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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

No Peace For Afghanistan: A Case-Study Of The Failure Of Peace-Building Process In Afghanistan From A Transnational Feminist Standpoint, Tahmina Sobat Jan 2022

No Peace For Afghanistan: A Case-Study Of The Failure Of Peace-Building Process In Afghanistan From A Transnational Feminist Standpoint, Tahmina Sobat

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In early 2019, the United States officially started its direct negotiations with the Taliban to reach an agreement on a joint framework for a future peace deal in Afghanistan and inter-Afghan negotiations. Although debate continued over the size and duration of the US military presence in Afghanistan and the inclusion of the terrorist group the Taliban in the government of Afghanistan, what fell in and out of the headlines were the topic of women’s presence, their rights, and two decades of advocacy and achievements in these peace-building efforts. While the United Nations Security Council’s resolution 1325 on women, peace, and …


Important Aspects To Women’S Re-Integration: Positive Influences On Women’S Reentry Experience After Being Released From Prison, Sarah A. Benson Jan 2022

Important Aspects To Women’S Re-Integration: Positive Influences On Women’S Reentry Experience After Being Released From Prison, Sarah A. Benson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Researchers can analyze statistics of recidivism rates and decipher that they are at an alarming rate—specifically regarding women convicts. The population of women in prison has drastically increased, and with that, so have their recidivism rates. Analyzing statistical data of incarceration and recidivism can show us the numbers, but what is the reason? Why do some women struggle to stay out of prison? I argued that one reason is because women who are released from prison are severely underprepared to reintegrate back into society and, are therefore, set up for failure. Previous studies suggest that reentry programs, education programs, relationships …


Learning About Others In Multiculturalist Social Service's Curriculum In Finland: Transnational Feminism, Anti-Racist Pedagogy, And Politics Of Othering In The Curriculum, Jenni Lampinen Jan 2022

Learning About Others In Multiculturalist Social Service's Curriculum In Finland: Transnational Feminism, Anti-Racist Pedagogy, And Politics Of Othering In The Curriculum, Jenni Lampinen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Social work education aims to train competent professionals to answer the needs of changing populations and society. Education includes theoretical and practical components that offer the frames for social work at different levels of society; personal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural. Primarily, multicultural social work focuses on working with populations with diverse ethnic, cultural, and racial identities that often differ from the majority population. Multicultural social work can be seen as a bridge between minority communities and society. This research was implemented using discourse analysis to examine the social services program’s curriculum of one University of Applied Sciences in the Helsinki …


Women In Combat Boots: U.S. Servicewomen’S Collective Self-Esteem And Adherence To Weight Regulations, Latavia Monét Ford Jan 2021

Women In Combat Boots: U.S. Servicewomen’S Collective Self-Esteem And Adherence To Weight Regulations, Latavia Monét Ford

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Women’s bodies are scrutinized and objectified in western societies broadly. For servicewomen however, the military is a specific site where women’s bodies receive close examination and scrutiny. Military members must adhere to height-based weight standards to remain in compliance. For servicewomen, the military is an important part of their life, and as such, it has a pivotal role in shaping their identity. The purpose of this study is to examine women’s experiences of managing and responding to the weigh-ins, particularly the ways it shapes their collective self-esteem. Data for this study consist of ten qualitative interviews conducted with servicewomen. Findings …


The Monster At The End Of This: A Feminist Media Analysis Of Coverage Of Representative Ilhan Omar, Emma L. Schlei Jan 2020

The Monster At The End Of This: A Feminist Media Analysis Of Coverage Of Representative Ilhan Omar, Emma L. Schlei

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

With the impending 2020 election and the upcoming centennial anniversary of the 19th amendment, the topic of women in politics is more relevant than ever. Ilhan Omar is a Representative elected to the 2018 United States House of Representatives and is one member of the “squad,” a group of four women of color under the age of 50 who identify as part of the left wing of the Democratic Party. Ilhan Omar has been the focus of many liberal and conservative media outlets. In this research I focus on the tropes of Islamophobia that Omar faces to examine how political …


