An exploration in phronesis and ethos: Transgressing boundaries of gender, ethnicity, and class for (non)traditional African American women

dc.contributor.authorWaller, Wanda M.
dc.contributor.committeeChairBurns, Hugh
dc.contributor.committeeMemberThompson, Lou
dc.contributor.committeeMemberGreer, Russell
dc.contributor.committeeMemberKeating, AnaLouise, 1961-
dc.date.accessioned2019-09-23T14:15:48Z
dc.date.available2019-09-23T14:15:48Z
dc.date.issued2008-08
dc.description.abstractThis qualitative study examines how phronesis enables nontraditional African American women students to construct ethos in their discourse by establishing the link between sociocultural factors in their social lives and their academic tenure. Five nontraditional African American women students provide narratives of their individual experiences as undergraduate students in writing classes. The themes which emerge from their oral narratives include: (1) identifying goals and purposes for themselves and their communities, (2) strategizing concurrent roles in their families, workplaces, and communities, (3) recognizing and confronting their subordinate status socially and academically, (4) engaging in social and academic relationships, and (5) developing rhetorical insights. Content analysis of the participants' narratives reveals that the interrelationship of gender, ethnicity, and class and their nontraditional student status are factors that inhibit their ability to establish credibility in their discourse. Findings suggest that the multidimensional aspects of phronesis, the deliberative, performative, and spiritual dimensions, enable the women to transcend the limitations of these inhibiting factors and establish ethos. Implications for students, faculty, and higher education administration point to the significance of relationship building strategies, acknowledgement of cultural and experiential knowledge claims, and development of positive classroom experiences for diverse student populations. Recommendations for future study are discussed.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11274/11820
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.subjectSocial sciencesen_US
dc.subjectLanguage, literature, and linguisticsen_US
dc.subjectAfrican-Americanen_US
dc.subjectAfrican-American womenen_US
dc.subjectClassen_US
dc.subjectEthosen_US
dc.subjectGenderen_US
dc.subjectMeta-ethosen_US
dc.subjectNontraditional studentsen_US
dc.subjectPhronesisen_US
dc.subjectRaceen_US
dc.titleAn exploration in phronesis and ethos: Transgressing boundaries of gender, ethnicity, and class for (non)traditional African American womenen_US
dc.typeDissertationen_US
thesis.degree.collegeCollege of Arts & Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.departmentEnglish, Speech, and Foreign Languagesen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineRhetoricen_US
thesis.degree.grantorTexas Woman's Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
2008WallerOCR.pdf
Size:
148.68 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.68 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: