The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School Department of Adult Education LEARNING SELF NURTURANCE AND UNLEARNING PATRIARCHY: A FEMINIST POSTSTRUCTURAL NARRATIVE INQUIRY OF RURAL MOTHERS’ CONSTANTLY SHIFTING IDENTITY A Thesis in Adult Education by Angela N. Hissong © 2005 Angela N. Hissong Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education May, 2005 The thesis of Angela N. Hissong was reviewed and approved* by the following: Elizabeth J. Tisdell Associate Professor of Education Thesis Advisor Chair of Committee Daniele D. Flannery Associate Professor of Education Holly Angelique Associate Professor of Behavioral Science Mary Napoli Assistant Professor of Education Ian Baptiste Associate Professor of Education In Charge of Graduate Programs in Adult Education *Signatures are on file in Graduate School. iii ABSTRACT The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to glean insight from and illuminate the lived stories of four working mothers of school-aged children living in a rural, religiously conservative, and patriarchal-driven community. The objective was to discern how the perceived realities of this cultural context influenced the mothers’ understanding of and engagement in the meaningful occupation of self-nurturance as a facilitator of their personal health and well-being. The theoretical perspective of feminist poststructuralism and the notion of non-unitary self were the guiding framework for this narrative inquiry. Feminist poststructuralism considers the positionality of women within society and in this particular inquiry offers a lens to address the intersections of identity as a mother, patriarchy, rural living, and conservative religious beliefs of the women who were engaged in this narrative inquiry. Data collection was completed through an initial interview, journaling, a follow-up interview, creative synthesis project, and a final group process dialogue between the mothers and researcher. It was not surprising that each mother had her own story to tell during this narrative inquiry which comes through magnificently as narratives in motion. In addition to each mothers’ unique narrative central themes arose from various angles during the story-telling which were revealed as intersecting narratives in motion. This study contributes to the field of adult education in four primary ways. First, it presents findings from a narrative analysis inquiry of an ignored population that of rural mothers and their informal learning in a rural, religiously conservative, iv and patriarchal-driven environment particularly as this learning relates to self nurturance. Second, the study offers to the field additional insights as to what narrative analysis research might look like when guided from a feminist poststructuralist perspective. Third, in addition to drawing on the elements of feminist poststructuralist theory and practice, it highlights the importance of creativity in ways perhaps implied but not highlighted in other discussions of feminist poststructural theories and pedagogies. Fourth, and most significantly for pedagogical implications, it highlights a shift in the notion that women’s identity is primarily developed through relationships with others. The outcome of this study brings to light that a woman needs time to go within and develop a relationship with self demonstrating the importance of the notion of non-unitary self in terms of coming to know, learning about, and engaging in personal health and well-being. v TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………………. ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………............ xi Part I: CHAPTERS 1-3.………………………………..………………………... 1 Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………. 2 Background of Study………………………………………………….….. 2 Need for Study………………………………………………………….… 5 Purpose of Study ......................................................………………….….. 9 Guiding Research Questions…………………………………………........ 10 Overview of Theoretical Framework………………………………….….. 11 Significance of Study………………………………………………….….. 12 Overview of Research Methodology…………………………………...… 14 Assumptions……………………………………………………………..... 18 Limitations……………………………………………………………..…. 19 Summary………………………………………………………………...… 20 Definition of Terms…………………………………………………..…… 21 Synopsis of Dissertation………………………………………………..…. 22 Chapter 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE…………………………………... 23 Theoretical Framework: Notions of Feminist Poststructuralism and Non-unitary Self…………………………………………………… 23 Basic Tenets of Feminist Poststructuralism………………………. 26 Concept of Non-unitary Self in Feminist Poststructuralism…….… 30 Narrative as Way to Develop Aspects of Non-unitary Self……..… 32 . Women’s Development of Self and Identity……………………………… 34 A Historical Perspective on the Development of Self………….