Date of Award
11-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Organizational Unit
Morgridge College of Education, Higher Education
First Advisor
Christine A. Nelson
Second Advisor
Cecilia Orphan
Third Advisor
Sarah Hurtado
Fourth Advisor
Tom Romero
Keywords
Discourse analysis, Diverse law students, Law school, Legal education, Motherhood studies, Mothers
Abstract
Mothers are an increasing student population in higher education but an extensively under-researched population. While research examining motherhood is limited, the dearth of studies examining motherhood in higher education is especially limited, with even less available in the legal field and the institutions that provide legal education. This study examined how mothers in law school made meaning of their experiences utilizing a postmodernist epistemological framework, postmodernism and performance as a theoretical framework, and critical discourse analysis as a methodology. Data collection took place over the 2022-2023 academic year. Eight mothers participated in this qualitative study representing a range of ability status, age, demographic, socioeconomic, and racial diversity. Findings from this study indicate that there are safe and unsafe discourses on motherhood, systems of power frame the student-mother law school experience, there is a culture of law school and the legal field, and the culture of law school does not support mental health. This study also presents recommendations for research, practice, and policy to various law school stakeholders on increasing equity for mothers in law school.
Copyright Date
11-2023
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Sarah M. Jordon
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
265 pgs
File Size
2.3 MB
Recommended Citation
Jordon, Sarah M., "Mothers in Law: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Mothers in Law School" (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2357.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2357
Discipline
Higher education, Gender studies, Law