a ship in Antarctica. We reflect on how our researcher identities and relationships with participants shaped the research process and emergent ethical tensions. For instance, we discuss ethical issues that arose in relation to the contextual and relational aspects of the environment including psychological and physical demands of research participation in Antarctica, privacy and isolation in remote environments, and rapport. We also discuss issues related to participant-produced video diaries specifically including consent, confidentiality and participant safety. To conclude, we highlight implications for visual research in other remote settings. This article outlines some of the key ethical issues associated with research conducted in remote environments through the framework of 'hyphen-spaces' (Fine, 1994), with a special focus on using participant-produced video diaries as a research method. Visual methods and the attendant ethical challenges have rarely been considered through the
Issue addressed
parkrun is a free, weekly, timed, international mass community 5‐km walk/run even... more Issue addressed parkrun is a free, weekly, timed, international mass community 5‐km walk/run event. Unlike other paid events, parkrun attracts populations harder to engage in physical activity (PA) (eg, women, those with overweight/obesity or illness/injury/disability). This exploratory qualitative study investigated the individual, social and environmental factors associated with parkrun's broad appeal in Australia.
Methods Tasmanian parkrunners who completed a quantitative survey (2016) were purposively recruited for a 2017 interview study. Semistructured interviews focused on reasons for parkrun participation. Data saturation was achieved by the tenth interview. Data were analysed thematically.
Results Four themes emerged: (a) participation facilitators and barriers; (b) PA gain and broader community benefit; (c) social connections/networks; and (d) organisational issues. Appealing characteristics of parkrun included strong social support, performance gain opportunities, socialising, inclusivity (eg, all ages/abilities), sense of community, positive atmosphere and accessibility (eg, no cost and convenience). Some participants reported that parkrun had stimulated gains in their total PA (not always limited to walking/running) and that parkrun may also result in other community benefits (eg, supporting local businesses, fee‐based running club/event participation and “parkrun tourism”). Most participants first attended parkrun because of encouragement from their social networks, and participants subsequently encouraged others to attend. Participants found parkrun events well organised, but identified some potential threats (eg, local politics).
Conclusions Social factors appeared critical in driving initial and ongoing parkrun participation. parkrun may lead to wider community benefits beyond that gained through increased individual PA. These findings highlight the “success factors” driving parkrun participation and provide insights for other community‐based PA promotion activities.
n this paper, we explore the advantages and challenges of combining transformational tourism in A... more n this paper, we explore the advantages and challenges of combining transformational tourism in Antarctica with a transformational leadership development programme for women. Our case study is a three-week leadership development course in Antarctica for women in STEMM that had the express purpose of increasing female leadership and visibility in the domain of climate change. Using a feminist sociological approach, we argue that synthesising transformational leadership development and transformational tourism in Antarctica has the potential to augment the effectiveness of both experiences and is particularly apt, given the programme’s focus on climate change. Travelling to Antarctica as a group facilitated the development of strong bonds between the women, an important design feature of women’s leadership development programmes. Additionally, exposure to the Antarctic landscape provided scope for awe-inspiring experiences that enhanced these relational bonds and led women to reflect on and/or challenge their views of themselves and their place in the world. We conclude that leadership development programmes for women in STEMM could be further strengthened by addressing gender essentialism. We also focus on issues associated with using Antarctica as a “stage” for climate protection – namely, the problematic depiction of women as “naturally” virtuous regarding environmental management.
Women are under-represented in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM)... more Women are under-represented in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) fields worldwide, particularly in leadership positions. We explore this phenomenon by examining the leadership experiences of 25 women who were actively seeking to enhance their leadership capacities in STEMM fields from five countries in the Global North. We argue that women in this study seemed to be caught in an ‘ideological dilemma’ between recognizing sexism and gender bias in their organizational contexts and seeing their organizations as gender neutral. We argue that a post-feminist climate and a neoliberal ethic of meritocracy in science render inequality difficult to articulate and address. Considering this dilemma through the lens of ‘cruel optimism’, we suggest that women are problematically bound to a fantasy of success in STEMM in which leadership is attainable through arduous effort.
Purpose: " parkrun " is a free and increasingly popular weekly 5-km walk/run international commun... more Purpose: " parkrun " is a free and increasingly popular weekly 5-km walk/run international community event, representing a novel setting for physical activity (PA) promotion. However, little is known about who participates or why. This study aimed to identify sociodemographic, health, behavioral, individual, social, and environmental factors associated with higher levels of participation. Participants: Three hundred seventy two adult parkrun participants. Measures: Online survey measuring sociodemographic, health, individual, social and environmental factors, parkrun participation , and PA. Analysis: Descriptive statistics, zero-truncated Poisson regression models. Results: Respondents (n ¼ 371) were more commonly women (58%), aged 35 to 53 years (54%), and occasional or nonwalkers/ runners (53%) at registration. A total of 44% had overweight/obesity. Half had non-adult children, most spoke English at home, and 7% reported PA-limiting illness/injury/disability. Average run/walk time was 30.2 + 7.4 minutes. Compared to regular walkers/runners at registration, nonwalkers/runners were less commonly partnered, more commonly had overweight/obesity, less physically active, and had poorer self-rated health. Multivariate analyses revealed relative parkrun participation was inversely associated with education level and positively associated with interstate parkrun participation, perceived social benefits, self-efficacy for parkrun, and intentions to participate. Conclusion: parkrun attracts nonwalkers/runners and population groups hard to engage in physical activity. Individual-and social-level factors were associated with higher relative parkrun participation. parkrun's scalability, accessibility, and wide appeal confers a research imperative to investigate its potential for public health gain.
