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University of Oklahoma Graduate College UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE IMPACTS OF HOMICIDE AND DEATH PENALTY EXPERIENCES: A HERMENEUTIC PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY By MARKUS SHINTARO SMITH Norman, Oklahoma 2011 IMPACTS OF HOMICIDE AND DEATH PENALTY EXPERIENCES: A HERMENEUTIC PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH A DISSERTATION APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND POLICY STUDIES BY ____________________________ Dr. Courtney Vaughn, Chair ____________________________ Dr. John Covaleskie ____________________________ Dr. Susan Laird ____________________________ Dr. Susan Sharp ____________________________ Dr. Dorscine Little ©Copyright by MARKUS SHINTARO SMITH 2011 All Rights Reserved. Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to those who have been affected by homicide and/or the death penalty in some capacity, whether they are survivors of the victim or of the accused. In either case, both families are victims. The dissertation is also dedicated to the surviving victims, Sean Moore, Herman Smith, Jim and Ann Fowler, Max Kelton, and Leslie Douglass, who were gracious enough to share and relive their tragic experiences with me. I just hope that I have conveyed their stories and growth from tragedy in a manner in which the participants would be pleased. The ultimate goal is to inform others so that surviving victims‘ voices no longer remained ignored. Acknowledgements To my amazing wife, Melissa, and wonderful children Jasmine and Dylan, thank you for your patience and understanding over the past few years. I love you all very much. You are finally getting your husband and father back from the abyss of dissertation research and writing. To my parents, Herman and Sachiyo, my sister, Takiyah, nephew, Anthony, and friends, thank you for all of your support and love throughout the years. I love you guys. To my dissertation committee, thank you for your mentorship, support, and guidance, because I would never have been able to cross the finish line without you. A special thank you goes to committee members Drs. Courtney Vaughn, Susan Sharp, and Dorscine Spigner-Littles. Words cannot express how much you mean to me. You are truly special people. To Professor Dana Glencross, thank you for being my professor, mentor, colleague, and friend over the past 13 years. You have definitely been with me since day one. It was you who first pushed me to be the best student that I could possibly be. I could not have achieved this degree without you. Thank you also for editing numerous drafts of the dissertation. Your editing skills are impeccable. To Drs. Scott and Sharp from the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), thank you for serving as great mentors and keeping me on track even when there were times where I would question whether or not to continue pursuing the Ph.D. Your words of wisdom and advice will forever remain with me and passed on to my students as well. v To the faculty at the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma City Community College, thank you for your continued support throughout the years. You are like a second family to me and I will be forever grateful. Finally, to my research assistants, Jennifer Stringham, Christy De Lara, Antwan Leon, Tori Parks, and Jacquelyn To, thank you for the numerous hours of research that you conducted in order to assist me in completing the dissertation. I could not have done it without you. vi Table of Contents Acknowledgements........................................................................................ v Table of Contents........................................................................................... vii Abstract.......................................................................................................... x Chapter One: Introduction............................................................................ 1 Background to the Educational Problem........................................... 6 Problem Statement............................................................................ 8 Purpose.............................................................................................. 9 Significance...................................................................................... 12 Research Question............................................................................ 17 Assumptions..................................................................................... 17 Conclusion......................................................................................... 17 Chapter Two: Collective Lived Experiences................................................. 19 Phenomenology and Lived Experiences Defined............................ 20 Review of Phenomenological Studies............................................. 21 Through the Experiences of the Offender.......................................... 21 Through the Experiences of the Surviving Victims........................... 25 Conclusion......................................................................................... 35 Chapter Three: Methodology........................................................................ 36 Introduction...................................................................................... 36 Phenomenology as a Conceptual Approach..................................... 37 Transcendental Phenomenology........................................... 37 Hermeneutic Phenomenology and Existentialism................. 37 Hermeneutic Circle................................................................ 38 Max Van Manen‘s Hermeneutic Phenomenology................ 38 Turning to the Nature of Lived Experiences............. 39 Investigating Experience as We Live It.................... 40 Reflecting on Essential Themes................................. 40 The Art of Writing and Rewriting............................. 42 Maintaining a Strong and Oriented Relation............. 43 Balancing the Research Context............................... 43 Rigor of the Study............................................................................. 44 Research Method.............................................................................. 45 Sample Selection............................................................................... 47 Descriptions of Participants.................................................. 47 Research Participant Inclusion Criteria................................ 48 Research Participant Exclusion Criteria................................ 48 Ethical Considerations...................................................................... 49 Protection of Human Subjects.......................................................... 50 Voluntary Participation.......................................................... 50 Informed Consent.................................................................. 50 Anonymity and Confidentiality............................................. 51 vii Interview Setting............................................................................... 52 Central Interview Question(s)........................................................... 53 Method of Data Collection/Generation............................................. 54 Data Synthesis................................................................................... 54 Isolating Thematic Statements and Categories...................... 54 Lifeworld Existentials as Guides to Reflection..................... 55 Hermeneutic Phenomenological Writing............................... 56 Reflection.......................................................................................... 58 Conclusion......................................................................................... 59 Chapter Four: Phenomenological Narratives: Presentation of Findings........60 Sean: Participant One......................................................................... 60 Temporality (lived time)........................................................ 60 Spatiality (lived space)........................................................... 62 Relationality (lived relation).................................................. 64 Corporeality (lived body)....................................................... 65 Herman: Participant Two................................................................... 67 Temporality (lived time)........................................................ 68 Spatiality (lived space)........................................................... 69 Relationality (lived relation).................................................. 70 Corporeality (lived body)...................................................... 71 Jim and Ann: Participants Three and Four........................................ 72 Temporality (lived time)........................................................ 73 Spatiality (lived space)........................................................... 75 Relationality (lived relation).................................................. 76 Corporeality (lived body)....................................................... 77 Max: Participant Five......................................................................... 82 Temporality (lived time)........................................................ 82 Spatiality (lived space).......................................................... 83 Relationality (lived relation).................................................. 84 Corporeality
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