La Leche League, the media, and the nursing mother: A broader perspective on persona theory
Abstract
This dissertation builds on current breastfeeding-related scholarship by suggesting that the lived experiences of nursing mothers could be effective arguments for initial and continued breastfeeding. To do this, I analyzed archival materials related to La Leche League, specifically League newsletters, and media articles from publications across the United States to determine how the "nursing mother" functioned as a persona throughout the second half of the twentieth century. First, in my analysis of League newsletters I theorized a new category of personae, the constitutive persona, which includes personae used by a collective to attract new members and provide them with language to talk about their experiences. Second, in analyzing the media's coverage of breastfeeding, I argued for an expanded conception of Wander's (1984) third persona that explains how individuals or groups may be both present in a discourse and simultaneously negated. Finally, the dissertation demonstrates a broader perspective on persona theory—one which presents a more complete understanding of breastfeeding discourse and the role of the nursing mother as an advocate for breastfeeding.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Clair, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Communication|Rhetoric
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