A Girl Power Study: Looking and Listening to the Role of Emotions and Relationality in Developing Critical Consciousness
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Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses Spring 6-3-2014 A Girl Power Study: Looking and Listening to the Role of Emotions and Relationality in Developing Critical Consciousness Jennifer Wallin-Ruschman Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the Cognitive Psychology Commons, and the Philosophy of Mind Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Wallin-Ruschman, Jennifer, "A Girl Power Study: Looking and Listening to the Role of Emotions and Relationality in Developing Critical Consciousness" (2014). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 1837. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.1836 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. A Girl Power Study: Looking and Listening to the Role of Emotions and Relationality in Developing Critical Consciousness by Jennifer Wallin-Ruschman A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Psychology Dissertation Committee: Janice Haaken, Chair Eric Mankowski Yves Labissiere David Morgan Robert Liebman Portland State University 2014 Abstract The concept of critical consciousness centers on the capacity for involvement in social change efforts. Its development has been the aim of many recent social movements (e.g., the consciousness raising groups of the women’s movement). In this work, critical consciousness is defined as the highest level of socio-political-cultural (SPC) consciousness development. SPC consciousness is characterized by the linking of the personal and the political so that structures and discourses of oppression are not only understood but also lead to critical action and transforming relations of domination. Additionally, critical consciousness includes the ability to tolerate ambivalence and conflict as well as the capacity to form group identifications that support critical reflection. While critical consciousness can develop in a variety of settings, it has a historical affinity with liberation education projects, particularly education projects that combine Critical Pedagogy and community engaged learning. Empirical inquiry on critical consciousness development is extremely limited. This dissertation addresses that gap, focusing specifically on the role of emotion and relationality in critical consciousness development. Further, the study offers a feminist critique of the literature, addressing as well the contribution of Community Psychology to conceptualizing critical consciousness. This dissertation analyzes data gathered through the Girl Power Senior Capstone, a course routinely taught at an urban Pacific Northwest public university. The six-hour course last for one quarter-term and integrates classroom time with community engagement. A central aim of the course is the development of critical consciousness. i Specifically, the research was designed to address the following questions: 1) How are emotionally and relationally significant Girl Power experiences related to SPC consciousness development? 2) What tensions arise between the dominant culture and/or significant others’ values and the values of the Girl Power capstone and how do these tensions move individuals toward or away from critical consciousness? The theoretical framework and interview schedule were guided by participant observation of the Girl Power course conducted over an academic term. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all consenting and available capstone participants (N=10) in the course where participant-observations were carried out. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed based on a modified version of Carol Gilligan’s Listening Guide. Two primary themes emerged from the data analysis-- the processes of awakening and sources of dissonance . The first theme relates to the processes of transformation that participants undergo during and following the course. Participants discuss this process as coming to see the world in a new way though their emotional experiences and relations developed in the course. The second theme, sources of dissonance, addresses sources of conflict that emerge as participants undergo this processes of awakening. Areas of tension that were particularly salient centered on relationships and experiences in the course. Participants identified experiences in the course that they perceived as contributing in key respects to SPC consciousness. Yet some aspects of change in the course seemed to reflect limiting capacities, including magical thinking, a limited range of critical action strategies, and lack of critical community post Girl Power. The findings ii from the dissertation can be used to inform the creation and implementation of future projects of critical consciousness development and social justice work more broadly. iii Acknowledgments The completion of this document and degree were made possible by a fountain of social, emotional, and intellectual support. I am particularly indebted to my advisor, Jan Haaken, for her patience and guidance over the past six years. She has consistently pushed my writing and thinking to be more complex. The skills I have learned under her mentorship will continue to influence my academic and activist work. Eric Mankowski has also provided ongoing support that has helped me learn and grow as a scholar and person. Bob Liebman, Yves Labissiere, and David Morgan have completed the best committee that any student could ask for. The insights and support offered by each of my committee members have expanded this study and my skills into exciting and meaningful terrain. I am also indebted to everyone involved in the Girl Power course. The opportunity to be a part of the beloved community created in the course not only allowed this study to be possible but also facilitated my own critical consciousness development. I am particularly indebted to the participants that took the time out of their busy lives to share their stories with me in interviews. I have learned a great deal from each of you. I owe my sincerest gratitude and thanks to my friends and graduate student colleagues who have walked this long road with me. This document would not exist without the ideas, support, and comma control of Kealani Balfour, Mazna Patka, Sarah Van Dyke, Aisha Taylor, Diana Rempe, Jimena Alvarado and many others. iv Finally, my editor extraordinar and partner, Matt. I love you and could not have done this without you. v Table of Contents Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………i Acknowledgments………………………………………………………………………..iv Chapter One: Introduction………………………………………………………………...1 Chapter Two: Literature Review………………………………………………………...32 Chapter Three: Theoretical Framework………………………………………………….61 Chapter Four: Research Methods………………………………………………………...99 Chapter Five: Findings………………………………………………………………….121 Chapter Six: Discussion………………………………………………………………...180 Chapter Seven: Conclusion……………………………………………………………..213 References………………………………………………………………………………230 Appendix A – Interview Guide….……………………………………………………...240 Appendix B – Interview Timeline……………………………………………………...243 Appendix C – Smith’s Conscientization Coding Categories Outline…………………..244 Appendix D – Watts & Abdul-Adil Five Stage Model of Sociopolitical Development.247 Appendix E – Sample Girl Power Zine Page…………………………………………...248 Appendix F – Informed Consent Document……………………………………………249 vi Chapter One: Introduction Critical consciousness is central to progressive social change. Social movement organizers and scholars acknowledge the importance of developing capacities for critique in a range of projects oriented toward social transformation (see Freeman, 1973; Gamson, 1992). Academics committed to action view the development of such capacities as a core component of their work (see Burton & Kagen, 2005; Brydon-Miller, 2001; Moane, 2010; Montero, 2009; Prilleltensky, 2008). For the purposes of this dissertation critical consciousness is defined as a state of socio-political-cultural (SPC) consciousness development. It is characterized by the linking of the personal and political so that the structures and discourses of oppression are not only understood but the subject of critical action aimed at transforming relations of domination (Ife, 2001). Additionally, critical consciousness includes the ability to tolerate ambivalence and conflict as well as the ability to form group identifications that support critical reflection (Haaken, Wallin- Ruschman, & Patange, 2012). Educators committed to social justice have developed a range of curricula and teaching strategies specifically designed to promote critical analytic skills (see Freire, 2000; hooks 2994; Lynn, Benigno, Williams, Park, & Mitchell, 2006). As the women’s movement was stressing consciousness-raising starting in the 1960’s in the United States (see Ferree & Hess, 2000; Freeman, 1973; Staggenborg, 2001), Paulo Freire was working in Brazil to develop a style of education focused on developing individual consciousness of sociopolitical structures and capacities to act against these configurations. Critical consciousness and consciousness-raising share a 1 commitment to linking the personal to the political (Moane, 2010). However, the empirical understanding of critical consciousness development and consciousness-raising