posted on 2023-05-23, 07:02authored byShepherd, M, Natalier, K, Willis, K
In this paper we analyse mothers’ and child health nurses’ negotiations around conformity and resistance to the dominant discourse of the good mother, with a specific focus on the use of knowledge and authority in interaction. We draw upon data generated through 12 observations of consultations between child health nurses and low-income mothers and fathers, 12 interviews with child health nurses and 13 interviews with low-income mothers. Many interactions affirmed the importance of following expert knowledge, but we also find evidence of resistance by mothers, who privilege their experiential knowledge over medical knowledge. This resistance de-stabilises expert knowledge without re-constituting the good mother discourse.
History
Publication title
Proceedings of the 2012 Annual Conference of the Australian Sociological Association: Emerging and Enduring Inequalities
Editors
L Cheshire and A Broom
Pagination
1-14
ISBN
978-0-646-58783-7
Department/School
School of Social Sciences
Publisher
Australian Sociological Association
Place of publication
Brisbane, Queensland
Event title
2012 Annual Conference of the Australian Sociological Association
Event Venue
Brisbane, Queensland
Date of Event (Start Date)
2012-11-26
Date of Event (End Date)
2012-11-29
Rights statement
Copyright 2012 The Australian Sociological Association