Finding feminism : an exploration of feminist identity in contemporary young adult fiction

Abstract

This thesis researches how contemporary young adult literature explores the lived experience of feminist teenagers in an intersectional context. To examine this, the thesis engages with third wave feminism, since it provides an understanding as to how gender imbalances have affected the lives of all women, particularly individuals whose experience of oppression intersects with race, class, sexuality, ability etc. It comprises of a critical and creative component, both which investigate how a developing feminist identity is presented to teenagers who have grown up with a richly diverse, and hence complex, understanding of the movement. It argues that young adult fiction which addresses a feminist identity, through the principles of the third wave, lay a foundation for how teenagers may begin to discover and embody feminism within their daily life. The exegesis presents this through close readings on American novels Moxie (2017) and Watch Us Rise (2019) and develops these readings through theories of intersectionality, artivism, and power. The creative component presents this through my novella, Finding Her Flow, which extends this research to an Australian context. This research contributes to the limited, but growing, critical studies on feminism within the young adult genre.

Date of Award	2023
Original language	English