Disabled Women In A Dictatorial Regime: Sexual Assault And Disability In Zimbabwe, Paidamoyo Chikate Jan 2020

Disabled Women In A Dictatorial Regime: Sexual Assault And Disability In Zimbabwe, Paidamoyo Chikate

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In 2013, the Zimbabwean government promulgated a final draft of legislation meant to serve and improve the lives of people living with disabilities in the country. The move was made in the name of “solidarity” as the government purportedly turned a corner from dictatorship to power sharing as a result of what was referred to as the Government of National Unity. Disability activists made various demands of the government from formulating a definition that covers all forms of disability, accessible government buildings, the mainstreaming of disability and representation at the local and parliamentary levels of legislation. Chief among these demands …


Compilation Of Four Different Papers On Different Gender Issues, Minara Nazmin Jan 2020

Compilation Of Four Different Papers On Different Gender Issues, Minara Nazmin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

I wrote four separate academic articles that placed in my Alternative Plan Paper in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts (M.A.) in Gender and Women Studies. My four papers spokes on different fundamental perspectives of issues of gender and women studies. The first paper unveiled inequalities in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) market, such as In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) and how it is reinforcing reproductive responsibility for women. This paper found unequal access to IVF based on color, class, and sexual orientation. The second paper explores gender from a feminist theoretical standpoint. Mainly, this examines how …


The Victimization Of The African Girl Child: Primary Schools As Unsafe Spaces For Girls In Cameroon, Sandra Bume Nambangi Jan 2020

The Victimization Of The African Girl Child: Primary Schools As Unsafe Spaces For Girls In Cameroon, Sandra Bume Nambangi

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Violence against girls in and out of school settings is a problem that is on the rise in countries of sub-Sharan Africa. In Cameroon today, the abuse of girls has progressed into the realm of primary education affecting prepubescent girls, making schools unsafe spaces for girls and thereby, hindering them from accessing and furthering their education, basic rights and agency. A study on the victimization of primary school girls in Malawi funded by the United Nations found that girls are subject to several forms of violence as a result of their gender and that this disrupts their access to basic …


A Labor Of Love: Women's Perspectives On Gender And Identity In Informal Caregiving, Kirby O'Hara Hurd Jan 2017

A Labor Of Love: Women's Perspectives On Gender And Identity In Informal Caregiving, Kirby O'Hara Hurd

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The elderly population (adults 65 and over) is larger than at any time in history, thanks to improved access to healthcare, advances in medical technology, and health services focused on addressing the needs of aging adults. However, support for this growing population remains insufficient; the costs of in-home and residential care are high, and consequently, family members often become providers of informal, unpaid care. Presently, there is inadequate literature regarding the academic study of family members providing informal caregiving, especially from a perspective that emphasizes sociological principles and theories. Existing studies of the family caregiver phenomenon show that middle-aged adult …


Drag Performance And Femininity: Redefining Drag Culture Through Identity Performance Of Transgender Women Drag Queens, Cristy Dougherty Jan 2017

Drag Performance And Femininity: Redefining Drag Culture Through Identity Performance Of Transgender Women Drag Queens, Cristy Dougherty

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Viewing gender as a performance reveals how gender identity is shaped and formed. There is currently tensions associated with drag queen performance as an act of subversion and transgression from the heteronormative definition of gender and drag as a perpetuation of heteronormative definitions of gender. There is also a tension between the affirmation of femininity and transgression from gender binaries of womanhood. In order to address these tensions, this thesis project examined the reasoning behind how transgender women and gay men drag queen performers navigate the world of femininity. Specifically, this study explored the varied reasons behind performing femininity through …


Representing Us All? Race, Gender, And Sexuality In Orange Is The New Black, Michael Robert Chavez Jan 2015

