Date of Award

January 2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Educational Foundations & Research

First Advisor

Marcus Weaver-Hightower

Abstract

The study uses Ethnodrama to address sex-selective abortion in Armenia. Ethnodrama uses an ethnographic method of data collection, then presents the findings as a dramatic script or performance. The urgency and the sensitivity of the topic informed the choice of using Ethnodrama over conventional research methodologies. The study gathered data from three primary sources: government databases, international organizations working with non-governmental organizations, and ethnographic fieldwork. The fieldwork consisted of taking notes on daily observations during classroom activities, a personal journal on conversations and interaction with community members, stories from community members, informal questions and answers sessions, and a small ethnographic survey. The information gathered from these three sources are used to write a play with composite characters. Drama as the presentation of research findings is a way to insulate participants' privacy and anonymity, as well as to embody the results and reach the audience at a more than just a dispassionate cognitive level.

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