Digital Commons Network^™

Women In Kingly Genealogies: The Queens, Widows, And Prostitutes That Changed The Story, Lydia Dowdell

Senior Honors Theses

While there are creative pieces theorizing about Tamar and her inclusion in both David and Jesus’ genealogies, there is a lack of research comparing King David’s genealogy in I Chronicles 2 with the kingly genealogies of the same time. Comparing the two shows that genealogies in the surrounding nations—Assyria, Babylonia, etc.—are lacking women. In contrast, the Old Testament is filled with kingly genealogical records that list and name women.

This thesis will touch on the differences and similarities between the kingly records/genealogies, theorize and explore the levirate marriage custom and matrilinear descent, and attempt to provide a better understanding of …

Many Words, Many Turds: Middle English Proverbial Wisdom And The Alleged Incontinence Of Female Speech, Mary C. Flannery

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

In a passage from The Castle of Perseverance, the reprehensible Malus Angelus dismisses the speech of the personified virtues who are attempting to lead mankind to salvation: ‘Ther wymmen arn, are many wordys. (…) Ther ges syttyn are many tordys’ (2649-51). As the quotation illustrates, likening someone’s words to turds is both an effective brush-off and a colourful insult. This particular insult derives its force from the familiar anti-feminist trope of the voluble woman: like women, the wicked angel implies, the female personifications of virtue talk too much, and the incontinence of their speech is presented in terms that …

Women’S Acts Of Childbirth And Conquest In English Historical Writing, Emma O. Bérat

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

This essay explores how female characters in historical literature written in high to late medieval England shape land claims, political history, and genealogy through their acts of childbirth. Recent scholarship has shown how medieval writers frequently imagined virginal female bodies – religious and secular – in relation to land claim, but less work exists on how they also used the non-virginal bodies of mothers and vivid descriptions of childbirth to assert rights to land and lineage. This essay examines three birth stories associated with conquest or claims to contested lands from Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae, William of …

President's Commission On The Status Of Women: Fall 2021 Report, University Of Dayton

Women's Center Reports, Commentaries and Other Resources

Announced in fall 2019, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women was convened to illuminate and ultimately enhance the status of women at the University of Dayton by advising the president and other senior leaders on gender equity issues and specific concerns of women-identified faculty, staff, and students. The commission makes recommendations on issues that have particular relevance for women, including but not limited to equity, access, retention, promotion and advancement, and safety and security.

Blindspotting And Covid: The Gentrification Of Racism, Ashley Starr-Morris

Journal of Religion & Film

The novel Coronavirus is not only exposing old patterns of racism and systemic inequalities, but deepening them as well. The notion of blindspotting, as described in the film by the same name, is used to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the “spiritual emergency” or crisis of racism in America. "Blindspotting" is an image or situation that can be interpreted in two ways but is understood by some in only one way, thereby producing a blind spot. In 2020 and 2021, we see segments of American society, from politics to white Christian nationalism, upholding a sacred canopy of exceptionalism by …

Arab Americans In Film: From Hollywood And Egyptian Stereotypes To Self-Representation, Danielle Haque

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a book review of Waleed Mahdi, Arab Americans in Film: From Hollywood and Egyptian Stereotypes to Self-Representation (Syracuse University Press, 2020).

Author Bios

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Inclusivity In Practice: A Queer Examination Of The Acceptance Of Trans Communities From The Standpoints Of Trans University Students, Sean Maulding

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Despite attending the same universities and working toward the same degrees, trans students and cisgender students do not always have the same experiences during their college years. In addition to the hardships associated with being a university student, members of trans communities often also face gender-based discrimination and challenges that their cisgender counterparts do not. Although the mid-size Southern California university at which this research took place has taken steps toward fostering an accepting climate for all students, the transmale, gender nonconforming, and gender nonbinary students who participated in this study continue to experience a layer of rejection due to …

Book Review: Gender And Succession In Medieval And Early Modern Islam, Bilateral Descent And The Legacy Of Fatima, Zahra Hashemiolya

Journal of International Women's Studies

No abstract provided.