Representing Us All? Race, Gender, And Sexuality In Orange Is The New Black, Michael Robert Chavez

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Orange Is the New Black is a Netflix television series that began in 2013. The series focuses on the lives of inmates in a fictional women's prison. Television series about prison have focused primarily on men in prison. This thesis will expand upon previous research on representation of minorities in television using a feminist media analysis to examine the first season of the series. I will explore how race, gender, and sexuality are represented within the series. I examine the representations of four characters during the first season. I chose these four characters because they represented different racial groups, sexualities, …


"A Compromise To Help The Community": Rural Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Experiences, Rebecca R. Gonnering Jan 2015

"A Compromise To Help The Community": Rural Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Experiences, Rebecca R. Gonnering

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Victims of sexual assault require specialized medical care when they report to hospital emergency departments including physical examination, evidence collection, and emotional support. Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) are medical professionals trained to complete the examination and evidence collection in a prompt and sensitive manner. In fact, where SANE programs exist, emergency room waiting times are shorter, evidence collection improves, and revictimization from untrained staff is reduced. Unfortunately, SANEs are not widely available, particularly in rural areas. This lack of trained examiners employed at local hospitals creates a gap in access to proper care, often resulting in long waits as …


Perspectives Of Female Leaders In Athletic Training, Kyle Matthew Momsen Jan 2014

Perspectives Of Female Leaders In Athletic Training, Kyle Matthew Momsen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Previous research has found that women face barriers in athletic training and it appears that they are not represented in leadership positions in numbers equal to the demographics of athletic training. The purpose of this research was to explore the leadership experiences and perspectives of female athletic trainers who have earned a leadership position at the highest levels in athletic training. This qualitative investigation utilized semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 12 women that held national leadership positions in athletic training. The data from this investigation suggests that many of the barriers that previously faced women in athletic training have decreased or …


Managing Rapeability: Women's Perceptions And Negotiations Of The Fear Of Sexual Assault, Jessica Friton Jan 2014

Managing Rapeability: Women's Perceptions And Negotiations Of The Fear Of Sexual Assault, Jessica Friton

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

For women, the fear of sexual assault and harassment is pervasive. This study examines women's perceptions and negotiations of such fear while emphasizing the gendered social structures within which such fears are learned and experienced. Open ended interviews were conducted with 13 women enrolled in a self-defense undergraduate class. The interviews were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed. Findings provide rich descriptions of women's fears of victimization, how they learn such fears, and how they cognitively and behaviorally managed fear in their everyday lives. The author argues that learning and managing fear of sexual assault and harassment is part of gender socialization …


Moved To Move: Socially Contextualizing Women's Exercise Motivations, Dusti Rae Werner Jan 2014

Moved To Move: Socially Contextualizing Women's Exercise Motivations, Dusti Rae Werner

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Using qualitative data from 11 interviews with women who exercise regularly, this research explores women's motivations to exercise, how they make social comparisons and how they self-evaluate their bodies through the social context of gender, socio-economic status and race. Women with intrinsic motivations to exercise find more positive, long term outcomes than those with extrinsic motivations. Women compare themselves to similar others, such as their peers to form self-evaluations more readily than they do media images. Respondents also indicated the importance of relationships in beginning and maintaining exercise regimes.


