The relationship between dominant Western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting: exploring storytelling among Swedish-Somali girls and women
IntroductionA dominant narrative, referred to as “the standard tale,” prevails in popular representations about female genital cutting (FGC) that often contrast with how cut women traditionally narrate their FGC experience as meaningful in contexts where FGC is customary. However, scholarship has in...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sociology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1188097/full |
| _version_ | 1797783442877841408 |
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| author | Camilla Palm Camilla Palm Eva Elmerstig Charlotta Holmström Birgitta Essén |
| author_facet | Camilla Palm Camilla Palm Eva Elmerstig Charlotta Holmström Birgitta Essén |
| author_sort | Camilla Palm |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionA dominant narrative, referred to as “the standard tale,” prevails in popular representations about female genital cutting (FGC) that often contrast with how cut women traditionally narrate their FGC experience as meaningful in contexts where FGC is customary. However, scholarship has increasingly highlighted how global eradication campaigns and migration to countries where FGC is stigmatized provide women with new frames of understanding which may lead to a reformulation of previous experiences. This article subjects the storytelling itself to analysis and explores how participants narrate and make sense of their FGC experience in a post-migration setting where FGC is stigmatized.MethodsSemi-structured focus groups (9) and individual interviews (12) with Swedish-Somali girls and women (53) were conducted.ResultsThe article highlights how the participants navigate their storying in relation to "the standard tale" of FGC in their efforts to make sense of their experiences. Navigation was conducted both at an intrapersonal level through continuous identity work, and in relation to the social context in interpersonal encounters, i.e., with service providers and others, among whom the standard tale has become a truth.DiscussionThe article places the analysis within broader discussions about anti-FGC work and considers the implications in relation to efforts to end FGC. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:26:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ff37a99621847b2924dd35bc71a4263 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-7775 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:26:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sociology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ff37a99621847b2924dd35bc71a42632023-07-11T06:24:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sociology2297-77752023-07-01810.3389/fsoc.2023.11880971188097The relationship between dominant Western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting: exploring storytelling among Swedish-Somali girls and womenCamilla Palm0Camilla Palm1Eva Elmerstig2Charlotta Holmström3Birgitta Essén4Centre for Sexology and Sexuality Studies, Department of Social Work, Malmö University, Malmö, SwedenDepartment of Women's and Children's Health (IMHm), Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenCentre for Sexology and Sexuality Studies, Department of Social Work, Malmö University, Malmö, SwedenCentre for Sexology and Sexuality Studies, Department of Social Work, Malmö University, Malmö, SwedenDepartment of Women's and Children's Health (IMHm), Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenIntroductionA dominant narrative, referred to as “the standard tale,” prevails in popular representations about female genital cutting (FGC) that often contrast with how cut women traditionally narrate their FGC experience as meaningful in contexts where FGC is customary. However, scholarship has increasingly highlighted how global eradication campaigns and migration to countries where FGC is stigmatized provide women with new frames of understanding which may lead to a reformulation of previous experiences. This article subjects the storytelling itself to analysis and explores how participants narrate and make sense of their FGC experience in a post-migration setting where FGC is stigmatized.MethodsSemi-structured focus groups (9) and individual interviews (12) with Swedish-Somali girls and women (53) were conducted.ResultsThe article highlights how the participants navigate their storying in relation to "the standard tale" of FGC in their efforts to make sense of their experiences. Navigation was conducted both at an intrapersonal level through continuous identity work, and in relation to the social context in interpersonal encounters, i.e., with service providers and others, among whom the standard tale has become a truth.DiscussionThe article places the analysis within broader discussions about anti-FGC work and considers the implications in relation to efforts to end FGC.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1188097/fullfemale genital cuttingfemale genital mutilationanti-FGM discoursemigrationstorytellingqualitative research |
| spellingShingle | Camilla Palm Camilla Palm Eva Elmerstig Charlotta Holmström Birgitta Essén The relationship between dominant Western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting: exploring storytelling among Swedish-Somali girls and women Frontiers in Sociology female genital cutting female genital mutilation anti-FGM discourse migration storytelling qualitative research |
| title | The relationship between dominant Western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting: exploring storytelling among Swedish-Somali girls and women |
| title_full | The relationship between dominant Western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting: exploring storytelling among Swedish-Somali girls and women |
| title_fullStr | The relationship between dominant Western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting: exploring storytelling among Swedish-Somali girls and women |
| title_full_unstemmed | The relationship between dominant Western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting: exploring storytelling among Swedish-Somali girls and women |
| title_short | The relationship between dominant Western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting: exploring storytelling among Swedish-Somali girls and women |
| title_sort | relationship between dominant western discourse and personal narratives of female genital cutting exploring storytelling among swedish somali girls and women |
| topic | female genital cutting female genital mutilation anti-FGM discourse migration storytelling qualitative research |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1188097/full |
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