Women In Religio-Cultural History: A Reflection On Their Representation In Hugo Hinfelaar’S Scholarly Work In Zambia,1960s To 1990s, Nelly Mwale, Joseph Chita

Zambia Social Science Journal

Although Catholic missionary historians have contributed to the writing of Zambia’s many histories, the attempt at documenting women’s place in religio-cultural history in the country has been overshadowed by the prominence of masculine histories. Using the example of Hugo Hinfelaar who captures women’s histories in his scholarly work, this article explores the representation of the place of women in the religio-cultural history of Zambia in order to highlight Hinfelaar’s contributions to the study of women and to Zambia’s religio-cultural history. Informed by African feminist theory, it draws on a historical study which utilises document review and analyses the data through …

Media Representation Of Nigerian Women In The News: Evidence From Selected Newspapers, Jonah Alice Aladi, Nnanyelugo Okoro

Journal of International Women's Studies

The aim of this study was to examine newspaper representations of women. To do so, the researchers examined four newspapers that were nationally circulated. The four newspapers examined were Vanguard, the Punch, The Guardian, and ThisDay. The duration of the study was three years (January 1st, 2015 to December 31st, 2017). The study sought to achieve three objectives and tested two null hypotheses. The design that was utilized to conduct the study was content analysis while data were collected through the use of a code sheet. In the analysis of the collected data, the researcher deployed simple percentages to describe …

The Escalation Of Gender-Based Violence During Lockdown As A Practical Theological Concern In The South African Context, Me Baloyi

Journal of International Women's Studies

The year 2020 will be remembered as the year in which the coronavirus managed to disturb almost the entire planet from many of its activities. During the lockdown, which saw more than 195 countries in the world trying to combat the virus, gender-based violence in South Africa rose at an alarming rate. The skyrocketing statistics reported to police during this period raises a lot of concern as to why, instead of lockdown uniting families and marriages, reports of violence are on the rise. Aside from other factors that the research will unveil, theologically the church is not innocent of its …

Young Brazilian Catholics Reaffiliating: A Case Study In The City Of Campos, Rj, Brazil, Cecilia L. Mariz, Wânia Amélia Belchior Mesquita, Michelle Piraciaba Araújo

Journal of Global Catholicism

Through a case study in Campos, a northern city of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, this article analyzes reports from young people who state that they have undergone a process of revival or reactivation of their Catholic faith. They all declared to have participated in the “St Andrew’s School of Evangelization.” They also mentioned having experienced an "encounter with God." Their narratives were similar to conversion accounts reported by practitioners of other religious traditions. The interviewees describe faith as a personal choice, and emphasize the need for religious study and the value of religious knowledge. To what extent these values …

Editor's Introduction, Marc Roscoe Loustau

Journal of Global Catholicism

No abstract provided.

Tale Of Two Judiths: Queering Judith With The Works Of Judith Butler, Kat S. Lewis

Religious Studies Honors Projects

Biblical texts play a significant role in shaping expectations for behavior based on gender in Western societies. In my queer reading of the Book of Judith, I argue that Judith’s performance of gender is fluid and gender expansive. I use reader-response criticism to interpret Judith in conversation with the works of Judith Butler and Saba Mahmood on gender performativity, drag, and agency. This queer reading of Judith provides representation of gender expansiveness in biblical texts and explores queer possibilities in Judith as a way to challenge and subvert a patriarchal, heterosexist gender binary.

In France, Michelle Is A Man's Name, John Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a review of the short film, In France, Michelle is a Man's Name (2021), directed by Em Weinstein.

Teaching Sexuality On The Catholics & Cultures Website: A Refreshing Turn Toward The Longue Durée, Marc Roscoe Loustau

Journal of Global Catholicism

I present a close reading of the Catholics & Cultures (C&C) website’s treatment of sexuality-related issues and discuss this material in relation to debates about how to teach sexuality in religious studies and theology classrooms. The C&C website occasionally and intermittently uses a typical “contemporary issues” approach that considers sexuality in relation to legal and legislative decisions and government policies. In contrast, country profiles consistently situate sexuality in relation processes like nation building, urbanization, and lay Catholics’ growing authority. My interpretation highlights the site’s decision to emphasize the longue durée, long-term and deep structural processes driving cultural and religious changes. …

Front Matter, Medieval Feminist Forum, V.56, No.2, Winter 2020

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Gender Disparities In Witchcraft Beliefs: A Challenge To Nigerian And African Historiography, Uche U. Okonkwo, V.O Eze, Victor Ukaogo, Stella Okoye-Ugwu, F.O Orabueze

Journal of International Women's Studies

The understanding of how gender roles are assigned to abstract issues like witchcraft beliefs, remains a challenge to contemporary African historians. Witchcraft as a significant area of humanistic study, has not sufficiently engaged historians and literary critics. Scholars in Religious and Cultural Studies in Nigeria have made efforts to interpret witchcraft as an aspect of the tradition of various Nigerian groups. In this paper, witchcraft is examined as a phenomenon and a historical assumption based on gender disparity. Combining primary sources from the National Archives of Nigeria and secondary sources in books and journals, this research dissects witchcraft stigmatizations in …

Flee, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Flee (2021), directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen.

Rebel Hearts, John C. Lyden

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Rebel Hearts (2021), directed by Pedro Kos.