Technological advancements have created new methods for conducting research. In this article, we ... more Technological advancements have created new methods for conducting research. In this article, we explore the benefits and challenges of using participant-produced video diaries as a research method in a remote environment. Participant-produced video diaries provide rich ethnographic data of lived experiences. Moreover, video diaries allow data collection without researchers needing to be physically present, which facilitates research in remote locations. Therefore, we chose video diaries as one method of data collection for our study of a leadership programme for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine conducted in Antarctica. However, the remote location of this study raised methodological challenges beyond the routine issues associated with video diaries. In this article, we critically reflect on these challenges, highlighting implications for using participant-produced video diaries in other remote settings.
Objective
To examine how first-time fathers in rural Tasmania experienced father-only antenatal s... more Objective To examine how first-time fathers in rural Tasmania experienced father-only antenatal support/education groups.
Design Semistructured interviews with expectant fathers were used for this study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit fathers in 2014. Participants were recruited face-to-face via email through a government health service and not-for-profit organisation that runs a state-wide fatherhood program. Several participants were recruited through a company that holds antenatal education classes for men in a pub. Data were analysed thematically.
Setting Three rural Tasmanian areas (South, Central Coast and Northern Midlands)
Participants Twenty-five men from three rural areas of Tasmania, ≥18 years, about to become first-time father with partner at least 20 weeks pregnant.
Main outcome measure(s) Semistructured interviews explored men's experiences of father-only antenatal education groups.
Results Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (i) motivations for attending antenatal groups; (ii) the effect of the group setting on men's experiences; (iii) masculine stereotypes in antenatal groups; and (iv) strategies to support fathers. Data show men wanted to join the groups and learn about being an involved father. They often felt uncomfortable sharing experiences in discussion-based groups. They tended to prefer information-based groups which were not premised on sharing emotions. Men offered strategies to improve father-only antenatal education groups.
Conclusion Tasmanian antenatal education/support programs need improvement. Providing men with multiple opportunities to connect with other fathers is critical to improving support. Groups can be improved by accounting for multiple and complex constructions of masculinity, increasing the number of sessions offered and altering the structure.
CrossFit (CF) is one of the fastest growing exercise regimens in the world. However, sociologists... more CrossFit (CF) is one of the fastest growing exercise regimens in the world. However, sociologists have been relatively slow in examining the place of CF coaches in contemporary CF fitness culture. CF coaches are key figures in the production, promotion and consumption of CF fitness services. Therefore, coaches are a sociologically compelling group to examine. Drawing on interviews with male CF coaches in Tasmania, Australia, this paper argues that the way that CF coaches become qualified, interact with clients and understand ‘health’ and ‘fitness’ is shaped by the confluence of masculinity and neoliberalism. As CF grows in Australia alongside other fitness regimens, these findings pose a unique set of concerns for the Australian fitness industry, especially in relation to the ways that CF coaches translate the meaning and practice of ‘health’ and ‘fitness’ to their athletes.
Australian public health promotion positions safe sex as a biomedical, heteronormative concept. C... more Australian public health promotion positions safe sex as a biomedical, heteronormative concept. Consequently, there is a dearth of scholarly research examining queer young women’s sexual health. To fill this knowledge gap, this article considers how Australian bisexual and queer young women understand ‘safe sex’ and conceptualise ‘good’ sexual citizenship. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 15 participants in Tasmania, findings reveal that although queer women understand heterosexual safe sex, there is little awareness of safer sexual practices with female partners. We argue that gendered sexual scripts shape perceptions of sexual health risk whereby queer women adopt multiple situation-dependent approaches to safer sex.
It is widely acknowledged that women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medici... more It is widely acknowledged that women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) fields are underrepresented in leadership globally. However, little is known about how leadership styles of women in STEMM relate to this underrepresentation. This article discusses findings from a survey examining how 61 women in STEMM define leadership and describe their own leadership styles. Using content analysis and drawing on Full Range Leadership Model factors, findings suggest that women define leadership and describe their own leadership styles using transformational factors. However, there was no consistency in how participants defined ideal leadership or how they defined their own leadership styles. This finding unsettles ideas of distinctly gendered leadership styles. We argue that expectations that leadership will be performed in distinctly gendered styles may be contributing to the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles in STEMM.
Fathers play a significant role in shaping family life. Yet Australian men’s transitions to fathe... more Fathers play a significant role in shaping family life. Yet Australian men’s transitions to fatherhood have been neglected in research and in antenatal support/education programs. Drawing on contemporary theories of masculinity, this article explores how a cohort of 25 first-time fathers in Tasmania, Australia, experienced 2 different father-only antenatal support/education groups. In particular, I was interested in how men negotiate masculinity and “involved fatherhood” in the context of these groups. I argue that the settings in which Tasmanian men are invited to prepare for fatherhood can be experienced in contradictory ways (e.g., pubs vs. hospitals or community centers). Strategies to better support men in the transition to fatherhood are offered in the concluding discussion.
Aim: To discuss corporeal support of the brain-dead pregnant woman and to critically examine imp... more Aim: To discuss corporeal support of the brain-dead pregnant woman and to critically examine important aspects of this complex situation that remain as yet unexplored. Background: When brain death of the woman occurs during pregnancy, the fetus may be kept inside the corporeally supported body for prolonged periods to enable continued fetal growth and development. This has been increasingly reported in medical literature since 1982 and has received considerable media attention in the past few years. Implications for midwives and nurses: Sophisticated advances in medical technologies have altered the boundaries of conception and birth, life and death, Western biomedical and cultural conceptions of women and their bodies, fetal personhood, fetal rights and fetal patienthood, profoundly influencing maternal behaviors, medical decisions and the treatment of pregnant women. This is especially so in the rare, but fraught instance of brain death of the pregnant woman, where nurses and midwives working in High Dependency Care units undertake the daily care of the corporeally supported body that holds a living fetus within it. This discussion enables critical and ethical conversation around the complexities of developing appropriate discourse concerning the woman who suffers brain death during pregnancy and considers the complexities for nurses and midwives caring for the Woman/body/fetus in this context. The potential impact on the fetus of growing and developing inside a 'dead' body is examined, and the absence in the literature of long-term follow up of infants gestated thus is questioned. Problem Case studies in the medical literature reporting prolonged corporeal support of the body of the brain dead (BD) pregnant woman demonstrate the considerable complexity of care, use of resources and cost involved in aiming for the birth of a live viable infant, yet aside from ethical debate, little is written about this fraught and complex situation. What is already known The bodies of BD pregnant women have been corporeally supported since 1982 for prolonged periods (2 days– 107 days) solely to enable fetal growth and development. With 37 cases reported to date, literature has either focussed on the ethics of this act, or detailed the technical aspects and complications of high dependency care used to stabilise a BD body to gestate a fetus with the aim of achieving the birth of a live and viable infant. What this paper adds This article raises compelling questions for further consideration around BD in pregnancy and points to new research areas for exploration of this complex and fraught context. These include: the lack of appropriate terminology/dis-course used to describe the woman/body/fetus, the need for qualitative research that examines nurses' and midwives' experiences of caring for the BD body and the fetus, discussion of potential consequences for fetal growth and development inside a dead body, and the need for detailed long-term follow-up of infants gestated thus.
In this paper, I discuss a group of photographs that feature a place intrinsically related with A... more In this paper, I discuss a group of photographs that feature a place intrinsically related with Australian women’s photographic memories of pregnancy – the beach. Building on feminist interdisciplinary studies of family photography, I argue that family photographs of pregnancy contribute to alternative ways of knowing and interpreting the Australian beach landscape and the entangled social relations and interactions within these spaces. Data are drawn from a set of 34 pregnancy photographs that were taken at the beach in [Tasmania] between 1945 and 2013 and collected as part of a larger, ongoing mixed methods research project involving the analysis of 236 Australian family photographs of pregnancy. In this paper, I conduct a visual discourse analysis of three categories of beach pregnancy images including (1) the family holiday photograph, (2) the bikini photograph and (3) the ‘natural’ pregnant body/landscape photograph to enable a more precise account of how personal and cultural memories of the Australian beach intersect. In the concluding discussion, I suggest that the beach is a critical site for deepening sociological and feminist understandings of the production and expression of pregnant identities and Australian national identity.
In this paper, I conduct a feminist multi-modal critical discourse analysis (FMCDA) of the Lorna ... more In this paper, I conduct a feminist multi-modal critical discourse analysis (FMCDA) of the Lorna Jane (LJ) retail website (www.lornajane.com.au), an Australian fitness fashion company, to examine the discursive strategies used by the company to authorise a particular notion of “active living” for women. Specifically, I shall examine how the semiotic choices on the LJ website signify key discourses and themes related to health and fitness and how they are used to place the responsibility for fitness and health onto individual women. In particular, I focus on the discourses inscribed through the technologies, styles, fabrics, colours, cuts, and sizing of LJ clothing items. I am also interested in the underlying choices, assumptions, and biases of these constructions and the power relationships underpinning them. I conclude that “empowerment” for women on the LJ website is imagined in a limited, individualistic way.
Increasingly in international research and popular media a growing interest in men and fatherhood... more Increasingly in international research and popular media a growing interest in men and fatherhood is discernible. These changes occur as other aspects of the socioeconomic world shift, necessitating the need to re-address how caring and paid work responsibilities are configured and practised. However, interest in men's experiences as fathers has emerged in ways which reflect cultural assumptions and practices associated with dominant understandings of masculinities. Consequently, research on and evidence of changing behaviours has been culturally and geographically uneven. In this paper, two qualitative studies are drawn upon to examine how men living in Australia and the UK engage in/narrate experiences of preparation for first-time fatherhood. These studies compare men's in-depth accounts of preparing for first-time fatherhood in cultures where understandings of masculinities overlap, but where differences are also discernible. The findings illuminate the ways in which biology, gender, temporality and histories of masculinities frame men's preparation activities and service provision.
In this book, leading international and emerging scholars consider the mixed critical responses t... more In this book, leading international and emerging scholars consider the mixed critical responses to Lena Dunham’s TV series Girls and reflect on its significance to contemporary debates about postfeminist popular cultures in a post-recession context. The series features both familiar and innovative depictions of young women and men in contemporary America that invites comparisons with Sex and the City. It aims for a refreshed, authentic expression of postfeminist femininity that eschews the glamour and aspirational fantasies spawned by its predecessor. The authors of this volume discuss the contemporary scholarship on Girls, from its representation of post-millennial gender politics to revulsion and repugnance at depictions of the messiness and imperfections of sex, embodiment, and social interactions. Topics covered by the chapters include Dunham’s privileged role as author/auteur/actor, sexuality, body consciousness, millennial gender identities, the politics of representation, neoliberalism, and post-recession society. This book provides diverse and provocative critical responses to the show and to wider social and media contexts, and contributes to a new generation of feminist scholarship with a powerful concluding reflection from Rosalind Gill. This work will appeal to those interested in feminist theory, identity politics, popular culture, and media.
There is a well-documented absence of inclusive school-based sex and relationships education (SRE... more There is a well-documented absence of inclusive school-based sex and relationships education (SRE) for Australian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth. Moreover, relatively few studies specifically examine how bisexual and queeridentifying young Australian women experience SRE. This qualitative study addresses the gap and contributes new perspectives by examining bisexual and queer young women’s experiences of school-based SRE in the state of Tasmania through the lens of sexual citizenship. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 15 Tasmanian bisexual and queer young women, we argue that biomedical, risk-based and heteronormative approaches to SRE reduce young women’s sexual health literacy. By framing SRE around the concept of ‘sexual citizenship’, this article provides important guidance on how SRE can more effectively provide bisexual and queer young women with the skills they need to be effective, engaged sexual citizens.
