How To Be A Widow: Performing Identity in Grief Narratives of an Online Community
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The Ohio State University / OhioLINK
2011
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1325091105 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-osu13250911052021-08-03T06:04:18Z How To Be A Widow: Performing Identity in Grief Narratives of an Online Community McDonald-Kenworthy, Nancy Ann Cultural Anthropology Education Policy Folklore Mass Communications Sociolinguistics Teaching widow grief identity performativity narrative storytelling community of practice online mourning Through analysis of a qualitative online ethnography in an Internet text-based website message board database called “WidowNet” (http://www.widownet.org/wnbb3), I studied online text conversations of adults who lost their life partners to death. This online autoethnographical research investigates how and why online widows/widowers perform their changed identity status after spousal death, and what the educational implications of an online self-help network are. This online ethnography project implements textual analysis of a registered Internet community of practice where members write to each other in the format of an asynchronous, text-based message forum. In 1993, a widower, who still owns and administers the database as his avocation, founded this non-profit online group now consisting of over 4,000 members. These online community members are registered with only one exclusive qualification: they lost a life partner to death. As a widowed “insider” myself, I analyzed the online conversations to see how this type of narrative developed meaning to the widowed who are constructing their new identities as widows/ers. Further, I determined how this particular online community functions as an informal learning community for the members. After I analyzed the WN narratives, I conducted follow-up member checks via instant messaging, email, or Internet chat rooms, and face-to-face group participant observations and follow-up focus group face-to-face interviews in get-togethers occurred in various locations around the US, as well. 2011 English text The Ohio State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1325091105 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1325091105 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
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NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Cultural Anthropology Education Policy Folklore Mass Communications Sociolinguistics Teaching widow grief identity performativity narrative storytelling community of practice online mourning |
| spellingShingle |
Cultural Anthropology Education Policy Folklore Mass Communications Sociolinguistics Teaching widow grief identity performativity narrative storytelling community of practice online mourning McDonald-Kenworthy, Nancy Ann How To Be A Widow: Performing Identity in Grief Narratives of an Online Community |
| author |
McDonald-Kenworthy, Nancy Ann |
| author_facet |
McDonald-Kenworthy, Nancy Ann |
| author_sort |
McDonald-Kenworthy, Nancy Ann |
| title |
How To Be A Widow: Performing Identity in Grief Narratives of an Online Community |
| title_short |
How To Be A Widow: Performing Identity in Grief Narratives of an Online Community |
| title_full |
How To Be A Widow: Performing Identity in Grief Narratives of an Online Community |
| title_fullStr |
How To Be A Widow: Performing Identity in Grief Narratives of an Online Community |
| title_full_unstemmed |
How To Be A Widow: Performing Identity in Grief Narratives of an Online Community |
| title_sort |
how to be a widow: performing identity in grief narratives of an online community |
| publisher |
The Ohio State University / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2011 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1325091105 |
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AT mcdonaldkenworthynancyann howtobeawidowperformingidentityingriefnarrativesofanonlinecommunity |
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