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The Childfree Woman: A study of identity construction in Sweden

Peña, Jennifer LU and Persson, Eva (2025) SOCK10 20251
Sociology
Abstract (Swedish)
This thesis aims to study how voluntarily childfree women express identity in a Swedish society defined by pronatalist norms. Previous research has portrayed childfree individuals as marginalized, stigmatized, and even as an invisible group in Western society. The purpose of this study is to explore evolving narratives by analysing voluntarily childfree women's expression and construction of identity. Through qualitative interviews, six voluntarily childfree women were questioned using a semi-structured format with open-ended questions, in regards to their perception and experience of being voluntarily childfree in Sweden. The theories utilized in this study include Richard Jenkins’ social identity theory, Anthony Giddens’ structuration... (More)
This thesis aims to study how voluntarily childfree women express identity in a Swedish society defined by pronatalist norms. Previous research has portrayed childfree individuals as marginalized, stigmatized, and even as an invisible group in Western society. The purpose of this study is to explore evolving narratives by analysing voluntarily childfree women's expression and construction of identity. Through qualitative interviews, six voluntarily childfree women were questioned using a semi-structured format with open-ended questions, in regards to their perception and experience of being voluntarily childfree in Sweden. The theories utilized in this study include Richard Jenkins’ social identity theory, Anthony Giddens’ structuration theory, Wayne Brekhus’ collective identity theory, and Judith Butler's poststructural feminist theory, showing how the identity of childfree women is expressed through non-conformity to the pressure of the pronatalist norm. The empirical findings also include concepts such as defiance, childfree lifestyle and gender roles. The study opens up for a discourse of childfree identity independent of motherhood. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Peña, Jennifer LU and Persson, Eva
supervisor
organization
course
SOCK10 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Voluntarily Childfree, Pronatalist Norm, Identity, Poststructural Feminist Theory
language
English
id
9199279
date added to LUP
2025-06-26 19:40:18
date last changed
2025-06-26 19:40:18
@misc{9199279,
  abstract     = {{This thesis aims to study how voluntarily childfree women express identity in a Swedish society defined by pronatalist norms. Previous research has portrayed childfree individuals as marginalized, stigmatized, and even as an invisible group in Western society. The purpose of this study is to explore evolving narratives by analysing voluntarily childfree women's expression and construction of identity. Through qualitative interviews, six voluntarily childfree women were questioned using a semi-structured format with open-ended questions, in regards to their perception and experience of being voluntarily childfree in Sweden. The theories utilized in this study include Richard Jenkins’ social identity theory, Anthony Giddens’ structuration theory, Wayne Brekhus’ collective identity theory, and Judith Butler's poststructural feminist theory, showing how the identity of childfree women is expressed through non-conformity to the pressure of the pronatalist norm. The empirical findings also include concepts such as defiance, childfree lifestyle and gender roles. The study opens up for a discourse of childfree identity independent of motherhood.}},
  author       = {{Peña, Jennifer and Persson, Eva}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Childfree Woman: A study of identity construction in Sweden}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}