In this article I use a feminist autobiographical approach to present my ‘tattoo narrative’ as a ... more In this article I use a feminist autobiographical approach to present my ‘tattoo narrative’ as a gendered, embodied account in which I map out key moments in my life over two decades through the images inscribed on my skin. Specifically, I examine how my bodily modifications have magnified the social responses to my body as a woman. For example, as a teenager, I acquired a naval piercing and trendy ‘feminine’, discretely located tattoos to satisfy a heterosexual male gaze. In contrast, as a woman in my late thirties, my tattoos satisfy a different purpose. They are larger, bolder, and more ‘masculine’ in line with the evolution of my feminist politics. However, as an academic, the social responses to my tattoos are more complex. In class defined social spaces such as the university where I work, my tattoos cause trouble because they challenge gendered and classed norms for femininity. I conclude by calling for women to engage in autobiographical writing about bodily modification as a critical feminist political act.
This critical reflection provides fellow researchers with insights into the ethical challenges of... more This critical reflection provides fellow researchers with insights into the ethical challenges of using visual methods in remote environments. We draw on Fine's notion of 'working the hyphens' to explore the complexities of studying a leadership program for women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) on a ship in Antarctica. We reflect on how our researcher identities and relationships with participants shaped the research process and emergent ethical tensions. For instance, we discuss ethical issues that arose in relation to the contextual and relational aspects of the environment including psychological and physical demands of research participation in Antarctica, privacy and isolation in remote environments, and rapport. We also discuss issues related to participant-produced video diaries specifically including consent, confidentiality and participant safety. To conclude, we highlight implications for visual research in other remote settings. This article outlines some of the key ethical issues associated with research conducted in remote environments through the framework of 'hyphen-spaces' (Fine, 1994), with a special focus on using participant-produced video diaries as a research method. Visual methods and the attendant ethical challenges have rarely been considered through the
Issue addressed
parkrun is a free, weekly, timed, international mass community 5‐km walk/run even... more Issue addressed parkrun is a free, weekly, timed, international mass community 5‐km walk/run event. Unlike other paid events, parkrun attracts populations harder to engage in physical activity (PA) (eg, women, those with overweight/obesity or illness/injury/disability). This exploratory qualitative study investigated the individual, social and environmental factors associated with parkrun's broad appeal in Australia.
Methods Tasmanian parkrunners who completed a quantitative survey (2016) were purposively recruited for a 2017 interview study. Semistructured interviews focused on reasons for parkrun participation. Data saturation was achieved by the tenth interview. Data were analysed thematically.
Results Four themes emerged: (a) participation facilitators and barriers; (b) PA gain and broader community benefit; (c) social connections/networks; and (d) organisational issues. Appealing characteristics of parkrun included strong social support, performance gain opportunities, socialising, inclusivity (eg, all ages/abilities), sense of community, positive atmosphere and accessibility (eg, no cost and convenience). Some participants reported that parkrun had stimulated gains in their total PA (not always limited to walking/running) and that parkrun may also result in other community benefits (eg, supporting local businesses, fee‐based running club/event participation and “parkrun tourism”). Most participants first attended parkrun because of encouragement from their social networks, and participants subsequently encouraged others to attend. Participants found parkrun events well organised, but identified some potential threats (eg, local politics).
Conclusions Social factors appeared critical in driving initial and ongoing parkrun participation. parkrun may lead to wider community benefits beyond that gained through increased individual PA. These findings highlight the “success factors” driving parkrun participation and provide insights for other community‐based PA promotion activities.
n this paper, we explore the advantages and challenges of combining transformational tourism in A... more n this paper, we explore the advantages and challenges of combining transformational tourism in Antarctica with a transformational leadership development programme for women. Our case study is a three-week leadership development course in Antarctica for women in STEMM that had the express purpose of increasing female leadership and visibility in the domain of climate change. Using a feminist sociological approach, we argue that synthesising transformational leadership development and transformational tourism in Antarctica has the potential to augment the effectiveness of both experiences and is particularly apt, given the programme’s focus on climate change. Travelling to Antarctica as a group facilitated the development of strong bonds between the women, an important design feature of women’s leadership development programmes. Additionally, exposure to the Antarctic landscape provided scope for awe-inspiring experiences that enhanced these relational bonds and led women to reflect on and/or challenge their views of themselves and their place in the world. We conclude that leadership development programmes for women in STEMM could be further strengthened by addressing gender essentialism. We also focus on issues associated with using Antarctica as a “stage” for climate protection – namely, the problematic depiction of women as “naturally” virtuous regarding environmental management.
Women are under-represented in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM)... more Women are under-represented in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) fields worldwide, particularly in leadership positions. We explore this phenomenon by examining the leadership experiences of 25 women who were actively seeking to enhance their leadership capacities in STEMM fields from five countries in the Global North. We argue that women in this study seemed to be caught in an ‘ideological dilemma’ between recognizing sexism and gender bias in their organizational contexts and seeing their organizations as gender neutral. We argue that a post-feminist climate and a neoliberal ethic of meritocracy in science render inequality difficult to articulate and address. Considering this dilemma through the lens of ‘cruel optimism’, we suggest that women are problematically bound to a fantasy of success in STEMM in which leadership is attainable through arduous effort.
Purpose: " parkrun " is a free and increasingly popular weekly 5-km walk/run international commun... more Purpose: " parkrun " is a free and increasingly popular weekly 5-km walk/run international community event, representing a novel setting for physical activity (PA) promotion. However, little is known about who participates or why. This study aimed to identify sociodemographic, health, behavioral, individual, social, and environmental factors associated with higher levels of participation. Participants: Three hundred seventy two adult parkrun participants. Measures: Online survey measuring sociodemographic, health, individual, social and environmental factors, parkrun participation , and PA. Analysis: Descriptive statistics, zero-truncated Poisson regression models. Results: Respondents (n ¼ 371) were more commonly women (58%), aged 35 to 53 years (54%), and occasional or nonwalkers/ runners (53%) at registration. A total of 44% had overweight/obesity. Half had non-adult children, most spoke English at home, and 7% reported PA-limiting illness/injury/disability. Average run/walk time was 30.2 + 7.4 minutes. Compared to regular walkers/runners at registration, nonwalkers/runners were less commonly partnered, more commonly had overweight/obesity, less physically active, and had poorer self-rated health. Multivariate analyses revealed relative parkrun participation was inversely associated with education level and positively associated with interstate parkrun participation, perceived social benefits, self-efficacy for parkrun, and intentions to participate. Conclusion: parkrun attracts nonwalkers/runners and population groups hard to engage in physical activity. Individual-and social-level factors were associated with higher relative parkrun participation. parkrun's scalability, accessibility, and wide appeal confers a research imperative to investigate its potential for public health gain.
Technological advancements have created new methods for conducting research. In this article, we ... more Technological advancements have created new methods for conducting research. In this article, we explore the benefits and challenges of using participant-produced video diaries as a research method in a remote environment. Participant-produced video diaries provide rich ethnographic data of lived experiences. Moreover, video diaries allow data collection without researchers needing to be physically present, which facilitates research in remote locations. Therefore, we chose video diaries as one method of data collection for our study of a leadership programme for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine conducted in Antarctica. However, the remote location of this study raised methodological challenges beyond the routine issues associated with video diaries. In this article, we critically reflect on these challenges, highlighting implications for using participant-produced video diaries in other remote settings.
Objective
To examine how first-time fathers in rural Tasmania experienced father-only antenatal s... more Objective To examine how first-time fathers in rural Tasmania experienced father-only antenatal support/education groups.
Design Semistructured interviews with expectant fathers were used for this study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit fathers in 2014. Participants were recruited face-to-face via email through a government health service and not-for-profit organisation that runs a state-wide fatherhood program. Several participants were recruited through a company that holds antenatal education classes for men in a pub. Data were analysed thematically.
Setting Three rural Tasmanian areas (South, Central Coast and Northern Midlands)
Participants Twenty-five men from three rural areas of Tasmania, ≥18 years, about to become first-time father with partner at least 20 weeks pregnant.
Main outcome measure(s) Semistructured interviews explored men's experiences of father-only antenatal education groups.
Results Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (i) motivations for attending antenatal groups; (ii) the effect of the group setting on men's experiences; (iii) masculine stereotypes in antenatal groups; and (iv) strategies to support fathers. Data show men wanted to join the groups and learn about being an involved father. They often felt uncomfortable sharing experiences in discussion-based groups. They tended to prefer information-based groups which were not premised on sharing emotions. Men offered strategies to improve father-only antenatal education groups.
Conclusion Tasmanian antenatal education/support programs need improvement. Providing men with multiple opportunities to connect with other fathers is critical to improving support. Groups can be improved by accounting for multiple and complex constructions of masculinity, increasing the number of sessions offered and altering the structure.
CrossFit (CF) is one of the fastest growing exercise regimens in the world. However, sociologists... more CrossFit (CF) is one of the fastest growing exercise regimens in the world. However, sociologists have been relatively slow in examining the place of CF coaches in contemporary CF fitness culture. CF coaches are key figures in the production, promotion and consumption of CF fitness services. Therefore, coaches are a sociologically compelling group to examine. Drawing on interviews with male CF coaches in Tasmania, Australia, this paper argues that the way that CF coaches become qualified, interact with clients and understand ‘health’ and ‘fitness’ is shaped by the confluence of masculinity and neoliberalism. As CF grows in Australia alongside other fitness regimens, these findings pose a unique set of concerns for the Australian fitness industry, especially in relation to the ways that CF coaches translate the meaning and practice of ‘health’ and ‘fitness’ to their athletes.
Australian public health promotion positions safe sex as a biomedical, heteronormative concept. C... more Australian public health promotion positions safe sex as a biomedical, heteronormative concept. Consequently, there is a dearth of scholarly research examining queer young women’s sexual health. To fill this knowledge gap, this article considers how Australian bisexual and queer young women understand ‘safe sex’ and conceptualise ‘good’ sexual citizenship. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 15 participants in Tasmania, findings reveal that although queer women understand heterosexual safe sex, there is little awareness of safer sexual practices with female partners. We argue that gendered sexual scripts shape perceptions of sexual health risk whereby queer women adopt multiple situation-dependent approaches to safer sex.
It is widely acknowledged that women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medici... more It is widely acknowledged that women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) fields are underrepresented in leadership globally. However, little is known about how leadership styles of women in STEMM relate to this underrepresentation. This article discusses findings from a survey examining how 61 women in STEMM define leadership and describe their own leadership styles. Using content analysis and drawing on Full Range Leadership Model factors, findings suggest that women define leadership and describe their own leadership styles using transformational factors. However, there was no consistency in how participants defined ideal leadership or how they defined their own leadership styles. This finding unsettles ideas of distinctly gendered leadership styles. We argue that expectations that leadership will be performed in distinctly gendered styles may be contributing to the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles in STEMM.
Fathers play a significant role in shaping family life. Yet Australian men’s transitions to fathe... more Fathers play a significant role in shaping family life. Yet Australian men’s transitions to fatherhood have been neglected in research and in antenatal support/education programs. Drawing on contemporary theories of masculinity, this article explores how a cohort of 25 first-time fathers in Tasmania, Australia, experienced 2 different father-only antenatal support/education groups. In particular, I was interested in how men negotiate masculinity and “involved fatherhood” in the context of these groups. I argue that the settings in which Tasmanian men are invited to prepare for fatherhood can be experienced in contradictory ways (e.g., pubs vs. hospitals or community centers). Strategies to better support men in the transition to fatherhood are offered in the concluding discussion.
