Login

Publications  •  Project Statistics

Glossary  •  Schools  •  Disciplines
People Search: 
   
Title/Abstract Search: 

Dissertation Information for Katherine Leigh Side

NAME:
- Katherine Leigh Side

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Women's Studies

SCHOOL:
- York University (USA) (1997)

ADVISORS:
- Meg Luxton

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Patricia McDermott
- Ann B. Shteir
- Shelley Gavigan
- Pat Armstrong
- Heather Jon Maroney
- Valerie A. Preston

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: In the shadow of the family: Women's friendships with women

Abstract: In this thesis I investigate women's friendships with other women in relation to feminist scholarship on friendship and family relations, and to neoliberal, political agendas concerned with the extension of social responsibilities. I argue that both have situated women's friendships in the shadow of the family. I demonstrate that because women's friendships with women, unlike family in its varied forms, are not typically embedded in relations of duty, they have an enormous capacity to develop and flourish. Equally, because friendships between women are not typically embedded in relations of duty, they are discretionary and fragile relationships.

Qualitative data from interviews with fifty-four women illustrate the strength and the fragility of friendships between women. The data find that friends are important, valued and regular sources of conversation, companionship and emotional support for women. The data also find that women friends are irregular and unreliable sources of accomodation, financial assistance, child care, employment, transportation, and personal care. Given these findings, this thesis recommends that future feminist scholarship should explore the complexities of women's friendships and particularly their importance for women, while resisting neoliberal attempts to impose duty and obligation upon women's friendships with women. It recommends that a distinction be drawn between the informal obligations women understand in their friendships with other women and the formal obligations neoliberal agendas assume exist between friends.

MPACT Scores for Katherine Leigh Side

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-02-18 12:14:34

Advisors and Advisees Graph