…. 34 Women’s Individual Construction of Self and Identity…………... 38 Women’s Self and Identity in Relation to Others……………….... 41 Women’s Self in Relation to Oppression and Power……………... 45 Summary of Women’s Development of Self……………………... 48 vi Women’s Caring…………………………………………………………... 49 Women’s Caring as an Extension of Mothering………………..…. 50 Research Related to Mother’s Caring………………………….….. 55 Summary of Women’s Caring...……………………………….….. 58 Women and Religion…………………………………………………….… 60 Women’s Health and Well-being within the Rural Environment…..…….. 63 Overview of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy……...….… 65 Occupational Therapy and Caring……………………………….… 68 Occupational Therapy related to Health and Well-being……….…. 70 Occupational Therapy and Narrative Inquiry………………….….. 71 Summary of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.….. 73 Summary of Literature Review………………………………………….… 73 Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY………………………………………………….…. 76 Purpose and Research Questions......................………………………..….. 76 Design Overview…………………………………………………………. 78 Qualitative Research: Expectations, Potential, and Opportunities. 78 Narrative Inquiry………………………………………………….. 82 Narrative Feminist Inquiry: The Voice within a Story………….... 85 Bounds of the Study: Data Collection and Analysis……………………… 86 Participant Selection……………………………………………..… 87 Data Collection…………………………………………………..… 89 Interviews……………………………………………….…. 90 Document and Artifacts……………………….................... 91 Data Analysis…………………………………………………….... 93 Trustworthiness of the Study……………………………………… 98 Summary………………………………………………………………….. 102 Part II: PROLOGUE TO THE FINDINGS……………………………………… 103 vii Chapter 4: LACI…………………………………………………………………… 109 Background………………………………………………………………… 109 Interview One: Self Nurturance No Where to be Found….………………. 110 Journaling: Tales from the Crip……………………………..…………….. 122 Interview Two: A More Self-Nurtured Me………………….……………. 126 Creative Synthesis Project: Self Nurturance through Sights, Scents and Textures………………………………………………... 132 Chapter 5: ROXY…………………………………….…………………………… 137 Background…………………………………………………………….…. 137 Interview One: If you Lie to your Mom you can Self-Nurture………..…. 138 Journaling: It is Everywhere if You Look for It!........................................ 148 Interview Two: Learning to Nurture Self………………………………… 151 Creative Synthesis Project: Self Nurturance Storybook………………….. 159 Chapter 6: VICTORIA…………………………………………………………… 163 Background………………………………………………………………. 163 Interview One: Romancing the Idea of Self Nurturance………………… 167 Journaling: Focus on Me………………………………………………… 175 Interview Two: The Necessities of a Mother’s Life…………………….. 177 Creative Synthesis Project: Images of Self Nurturance…………………. 183 Chapter 7: GRACE………………………………………………………………. 188 Background………………………………………………………………. 188 Interview One: What is Self Nurturance?.................................................. 190 Journaling: Women are Truly Amazing Creatures……………………… 199 Interview Two: I do Deserve Time Alone………………………………. 202 Creative Synthesis Project: Grace among the Boxes……………………. 210 Chapter 8: INTERPRETATION: INTERSECTING NARRATIVES IN MOTION….. 217 Shifting Identity: Revisiting History and Unmasking Patriarchy………… 221 Ongoing Recognition of Mothers’ Buy-In to Patriarchy……….... 222 Influence of Religious Belief and/or Value Systems…………….. 224 Reflections: Past to Present……………………………………… 228 viii Shifting Identity: Toward a More Constructive Self Concept…………… 232 Increasing Self-confidence and Self-esteem……………………… 233 Attempting to Move Beyond the “Guilty Mother Syndrome”……. 236 Shifting Identity: The Revealing Importance of Self Nurturance………… 240 Fostering More of a Balance………………………………………. 241 Positive Shift of Identity in Relationship to Others……………….. 243 Re-writing Self Nurturance Story…………………………………. 248 Summary…………………………………………………………………... 253 Chapter 9: CONCLUSIONS: LEARNING FROM THE NARRATIVES……… 255 Summary in Focus………………………………………………………... 255 The Unfolding Nature of Identity and Self Nurturance…………………... 261 Revisiting History and Unmasking Patriarchy…………………… 263 Toward a More Constructive Self Concept………………………. 266 The Unfolding Importance of Self Nurturance…………………… 270 Implications for Adult Education Theory and Practice…………..…….… 274 Informal Learning of Women in Rural Contexts……..………….. 274 Embarking upon Poststructural Feminist Research……………… 277 Highlighting Creativity in Feminist Poststructuralist Adult Education Theory and Practice…………………………... 280 An Alternative Perspective: Women’s Development of Self in the Context of Learning……..…………………………… 283 The Occupational Therapist as an Educator of Women’s Health and Well-being…………………………………………………… 288 Questions for Future Research……..……………..…………………….... 291 Summary………………………………………………………………….