Challenging Faith And Gaining Power: Women In Film Who Reject And Subvert Religion, Annika Murrah

Religion and Film

This paper examines the ways that women seize power through rejection and subversion of religion by relating women in film to the real world. Rejection of faith is exemplified by characters in the films The Little Hours (2017) and The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018). Subversion of faith is understood through the films Whale Rider (2003), Jennifer’s Body (2009), and Transparent (2014). Narrative analysis of these films is contrasted with studies of orthodox religion as examined by Dr. Brenda E. Brasher and Dr. Mary Gerhart. The importance and effect of women’s newly-gained power is applied to social change as recorded …

Spiritual Care Of Gay Men In Committed Relationships: An Evidenced-Based Intercultural Approach, Marc J. Coulter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual minorities have historically been targets of homophobia, heterosexism, discrimination, and persecution particularly within traditional, conservative religious organizations. As a result, many people who identify as male and gay reject traditional forms of religion and seek alternative spiritual beliefs and practices affirming their sexual orientation, often self-identifying as “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR). Some white, gay male couples in committed relationships also reject traditional views of sexual fidelity and negotiate open, consensual, non-monogamous sexual relationships with their primary partner. Gay couples seeking behavioral health assistance to navigate relational difficulties may encounter clinicians who fail to acknowledge the harmful influence of …

"I Have My Coven Now": Transgender Experience In The Central Florida Pagan Community, Alison Whitmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This thesis analyzes Transgender experience and dynamics in the Pagan community of Central Florida. Religion plays an important role as part of social structure for many people in the United States. It can also be a source of strife and conflict between culture groups and within cultures. In the US, predominant religious traditions stem from monotheistic Abrahamic faiths (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam); however, Wicca, a Neo-Pagan polytheistic religion, is practiced by a small but growing number of people. Based on nearly one year of ethnographic engagement with the Central Florida Wiccan community, this study presents an analysis of participants experiences …

Front Matter, Medieval Feminist Forum, V.56, No.1, Summer 2020

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Queer Muslim Diasporas In Contemporary Literature And Film, Hina Muneeruddin

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a book review of Alberto Fernández Carbajal's Queer Muslim Diasporas in Contemporary Literature and Film.

Feminism, Religion, And Work In The United States, Margaret R. Halpin

Student Publications

Feminism in the contemporary United States is a diverse field of thought with several strains of ideological leanings, including liberal, neoliberal, and the contested conservative feminism. Each is uniquely situated in the American context due to the heavy influence of American values and culture-specific definitions of justice, success, and progress. Entrenched in the Western conceptions of secularism and advancement, “modern” feminism in the United States prides itself as the example of peak progressivism, yet does so without critically engaging with its definition of modernity or secularism. In particular, the relationship between religion and feminism is complicated in the U.S., with …

Doe Re Mi: The Unsung Reality Of ‘Doe’ Nomenclature, Mercedes De Los Santos

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

This two-person spoken word piece was written and performed at the University of California, Santa Barbara during the UCSB Womxn’s Ensemble Theatre Troupe’s 2020 production of One Night Stand: A Collection of Feminist Bedtime Stories (a non-profit production of feminist theatre). It is dedicated to Chanel Miller, and all of our fellow survivors everywhere--yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Why Are Women Subordinated? The Misrepresentation Of The Qur'an In Indonesian Discourse And Practice, Erwati Aziz, Irwan Abdullah, Zaenuddin H. Prasojo

Journal of International Women's Studies

Discourse and gender practices show that women occupy a weak position in Indonesia. Women are portrayed as their husbands' "companions", or as "complementary" to a male-centered system. This article aims to explore unilateral interpretations of the Qur'an that ignores verses that venerate women. Misrepresentations of verses that honour women, or erroneous reading of said verses, have caused women to be disadvantaged in public discourse, in social practice, and in policy. By analysing the Qur'an and hadiths, as well as a series of interviews, this article shows that arguments promoting gender inequality are founded on the deliberate selection of specific Qur'anic …

Pentecostal Women And Religious Reformation In The Progressive Era: The Political Novelty Of Women’S Religious And Organizational Leadership, Sherry Kaye Ms.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Progressive Era in America from 1870 to 1920 introduced unprecedented change in the way Americans lived, worked, and thought about themselves in relation to the rest of the world. New platforms of charitable benevolence, religious activism, and legislative reform were enacted to meet the changed demographic landscape initiated by waves of new immigration from Europe. The tenor of religious worship shifted in mainstream and evangelical churches to reflect not only new ways of response to these changes, but new ideas of women as authoritative leaders in secular and religious institutions. Charismatic evangelical women influenced by an era of change …