Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
12-2016
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph. D.
Department
Sociology
Degree Program
Sociology (Applied), PhD
Committee Chair
Christopher, Karen
Committee Member
Gagne, Patricia
Committee Member
Marshall, Gul
Committee Member
Hognas, Robin
Committee Member
Theriot, Nancy
Author's Keywords
Mothering/motherhood; maternal support; intersecitionality; race; class; family
Abstract
Maternal support contributes to maternal and child well-being, yet not all mothers incorporate support into their maternal practices. Most research on mothering standards and practices in the U.S. focuses on white, middle-class, married mothers. This study expands upon this research by incorporating an intersectional lens to explore how mothers interpret standards of “good mothering” across race, class, and family structure. I conducted a mixed-method evaluation of a nonprofit program offering peer-based maternal support to mothers of color, lower-income mothers, and single mothers; 41 in-depth interviews with mothers to learn why maternal support resonated with some, but not all, mothers; and an in-depth focus group interview with the founders of the peer-based support program. Employing systems-centered intersectionality (Choo and Ferree 2010) and multi-institutional politics (Armstrong and Bernstein 2008), I found that some lower-income, single mothers practiced the parenting style “nurtured growth,” allowing them to supplement their limited income and physical and emotional presence with free and low-cost resources from public institutions (e.g., schools, churches, parks). Some other lower-income, single, mothers of color resisted normative parenting practices rooted in self-sacrifice by practicing “empowered mothering.” This practice incorporated self-care and mother-centric support systems to challenge race-based interpretations of good mothering. Finally, the theme “cultural mismatch” explains the difficulty faced by the nonprofit organization in attracting mothers of color and single mothers. I argue that racial, economic, and marital variations in maternal standards, practices, and support rendered the program’s curriculum incompatible with its intended participants. I conclude by offering recommendations for this and other maternal support programs.
Recommended Citation
Crane, Cheryl Lynn, ""We weren't created to do it by ourselves" : good mothering and maternal support across race, class, and family structure." (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2605.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/2605
Included in
Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons