Daughters of (Ethel) Cain: A Queer Analysis of Agency in Preacher’s Daughter by Ethel Cain and Its Application in the Upper Secondary EFL Classroom
2026 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (professional degree), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
This thesis analyses Ethel Cain’s album Preacher’s Daughter (2022) through a queer theoretical framework, focusing on queer aesthetics and queer temporality. Drawing on Cáel M. Keegan’s concept of “sensing transgender” and Judith Halberstam’s theory of queer time, the study examines how identity and agency are constructed through aesthetic and temporal strategies rather than explicit representation. Through close reading of selected songs, the analysis demonstrates how fragmented perspectives, sensory disorientation, and non-linear narratives destabilize heteronormative understandings of identity and development. The findings show that identity within the album is presented as fluid and continually negotiated, while agency emerges as fragmented and situational. In addition, the thesis highlights the pedagogical potential of the album in the Swedish EFL classroom, arguing that music can serve as an accessible tool for engaging with complex topics such as identity, trauma, and perspective-taking. The study concludes that queer and trans* aesthetic frameworks not only provide new ways of interpreting cultural texts but also offer valuable opportunities for developing inclusive and critically engaged teaching practices.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2026. , p. 39
Keywords [en]
Queer theory, queer aesthetics, queer temporality, trans aesthetics, Ethel Cain, Preacher’s Daughter, agency, EFL pedagogy, music in education, trans*.
National Category
Studies of Specific Literatures Other Educational Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-148743OAI: oai:DiVA.org:lnu-148743DiVA, id: diva2:2086480
Subject / course
English
Educational program
Teacher Education Programme for Upper Secondary School, 300/330 credits
Supervisors
Examiners
2026-08-262026-07-142026-08-26Bibliographically approved