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Interrogating Discourse of "At Risk": An Examination of the Social, Political, and Educational Impact of High School Gay-Straight Alliances

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dc.contributor.advisorKhayatt, Didi
dc.creatorStefan, Abby Jane
dc.date.accessioned2015-01-26T15:23:59Z
dc.date.available2015-01-26T15:23:59Z
dc.date.copyright2014-08-29
dc.date.issued2015-01-26
dc.date.updated2015-01-26T15:23:59Z
dc.degree.disciplineEducation
dc.degree.levelMaster's
dc.degree.nameMEd - Master of Education
dc.description.abstractThis thesis investigates the experiences of five faculty advisors of high school Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) within Ontario, Canada. Drawing on perspectives of critical pedagogy, queer theory, and critical discourse analysis, I investigated the potential of these student organizations to challenge heteronormative school cultures that label LGBTQ students as an “at risk” population in need of “safe spaces.” Data were collected from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with faculty advisors, including two one-to-one interviews, one email interview, and one focus group interview. This research not only illustrates how top-down discourses of “risk” and “safe spaces” regulate the policies and practices deemed appropriate for GSAs, but also the possibility for bottom-up discourses of student and teacher resistance to school-based heteronormative ideologies. I conclude with a discussion of how to move GSAs beyond the “safe space” discourse into one where a critical and social justice framework may initiate a school-wide conversation on LGBTQ student rights.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/28291
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.
dc.subjectEducation
dc.subject.keywordsSocial justiceen_US
dc.subject.keywordsGay-Straight Alliancesen_US
dc.subject.keywordsOntario high schoolsen_US
dc.subject.keywordsHeteronormativityen_US
dc.subject.keywordsHomophobiaen_US
dc.subject.keywordsAt risken_US
dc.subject.keywordsSafe spaceen_US
dc.subject.keywordsCritical pedagogyen_US
dc.subject.keywordsQueer theoryen_US
dc.subject.keywordsDiscourseen_US
dc.subject.keywordsYouth resistanceen_US
dc.titleInterrogating Discourse of "At Risk": An Examination of the Social, Political, and Educational Impact of High School Gay-Straight Alliances
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation

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