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Women's Studies

Northern Illinois University

Theses/Dissertations

Women

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

In Search Of A Homeland: Jewish-American Women Writers And Their Struggle With Cultural Alienation, Alisa K. Burris Jan 2022

In Search Of A Homeland: Jewish-American Women Writers And Their Struggle With Cultural Alienation, Alisa K. Burris

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the lives and fictional works of five Jewish-American women writers of the twentieth century within the complex context of cultural alienation. Authors Anzia Yezierska, Dorothy Parker, Grace Paley, Cynthia Ozick, and Marge Piercy are each featured in separate chapters that examine how personal experiences of estrangement weave through and influence their texts. As a result of this dissertation’s scrutiny, meaningful connections emerge between these diverse Jewish women authors and the transformation of painful struggles into profound journeys to seek belonging. Through their works’ literal and figurative pilgrimages to reach an ultimate homeland, all five writers creatively illustrate …


Women Obtaining The Superintendency: An Examination Of Internal And External Barriers That Influence A Woman's Career Trajectory, Jodi J. Megerle Jan 2020

Women Obtaining The Superintendency: An Examination Of Internal And External Barriers That Influence A Woman's Career Trajectory, Jodi J. Megerle

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The role of public school superintendent is one of the most gendered executive positions in the United States, with men twenty times more likely than women to advance from teacher to superintendent. Although the majority of teachers and central office administrators in schools are women, the majority of superintendents are men. Women have made gains, yet under-representation continues to exist. As women break through the barriers, it is important to understand their experiences in administrative leadership as they navigate their careers. How do women in administration think and feel about working toward a male-dominated occupation? What barriers or opportunities have …


Dekalb, Illinois, Muslim Women’S Agency Negotiating And Re-Affirming Their Muslim Identity, Sinta Febrina Jan 2019

Dekalb, Illinois, Muslim Women’S Agency Negotiating And Re-Affirming Their Muslim Identity, Sinta Febrina

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Post 9/11 American Muslim women are stereotyped as victims of their patriarchal religion and as perpetrators of terror. These conditions led to the discrimination of American Muslim women which requires them to continuously strategize and negotiate their identity. This thesis examined DeKalb, Illinois Muslim women’s agency to strategize and negotiate their identity in lager American society. In this study, fifteen Muslim women from three different categories were interviewed: American-born citizens, naturalized citizens, and immigrants. This study found that Muslim women’s various backgrounds (country of origin, education, socio-economic status, and immigration status) affected their strategy and agency to negotiate and re-affirm …