Browsing by Author "McKnight, Elizabeth Simpson"

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    Beyond fig leaves and scarlet letters: women voicing themselves in diaries and blogs
    (University of Alabama Libraries, 2009) McKnight, Elizabeth Simpson; Voss, Ralph F.; Dayton, Amy E.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    This project explores the reasons that women write in diaries and blogs and the ways that they reckon with audience and identity through private writing in public spaces. It observes that women write to work through difficult experiences, to give substance to the tasks of impermanence that fill their days and lives, to forge connections with other women related to issues of mutual interest and concern, and to assert themselves as subjects of their own making in the face of competing social constructions of who they should be. The importance of this subject matter lies in the ways that writing is a source of strength to individuals who have been silenced or otherwise isolated through the circumstances of their lives. I have chosen to look at the value of writing for women, but the principles that I set forth are applicable to other groups of people, particularly those who have experienced marginalization or loss of some kind. The research traces the history of the diary and its significance for women, the evolution of the diary's function as it has moved online, the relationship between the diary and identity formation for its writer, and finally, the relationships between writers and their audiences, particularly with the diary in its incarnation as the blog. I develop the metaphors of fig leaves and scarlet letters to represent the ways in which women negotiate the dynamics of truth, identity, and audience in textual practice and assert that emerging technologies such as the blog allow for women to move beyond the silences that these images symbolize, create communities, and give voice to their lives.
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    The lens of colorblindness and cultural competency: an examination of how Black female social workers view their clients
    (University of Alabama Libraries, 2019) Thompson, Karen; Adams, Natalie; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
    This qualitative phenomenological study explores how Black female social workers in the American South perceive their clients’ racial identities and how these perceptions affect their professional practice. Using Patricia Hill Collins’s Black Feminist Practice (1990) as the theoretical framework, the study explores how the theories of cultural competence and colorblindness filter through the lenses of Black female social workers in a practical setting. This study can be fundamental for future research that seeks to understand the Black women’s perspectives on cultural competence and colorblindness. In this study, thirteen Black female licensed social workers who work in the American South and have been employed for 2 years or more at a social work agency were interviewed. From this study, it was evident that the interviewee’s had a unique perspective toward the concept of colorblindness. Essentially, all of the participants highlighted that they did employ cultural competency while working with their clients. Generally, the Black social workers in this study felt that colorblindness was not a useful tool for fighting racial discrimination or for dealing with diverse individuals with a variety of needs. The study participants felt that discrimination from clients and other professions was toxic, even when they were only attempting to help. However, all of the interviewees made a commitment to the social work profession, and they have endured the pain of racism and discrimination. Finally, the study recommended and reiterated the significance of cultural competency in dealing with clients. Keywords: colorblindness, cultural competency, racial prejudice, discrimination, oppression, social worker, Black Feminist Thought.