Park, Kirsty (2018) Changing spaces: exploring the role of the internet in supporting non-heterosexual youth aged 18-25 in Ireland. PhD thesis, Dublin City University.
Abstract
This study used a sequential qualitatively driven design to explore non-heterosexual internet usage among 18-25 year olds in Ireland. Within the last decade there has been a growing body of research focusing on supporting sexual minority youth in Ireland and understanding their experiences, yet little is known about how they use the internet for support. Non-heterosexual youth can use the internet to access narratives and communities which previously would have required physical presence in geographical places. Considering the role that narrative plays within identity formation, the change this spatial shift has brought about in social relations offers the opportunity for a radical reshaping of both the development of identity and the opportunities for new types of identity to occur in places which they would be unlikely to occur in the past. This study has addressed the gap in literature by positioning a phenomenological sense of place at the centre of the analysis. Using a questionnaire with 126 participants along with 8 in depth narrative based interviews, the study found that non-heterosexual youth perceive the internet as highly valued for its supportive role in identity formation as well the ability to redefine norms and authenticate place for those who experience an absence of offline support.
Metadata
Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) |
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Date of Award: | November 2018 |
Refereed: | No |
Supervisor(s): | Ging, Debbie |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | internet; sexuality; LGBTQ; non-heterosexual youth |
Subjects: | Social Sciences > Communication Social Sciences > Mass media Social Sciences > Sociology Social Sciences > Gender Social Sciences > Identity |
DCU Faculties and Centres: | DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Science > School of Communications |
Use License: | This item is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. View License |
Funders: | Irish Research Council |
ID Code: | 22667 |
Deposited On: | 21 Nov 2018 11:11 by Debbie Ging . Last Modified 21 Nov 2018 11:11 |
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