“Model Policies” for Whom?: Cluster Criticism of NCAA Pregnancy and Parental Discourse
| dc.contributor.advisor | Rodgers, R Pierre | |
| dc.contributor.author | Crocker, Jada | |
| dc.creator | Crocker, Jada | |
| dc.date | 2019-12-06 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-06-02T18:59:57Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-06-02T18:59:57Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Little, if any, research has been conducted on the topics of parenting and pregnancy in the student-athlete population. However, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has produced a Pregnant and Parenting Student-Athletes Resources and Model Policies manual with the intention of “provid[ing] information and resources to member institutions and their student-athletes to effectively meet the needs of student-athletes dealing with a pregnancy” (Hogshead-Makar & Sorensen, 2008, p. 5). Although the information included in the manual is quite informative, it is also important to note that majority of the discourse is directed towards female student-athletes, even though “male student-athletes are also affected by pregnancy” (p. 8). A close textual analysis via rhetorical cluster criticism (Foss, 1996, 2004) was performed on the NCAA document. The analysis set out to answer the following two questions: 1) In what ways does the recurring discourse reference parenting student-athletes and 2) How does the language used in the NCAA’s Pregnant and Parenting Student-Athletes Resources and Model Policies document refer to male student-athletes. Despite the title of the document suggesting equal focus on pregnancy and parenting resources, an examination of the discourse reveals that the document is pregnancy-centric and focuses little on parenting. Due to a heavy pregnancy focus, the Manual may be interpreted as a document that places greater emphasis on female student-athletes and their related lived experiences. Further, through the analysis of the document’s discourse and visual imagery, the following themes emerged: the secrecy narrative surrounding pregnancy, pregnancy and parenting as sole gender issues, and de-emphasis on parenting. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1920/11794 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | Rhetorical cluster criticism | |
| dc.subject | Pregnancy and parental discourse | |
| dc.subject | Student-athletes | |
| dc.subject | Pregnancy | |
| dc.subject | Gender | |
| dc.subject | Title IX | |
| dc.title | “Model Policies” for Whom?: Cluster Criticism of NCAA Pregnancy and Parental Discourse | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Sport and Recreation Studies | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | George Mason University | |
| thesis.degree.level | Master's | |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Science in Sport and Recreation Studies |