Aim: To discuss corporeal support of the brain-dead pregnant woman and to critically examine imp... more Aim: To discuss corporeal support of the brain-dead pregnant woman and to critically examine important aspects of this complex situation that remain as yet unexplored. Background: When brain death of the woman occurs during pregnancy, the fetus may be kept inside the corporeally supported body for prolonged periods to enable continued fetal growth and development. This has been increasingly reported in medical literature since 1982 and has received considerable media attention in the past few years. Implications for midwives and nurses: Sophisticated advances in medical technologies have altered the boundaries of conception and birth, life and death, Western biomedical and cultural conceptions of women and their bodies, fetal personhood, fetal rights and fetal patienthood, profoundly influencing maternal behaviors, medical decisions and the treatment of pregnant women. This is especially so in the rare, but fraught instance of brain death of the pregnant woman, where nurses and midwives working in High Dependency Care units undertake the daily care of the corporeally supported body that holds a living fetus within it. This discussion enables critical and ethical conversation around the complexities of developing appropriate discourse concerning the woman who suffers brain death during pregnancy and considers the complexities for nurses and midwives caring for the Woman/body/fetus in this context. The potential impact on the fetus of growing and developing inside a 'dead' body is examined, and the absence in the literature of long-term follow up of infants gestated thus is questioned. Problem Case studies in the medical literature reporting prolonged corporeal support of the body of the brain dead (BD) pregnant woman demonstrate the considerable complexity of care, use of resources and cost involved in aiming for the birth of a live viable infant, yet aside from ethical debate, little is written about this fraught and complex situation. What is already known The bodies of BD pregnant women have been corporeally supported since 1982 for prolonged periods (2 days– 107 days) solely to enable fetal growth and development. With 37 cases reported to date, literature has either focussed on the ethics of this act, or detailed the technical aspects and complications of high dependency care used to stabilise a BD body to gestate a fetus with the aim of achieving the birth of a live and viable infant. What this paper adds This article raises compelling questions for further consideration around BD in pregnancy and points to new research areas for exploration of this complex and fraught context. These include: the lack of appropriate terminology/dis-course used to describe the woman/body/fetus, the need for qualitative research that examines nurses' and midwives' experiences of caring for the BD body and the fetus, discussion of potential consequences for fetal growth and development inside a dead body, and the need for detailed long-term follow-up of infants gestated thus.
In this paper, I discuss a group of photographs that feature a place intrinsically related with A... more In this paper, I discuss a group of photographs that feature a place intrinsically related with Australian women’s photographic memories of pregnancy – the beach. Building on feminist interdisciplinary studies of family photography, I argue that family photographs of pregnancy contribute to alternative ways of knowing and interpreting the Australian beach landscape and the entangled social relations and interactions within these spaces. Data are drawn from a set of 34 pregnancy photographs that were taken at the beach in [Tasmania] between 1945 and 2013 and collected as part of a larger, ongoing mixed methods research project involving the analysis of 236 Australian family photographs of pregnancy. In this paper, I conduct a visual discourse analysis of three categories of beach pregnancy images including (1) the family holiday photograph, (2) the bikini photograph and (3) the ‘natural’ pregnant body/landscape photograph to enable a more precise account of how personal and cultural memories of the Australian beach intersect. In the concluding discussion, I suggest that the beach is a critical site for deepening sociological and feminist understandings of the production and expression of pregnant identities and Australian national identity.
In this paper, I conduct a feminist multi-modal critical discourse analysis (FMCDA) of the Lorna ... more In this paper, I conduct a feminist multi-modal critical discourse analysis (FMCDA) of the Lorna Jane (LJ) retail website (www.lornajane.com.au), an Australian fitness fashion company, to examine the discursive strategies used by the company to authorise a particular notion of “active living” for women. Specifically, I shall examine how the semiotic choices on the LJ website signify key discourses and themes related to health and fitness and how they are used to place the responsibility for fitness and health onto individual women. In particular, I focus on the discourses inscribed through the technologies, styles, fabrics, colours, cuts, and sizing of LJ clothing items. I am also interested in the underlying choices, assumptions, and biases of these constructions and the power relationships underpinning them. I conclude that “empowerment” for women on the LJ website is imagined in a limited, individualistic way.
Increasingly in international research and popular media a growing interest in men and fatherhood... more Increasingly in international research and popular media a growing interest in men and fatherhood is discernible. These changes occur as other aspects of the socioeconomic world shift, necessitating the need to re-address how caring and paid work responsibilities are configured and practised. However, interest in men's experiences as fathers has emerged in ways which reflect cultural assumptions and practices associated with dominant understandings of masculinities. Consequently, research on and evidence of changing behaviours has been culturally and geographically uneven. In this paper, two qualitative studies are drawn upon to examine how men living in Australia and the UK engage in/narrate experiences of preparation for first-time fatherhood. These studies compare men's in-depth accounts of preparing for first-time fatherhood in cultures where understandings of masculinities overlap, but where differences are also discernible. The findings illuminate the ways in which biology, gender, temporality and histories of masculinities frame men's preparation activities and service provision.
Photovoice and photo-elicitation are two common methods of participant photography used in health... more Photovoice and photo-elicitation are two common methods of participant photography used in health research. Although participatory photography has many benefits, this critical reflection provides fellow researchers with insights into the methodological and ethical challenges faced when using such methods. In this article, we critically reflect on two studies that used participatory photography in different cultural contexts. The first study used photo-elicitation to investigate mothers’ experiences of infant settling in central Vietnam. The second study used photovoice to explore pregnant embodiment in Australia. Following a discussion of the literature and a detailed overview of the two studies, we examine the methodological challenges in using participant photography before, during and after each study. This is followed by a discussion of ethical concerns that arose in relation to the burden of participation, confidentiality, consent, and the photographing of families and children. To conclude, we highlight implications for using participatory photography in other settings.
