7/19/2023
Summer Research
This summer kicked off phase two of my research project. Based on the results from my autoethnographic examination of intergenerational transmission, my research mentor and I plan to invite other participants to the conversation. We are developing interview questions that will allow us to compare new perspectives to our conclusions drawn from my experience in phase one and identify any trends at work. We plan to interview a handful of 10-15 UWEC students about their experiences with gender roles in the family and workplace. Our questions will aim to spark conversation about how gender is communicated and indicate how gendered expectations and ideas manifest themselves in each new generation. This will allow us to examine how these ideas contribute to conflict and inequality in society, specifically in the family and the workplace.
So far, my mentor and I have made significant progress on our phase-two literature review. After reading and discussing several articles, we decided on a more specific direction to take our interview questions. Studying gendered expectations as a whole involves a wide array of subtopics, which, while interesting and worthy of study, would be incredibly difficult and tedious to draw consistent conclusions from. We have chosen to focus on the sources from which we learn the societal rules for performing gender and how those expectations shape the way we grow up to perform our own gender identity. This will give insight into why gender is so deeply rooted in society, how it creates and maintains oppressive forces, and how we can work to break a cycle of harmful stereotypes that have been reproduced for generations.
Sunshiny Relaxation
Summer wouldn't be summer if there weren't some opportunities to catch up on some R&R. While I'm enjoying working hard on my research, I am grateful for the time I've had to enjoy the outdoors over the past couple of months. Eau Claire is full of opportunities to be in nature, and I have been intentional about taking advantage of that this summer. I have spent lots of time enjoying the various water features in the area, whether I'm tubing down the Chippewa River with good friends, hanging out at Half Moon Beach, climbing around and sitting in waterfalls at Big Falls County Park, or swinging from ropes 30 feet in the air into the water at Mt. Simon Park. I've really enjoyed the ability to find pockets of nature right in my backyard.
I've also managed to explore some places outside of Eau Claire this summer. I saw Lake Superior for the first time with some friends on a trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It was beautiful despite the chilly breeze and the water stretched further than I could see in every direction. On another trip, my sister and I visited our Aunt and we were able to go to Bond Falls, Michigan. The waterfall was huge and there were several places to sit right next to it and touch the water. Finally, I was able to make a couple of trips to Lake Geneva, WI to see my family and hometown friends. One of the highlights was attending a performance of my sister's band, The Gravity of Youth. She was amazing and it seemed like half the county showed up to watch!
Up Next...
The rest of the summer will be full of more travel, sunshine, and of course, lots of work on research. I'll get to see some extended family I haven't seen in a while in both Door County WI and Harbor Springs, Michigan, and my sister and I are taking a road trip to the coast of North Carolina for a taste of the ocean before heading back to reality. When I'm not traveling, I will be working hard on sorting through the research we have gathered and preparing interview questions so that we will be ready to involve participants at the start of the semester. Until next time... enjoy the outdoors!
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