Representation of Single Motherhood in Selected Facebook Pages

Single Motherhood has become the new ‘norm’ in the world, as most single parent families are headed by single mothers. However, few studies have related the topic of single motherhood to gender and sociology and none of these has given the issue a critical linguistic approach. This article examines the discourses of single motherhood in selected Facebook pages, with the aim of revealing how single mothers are represented by different social actors and the effect this has on societal cohesion. This is done through analysis of linguistic items that represent single mothers in selected Facebook pages; The article is based on Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis which allows for a nuanced exploration of language as a tool for social power and identity construction. Through this approach the paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the societal narratives surrounding single motherhood and highlights the need for a more inclusive and equitable discourse in contemporary discussions. The methodology entailed selection of Kenyan Facebook pages and Facebook users which constituted two sets of the population. A sample of four most popular pages were selected using purposive sampling procedure, the second sample of 40 Facebook users was selected using simple random sampling method. Textual and interview guides were used as data collection tools. Data was analyzed using Critical Discourse Analytical procedures, particularly Norman Fairclough’s Textually Oriented Discourse Analysis principles. Findings were presented in tables accompanied by narratives and descriptions. This article is useful to the society as it critiques and unearths the linguistically binarized positioning of single mothers.