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.
","abstract_html":"<p>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.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Doss, Erin F"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Communication","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Robin E. Jensen","Robin P. Clair","Jennifer L. Bay","Josh Boyd","Deb Koester"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-10-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-10-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:53:22Z","subjects":["Communication","Speech and Rhetorical Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/262","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Robin E. Jensen","Robin P. Clair","Jennifer L. Bay","Josh Boyd","Deb Koester"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Doss, Erin F"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Communication","Speech and Rhetorical Studies"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/262"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["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.
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