The Co-Occurrence Of Multiple And Overlapping Demands Among Women Leaving Prison, Jennifer Jo Schweitzer Jan 2014

The Co-Occurrence Of Multiple And Overlapping Demands Among Women Leaving Prison, Jennifer Jo Schweitzer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The findings presented in this thesis result from an analysis of the experiences over a three-year period of thirteen women recently released from prison, all of whom simultaneously struggled with severe physical and mental health problems, drug and alcohol addiction(s), and histories of trauma. The purpose of this study was to better understand the strategies women with these multiple and overlapping vulnerabilities utilized as they attempted to reintegrate into the community. This group of thirteen women is a subsample of a population of 41 women whose reentry experiences were the focus of a larger, longitudinal research project. The data consist …


How Modern Family And Parenthood Represent Equal Parenting: A Feminist Discourse, Samantha B. Coffin Jan 2013

How Modern Family And Parenthood Represent Equal Parenting: A Feminist Discourse, Samantha B. Coffin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Within recent discourses about parenting, the concept of equal parenting and fathering is a prominent theme. I have chosen two popular television shows that portray families to see if they represent ideas about equal parenting. I have identified three prominent themes that researchers agree comprise equal parenting: parents' equal power in decision-making, fathers challenging masculine gender expectations by actively nurturing children, and fathers sharing household duties. The findings of this thesis conclude that the television shows Parenthood and Modern Family are contradictory in their representations of equal parenting themes. Parenthood has strong examples of equal parenting, but remains more conservative …


The Emotionally Supportive Sister-Soldier: How The United States Military Values Normative Femininity And Devalues Nonconformist Servicewomen, Kristal Marie Gray Jan 2013

The Emotionally Supportive Sister-Soldier: How The United States Military Values Normative Femininity And Devalues Nonconformist Servicewomen, Kristal Marie Gray

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Women need to be vigilant about the rights and strides they have gained to be sure they are not circling back to feed an oppressive system. Women may be serving in the military but they are filling specific roles as the feminine presence within the ranks. Women are gendered and sexualized from the day they swear in. My research gives valuable insight into the world of the military and how much emphasis is placed on conforming. I explain how servicewomen are expected to act and then interview eleven servicewomen to see if they are behaving according to the military (and …


"I Now Pronounce You...Uhh": A Qualitative Autoethnographic Exploration Of Women's And Men's Marital Surname-Choice Experiences, Julie Louceil Germain Walker Jan 2012

"I Now Pronounce You...Uhh": A Qualitative Autoethnographic Exploration Of Women's And Men's Marital Surname-Choice Experiences, Julie Louceil Germain Walker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Marital name change has been a topic of fierce debate in social settings and has received some attention from academia, but largely scholarship on marital name change focuses on female choices and their rationale. Using a combined in-depth qualitative and autoethnographic approach, I sought to understand the connections between name and identity. I interviewed 11 heterosexual, married women and men about their marital name choices to explore the possible name-identity connections. Choosing a surname requires some type of pre-choice negotiation, either individually or with a partner, and several post-choice negotiations, such as with family members and the process of changing …


I Had An Abortion: Midwest Women, Stigma And Disclosure, Katie Stack Jan 2012

I Had An Abortion: Midwest Women, Stigma And Disclosure, Katie Stack

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Since the legalization of abortion is 1973, both pro-choice and pro-life sides of the debate have struggled for political and cultural influence. Meanwhile, the voices of women who have utilized abortion serves remain unheard, their stories invisible. Largely, this silence surrounding women's abortion experiences has been attributed to the stigma that is associated with the abortion procedure. Other have argued that women are not silent about their abortion experiences, but that they navigate the complex political and social contexts of their lives by managing the stigmatized identity of having had an abortion. By utilizing in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and encouraging a …


A Feminist Content Analysis Of Seventeen Magazine, Brittany Marie Trimble Jan 2012

A Feminist Content Analysis Of Seventeen Magazine, Brittany Marie Trimble

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Over the past two decades, there has been growing concern among researchers, clinicians, and policy makers regarding the sexualization of female adolescents in the media. Developmental psychologists and researchers argue that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to messages presented in the media, as these messages are internalized as real. These messages afflict long-term emotional and physical effects on adolescent girls. Through content analysis and extensive research, The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force (2010) argued that the sexualization of adolescent girls and women directly effects the psychosocial development of young women, creating self-objectification, negative self-images, anxiety, shame, depression, eating disorders, and …