ADULT EDUCATION, POPULAR CULTURE, AND WOMEN’S IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT: SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING WITH THE AVENGERS A Dissertation by ROBIN REDMON WRIGHT Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY August 2007 Major Subject: Educational Human Resource Development ADULT EDUCATION, POPULAR CULTURE, AND WOMEN’S IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT: SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING WITH THE AVENGERS A Dissertation by ROBIN REDMON WRIGHT Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Approved by: Chair of Committee, Jennifer A. Sandlin Committee Members, M. Carolyn Clark G. Patrick Slattery Mary Alfred Head of Department, Jim Scheurich August 2007 Major Subject: Educational Human Resource Development iii ABSTRACT Adult Education, Popular Culture, and Women’s Identity Development: Self-Directed Learning with The Avengers. (August 2007) Robin Redmon Wright, B.A., University of Tennessee; M.A., University of Tennessee Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Jennifer A. Sandlin The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of popular culture, especially prime-time television, on women learner-viewers’ identity development. More specifically, this study explores one specific television show, the 1962-64 Cathy Gale episodes of The Avengers as a portal to adult learning. It further explores the ways in which television, as a form of public pedagogy, can help facilitate the formation of a critical or feminist identity among adult learner viewers. The research questions guiding this study were: 1) How and what did women learn from watching The Avengers? 2) How did women incorporate that learning into their lives and into their identities? and 3) How did women interpret and accommodate the feminist example of Cathy Gale? Data for this study was collected over a two-and-a-half year period. Data consisted of interviews with contemporaneous viewers of the Cathy Gale Avengers episodes, interviews with scriptwriters and the actor who played Cathy Gale, Honor Blackman, numerous documents from statistics obtained at the British Film Institute, fanzines, and newspaper articles of the period. iv Analysis revealed that in particular historical times and situations television viewing can become a form of public pedagogy, facilitating transformational learning in adult viewers that produces lasting, life-changing effects. The investigation revealed that not only did biologically-born women incorporate Cathy Gale’s feminist example into their identities and actions, but biologically born males whose core gender identity was female did also. This dissertation is written in article format. Each of the six sections has been designed as stand-alone pieces to aid accessibility and enhance readers’ engagement with the study. v DEDICATION For my mother, Wilda Fabiola Smith Redmon, who left this world for another while I was in England conducting this research. Among her last words to me when I telephoned before leaving for London were, “So you’re going to talk to old women like me?” I miss you, Mom. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my husband, Gary, for encouraging me to investigate this topic, for convincing me that I deserved the opportunity to pursue a doctorate, and for supporting me in my efforts to grow and test the limits of my potential. He is, truly, the best teacher anyone could ever have. I also want to thank my grandson, Kaidyn, for bringing me so much joy and teaching me how to play again. Before he came into our lives, I had forgotten what it was like to laugh till I couldn’t catch my breath. Anticipating time with him has made even the most grueling schedule bearable. I would also like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Sandlin, for her guidance, encouragement, and support, and my committee members, Dr. Clark, Dr. Slattery, and Dr. Alfred for their sincere support, their kindness, and their patience. Each member of my committee has been an inspiration and an example of the absolute best in higher education. I am honored to have been guided by them, and it is my hope to collaborate with them in the future. I also want to thank Dr. Barbara Sharf for her advice and special expertise. I owe much to Alvin C. Cage, former Director of Steen Library at Stephen F. Austin State University, and my former employer. I would not have been able to pursue this doctorate if he had not understood and encouraged my desire to do so. His willingness to allow flexibility in my work schedule and his consistent encouragement of my efforts made it possible for me to get this far. vii And I, of course, want to thank Honor Blackman, for her courage and tenacity in creating Cathy Gale and breaking the mold of the traditional, subservient, weak television woman. Her determination and her incredible talent and ability changed the lives of many of her women viewers. And I thank her for taking time out of her incredibly busy schedule of stage performances, television appearances, and charity efforts to talk with me. Thanks also to her agent, Natasha Stevenson, for graciously allowing me to see her without an appointment and for being sympathetic to my pleas. I want to thank the women who contacted me to participate in this study, and all fans of The Avengers who wrote to me expressing support. Thank you to David Smith, www.theavengers.tv/forever creator and webmaster, to Tom Soter, scholar and cult TV fan, who offered help, advice and videos of hard to find episodes, to Dr. Toby Miller, for always promptly returning emails and pointing me in the right direction, and to Brian Clemens and Jon Manchip White who offered unique insights into the world of 1960s British television. Finally, I want to thank my parents for loving me even though they never quite understood why I do what I do. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................. iii DEDICATION .......................................................................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................... viii INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 1 The Quest[tion] ............................................................................................. 1 A Man Became a Woman or The Appearance of an Androgynous Puss ‘n’ Boots.............................................................................................................. 1 Why Her, Why Me, Why Now? or A Tale of a Baited Bird......................... 5 Adult Education, Popular Culture, and Class................................................ 7 The QUESTion Taunts Its Prey or The Pussy Bats the Bird ........................ 13 Adult Learning and Pop Culture ................................................................... 17 The Simmering of Critical-Popular Stew or A Bird in the Snare of the Fowler............................................................................................................ 19 TV Discourse Versus Academic Discourse .................................................. 21 A Disorienting Dilemma or Rockin’ Robin is Caged ................................... 22 Embodied Ethics and Corporealized Class ................................................... 25 Reconstructing Robin the Researcher or The Bird Finally Finds Her Wings 28 Reconceptualizing Adult Learning, Class, and Pedagogy ............................ 30 Conclusion or Sitting in the Catbird Seat...................................................... 35 Epilogue or Rock and Roll Saved My Life; Cult TV Launched My Career. 38 CULT TV, COMIC-BOOKS, COMEDY AND CONSUMPTION: THE INTRUSIVE, ENTERTAINING IN-LAWS OF THE MARRIAGE OF ADULT EDUCATION AND POP CULTURE ................................................. 42 Introduction ................................................................................................... 42 Perspectives on Popular Culture ................................................................... 44 K-12 Schooling and Popular Culture ............................................................ 49 Review of Adult Education Literature on Popular Culture........................... 55 Connecting to the Future............................................................................... 72 Discussion ..................................................................................................... 73 ix Page POPULAR CULTURE, PUBLIC PEDAGOGY, AND PERSPECTIVE TRANSFORMATION: ADULT LEARNING IN LIVING ROOMS...................... 79 Introduction and Background to the Problem ............................................... 79 Historical Context: British Women in 1962.................................................. 88 Theoretical Framings and Related Literature................................................ 93 Methodology ................................................................................................. 99 Philosophical Underpinnings........................................................................ 106 Findings......................................................................................................... 112 Discussion and Implications for Practice.....................................................