With the rise of ‘globesity’, fat activism and Fat Studies have become political players in count... more With the rise of ‘globesity’, fat activism and Fat Studies have become political players in countering negative stereotypes and the devaluation of fat bodies. Both groups are diverse, yet share a common goal to celebrate and/or accept fatness, and challenge practices and discourses that reinforce ‘normal’ bodies (such as diets, ‘fat talk’ and medicalisation). In this article, we reflect on our engagement with a Fat Studies conference, and critically interrogate the assumptions that underlie this particular space. It is not surprising that fat activists and Fat Studies scholars bring different ideologies to the table, yet the differences between them have not been adequately scrutinised or theorised. Drawing upon Linda Alcoff’s feminist philosophy, we examine how identity politics and intersectional perspectives are both used in fat activism, yet have the effect of creating unresolved tensions between singular and multiple embodied identities. We argue that an identity politics approach (exemplified through embodied visibility and declarations of ‘thin privilege’) has the potential to create boundaries for policing and exclusion, and is thus at odds with the much broader axes identified by intersectorial approaches. Rather than dismiss the power of identity politics, we argue for a careful reframing of the relationship between identity politics and intersectionality in fat activism and Fat Studies. We suggest that unexamined contradictions that arise from this mismatch may be counterproductive to the important subversive aims of the movement.
This paper documents how I fought for a place as a boxer in a regional Tasmanian boxing gym over ... more This paper documents how I fought for a place as a boxer in a regional Tasmanian boxing gym over a 30 month period. This work builds on existing ethnographic accounts that argue that, for women, becoming a boxer is more than just a matter of developing a fit body and physical skill – it is a continual project of negotiating gendered identity. Using an analytic autoethnographic methodology and drawing on contemporary theories of masculinity, I share my individual experiences as a boxer and, in turn, reveal the complexities of bodywork and gendered identity within Tasmanian amateur boxing culture. My closing discussion analyses the way in which performances of masculinity were precarious, fragmented and anxious.
Study funded with Royal Australian College of General Practitioners/Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd Re... more Study funded with Royal Australian College of General Practitioners/Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd Research Grant ($80,453) led by Prof. Tania Winzenberg with Associate Professor Kristy Sanderson, Associate Professor Emma Warnecke, and Dr Meredith Nash.
The study will concentrate on designing an evidence-based approach to developing and implementing clinical guidelines for GPs which incorporates the complexities of managing multimorbidity.
The aim of this project is to build on and expand the limited previous work on Australian men’s t... more The aim of this project is to build on and expand the limited previous work on Australian men’s transitions to fatherhood in research and in health promotion programmes by conducting a new qualitative study in this area. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted antenatally and postnatally, it will explore how a cohort of 30 Tasmanian men experience the transition to fatherhood and identify what their educational and care needs are during this critical time.
As a tutor for many years, the impetus for this guidebook comes from my realisation of the challe... more As a tutor for many years, the impetus for this guidebook comes from my realisation of the challenging nature of interdisciplinary teaching to undergraduate students at the University of Melbourne. It is no easy feat to help students to learn one new and specialised disciplinary way of thinking; learning and synthesising two or more disciplinary discourses poses an even greater test of one’s teaching abilities.
Given the inherent complexity of disciplinarity, integrating the insights of a range of academic disciplines can be a hurdle for even the most motivated and bright students. Tutors confronted with interdisciplinary teaching for the first time might feel as anxious as I did in helping students to achieve this goal. Given that it is often the tutors (of any university staff) who spend the most time with undergraduate students, my own experiences and those of my peers compelled me to write the first resource guide written for small group interdisciplinary teaching.
The first trimester of a pregnancy can often be the hardest, so why do so many women feel the nee... more The first trimester of a pregnancy can often be the hardest, so why do so many women feel the need to stay quiet? And what if the answer — miscarriage — is the reason we should be talking about pregnancy earlier?
In spite of a proliferation of images, the meaning and function of family photography is still re... more In spite of a proliferation of images, the meaning and function of family photography is still remarkably undertheorised and even more under-researched in the social sciences. This presentation draws on empirical data from Tasmania, Australia to explore how family photographs of pregnancy reflect wider socio-cultural values about pregnancy, motherhood, and reproduction. Nash also discusses how digital technology has altered the ways in which pregnant bodies are represented and remembered in family photographs.
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parkrun is a free, weekly, timed, international mass community 5‐km walk/run event. Unlike other paid events, parkrun attracts populations harder to engage in physical activity (PA) (eg, women, those with overweight/obesity or illness/injury/disability). This exploratory qualitative study investigated the individual, social and environmental factors associated with parkrun's broad appeal in Australia.
Methods
Tasmanian parkrunners who completed a quantitative survey (2016) were purposively recruited for a 2017 interview study. Semistructured interviews focused on reasons for parkrun participation. Data saturation was achieved by the tenth interview. Data were analysed thematically.
Results
Four themes emerged: (a) participation facilitators and barriers; (b) PA gain and broader community benefit; (c) social connections/networks; and (d) organisational issues. Appealing characteristics of parkrun included strong social support, performance gain opportunities, socialising, inclusivity (eg, all ages/abilities), sense of community, positive atmosphere and accessibility (eg, no cost and convenience). Some participants reported that parkrun had stimulated gains in their total PA (not always limited to walking/running) and that parkrun may also result in other community benefits (eg, supporting local businesses, fee‐based running club/event participation and “parkrun tourism”). Most participants first attended parkrun because of encouragement from their social networks, and participants subsequently encouraged others to attend. Participants found parkrun events well organised, but identified some potential threats (eg, local politics).
