Elina Oinas
University
of California at Berkeley/ Åbo Akademi University
Abstract
for Nordiska sociologdagar, Åbo 2006
Arbetsgruppen
Barndomssociologi, Maria Eriksson
Empowering Girls? Pippigirls and Situated
Agency
This study focuses on
the concepts of “support” and “empowerment” for a child growing up: the paper
discusses different sociological and feminist perspectives on the individual as
a social actor through a case study on so-called “girl groups” organised in the
context of local youth work. The media image of the new girl, who is said to
inhabit new ways of negotiating sexuality and subjectivity, affects girls and
puts pressure on them, often making girls feel insecure and inadequate. Girl
groups are there to support the girl – but the ideologies behind “support” and
“power” vary. The findings of this study suggest that girls’ discussion groups
are highly valued by the girls, and they can assist in developing personal
health literacy. However, they also reflect the general society’s focus on
individual girls’ capacities and self-esteem—be the strong Pippi girl! The
study shows that individualization blames the girl for cultural paradoxes. A
balance in the focus on individual and her social context helps girls to
situate themselves as agents in the social world. The groups can encourage
critical awareness of the politics of gender and embodiment, which is here
argued to be a crucial element in health literacy for children and youth. The
paper suggests that the theoretical discussion on performativity and situated
agency can offer valuable insights for concrete practices in youth work or
parenting as well as sociology of childhood.
Contact:
University
of California at Berkeley
Beatrice M.
Bain Research Group
3415
Dwinelle Hall, #2050
Berkeley,
California 94720-2050
USA
tel: -1-510-6422153;
-1-510-4397516
fax:
-1-510-6437288
email: eoinas@berkeley.edu, eoinas@abo.fi
from July 1st
: Institute of Women’s Studies,
20500 Åbo
Akademi University, Åbo, Finland