Constructing identities, reclaiming subjectivities, reconstructing selves: an interpretative study of transgender practices in Scotland

Morgan, Sylvia (2017) Constructing identities, reclaiming subjectivities, reconstructing selves: an interpretative study of transgender practices in Scotland. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis provides a sociologically informed understanding of the intersubjective meanings of historical and emergent transgender identities and practices in Scotland. An investigation of the social construction of gender variant identities was conducted by means of an interpretative analysis, developed out of theories of phenomenology, ethnomethodology, symbolic interactionism and performativity, applied to the formation of gendered subjectivities. Empirical data took the form of narrative histories gathered through 38 in-depth interviews with 28 transgender-identified participants currently living in Scotland. As the first exclusively qualitative sociological study of transgender conducted in Scotland, the thesis contributes towards: research examining the formative experiences of trans people; research recording the narrative histories of older trans people; research methods for recruiting small, hidden, hard to reach populations; and a sociological understanding of the social construction of transgender identities and practices, in the context of changing legislation and social attitudes in Scotland.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: transgender, identities, sociology, interpretative, narrative histories, social constructionism.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences
• Supervisor's Name: Waites, Dr. Matthew
• Date of Award: 2017
• Depositing User: Dr Sylvia Morgan
• Unique ID: glathesis:2017-8073
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 07 Apr 2017 15:16
• Last Modified: 03 May 2017 13:44
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/8073