Conclusions
Social factors appeared critical in driving initial and ongoing parkrun participation. parkrun may lead to wider community benefits beyond that gained through increased individual PA. These findings highlight the “success factors” driving parkrun participation and provide insights for other community‐based PA promotion activities.
To examine how first-time fathers in rural Tasmania experienced father-only antenatal support/education groups.
Design
Semistructured interviews with expectant fathers were used for this study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit fathers in 2014. Participants were recruited face-to-face via email through a government health service and not-for-profit organisation that runs a state-wide fatherhood program. Several participants were recruited through a company that holds antenatal education classes for men in a pub. Data were analysed thematically.
Setting
Three rural Tasmanian areas (South, Central Coast and Northern Midlands)
Participants
Twenty-five men from three rural areas of Tasmania, ≥18 years, about to become first-time father with partner at least 20 weeks pregnant.
Main outcome measure(s)
Semistructured interviews explored men's experiences of father-only antenatal education groups.
Results
Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (i) motivations for attending antenatal groups; (ii) the effect of the group setting on men's experiences; (iii) masculine stereotypes in antenatal groups; and (iv) strategies to support fathers. Data show men wanted to join the groups and learn about being an involved father. They often felt uncomfortable sharing experiences in discussion-based groups. They tended to prefer information-based groups which were not premised on sharing emotions. Men offered strategies to improve father-only antenatal education groups.
Conclusion
Tasmanian antenatal education/support programs need improvement. Providing men with multiple opportunities to connect with other fathers is critical to improving support. Groups can be improved by accounting for multiple and complex constructions of masculinity, increasing the number of sessions offered and altering the structure.
parkrun is a free, weekly, timed, international mass community 5‐km walk/run event. Unlike other paid events, parkrun attracts populations harder to engage in physical activity (PA) (eg, women, those with overweight/obesity or illness/injury/disability). This exploratory qualitative study investigated the individual, social and environmental factors associated with parkrun's broad appeal in Australia.
Methods
Tasmanian parkrunners who completed a quantitative survey (2016) were purposively recruited for a 2017 interview study. Semistructured interviews focused on reasons for parkrun participation. Data saturation was achieved by the tenth interview. Data were analysed thematically.
Results
Four themes emerged: (a) participation facilitators and barriers; (b) PA gain and broader community benefit; (c) social connections/networks; and (d) organisational issues. Appealing characteristics of parkrun included strong social support, performance gain opportunities, socialising, inclusivity (eg, all ages/abilities), sense of community, positive atmosphere and accessibility (eg, no cost and convenience). Some participants reported that parkrun had stimulated gains in their total PA (not always limited to walking/running) and that parkrun may also result in other community benefits (eg, supporting local businesses, fee‐based running club/event participation and “parkrun tourism”). Most participants first attended parkrun because of encouragement from their social networks, and participants subsequently encouraged others to attend. Participants found parkrun events well organised, but identified some potential threats (eg, local politics).
Conclusions
Social factors appeared critical in driving initial and ongoing parkrun participation. parkrun may lead to wider community benefits beyond that gained through increased individual PA. These findings highlight the “success factors” driving parkrun participation and provide insights for other community‐based PA promotion activities.
To examine how first-time fathers in rural Tasmania experienced father-only antenatal support/education groups.
Design
Semistructured interviews with expectant fathers were used for this study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit fathers in 2014. Participants were recruited face-to-face via email through a government health service and not-for-profit organisation that runs a state-wide fatherhood program. Several participants were recruited through a company that holds antenatal education classes for men in a pub. Data were analysed thematically.
Setting
Three rural Tasmanian areas (South, Central Coast and Northern Midlands)
Participants
Twenty-five men from three rural areas of Tasmania, ≥18 years, about to become first-time father with partner at least 20 weeks pregnant.
Main outcome measure(s)
Semistructured interviews explored men's experiences of father-only antenatal education groups.
Results
Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (i) motivations for attending antenatal groups; (ii) the effect of the group setting on men's experiences; (iii) masculine stereotypes in antenatal groups; and (iv) strategies to support fathers. Data show men wanted to join the groups and learn about being an involved father. They often felt uncomfortable sharing experiences in discussion-based groups. They tended to prefer information-based groups which were not premised on sharing emotions. Men offered strategies to improve father-only antenatal education groups.
Conclusion
Tasmanian antenatal education/support programs need improvement. Providing men with multiple opportunities to connect with other fathers is critical to improving support. Groups can be improved by accounting for multiple and complex constructions of masculinity, increasing the number of sessions offered and altering the structure.
two studies that used participatory photography in different cultural contexts. The first study used photo-elicitation to investigate mothers’ experiences of infant settling in central Vietnam. The second study used photovoice to explore pregnant embodiment in Australia. Following a discussion of the literature and a detailed overview of the two studies,
we examine the methodological challenges in using participant photography before, during and after each study. This is followed by a discussion of ethical concerns that arose in relation to the burden of participation, confidentiality, consent, and the photographing of families and children. To conclude, we highlight implications for using participatory photography in other settings.
experiences as a boxer and, in turn, reveal the complexities of bodywork and gendered identity within Tasmanian amateur boxing culture. My closing discussion analyses the way in which performances of masculinity were precarious, fragmented and anxious.
The study will concentrate on designing an evidence-based approach to developing and implementing clinical guidelines for GPs which incorporates the complexities of managing multimorbidity.
synthesising two or more disciplinary discourses poses an even greater test of one’s teaching abilities.
Given the inherent complexity of disciplinarity, integrating the
insights of a range of academic disciplines can be a hurdle for even the most motivated and bright students. Tutors confronted with interdisciplinary teaching for the first time might feel as anxious as I did in helping students to achieve this goal. Given that it is often the tutors (of any university staff) who spend the most time with undergraduate students, my own experiences and those of my peers compelled me to write the first resource guide written for small group interdisciplinary teaching.