Digital Commons Network^™

Shepherding Sisters: Mentoring Within Residence Halls, Hallie Brenner

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

Shepherding Sisters is a ministry which seeks to connect upperclassmen with lowerclassmen within all-female residence halls in a mentoring relationship. In order for spiritual formation and spiritual friendship to take place in all-female residence halls, upperclassmen will be trained and equipped in order to shepherd their sisters in Christ.

‘Why Don’T You Just Marry A Farmer?’: Barriers And Challenges Experienced By Women Farm Owners In Georgia, Abby E. Green, Dan B. Croom, M'Randa R. Sandlin, Anna Scheyett

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This research explores the resilience of women farm owners in Georgia amidst societal gender inequality and discrimination. The study identifies barriers women face as farm owner-operators and strategies they use to overcome these obstacles. A two-stage interview process focused on participants’ life histories and reflections on their experiences. The study reveals significant challenges for women in farming, including gender discrimination, the knowledge required to farm, and the dichotomy between farming and home responsibilities. Gender discrimination is prevalent, with women having to prove their legitimacy as farmers. The need to acquire farming knowledge quickly was another significant barrier. The study aligns …

Community College Engineering Degree Partnerships With 4-Year Universities, Jeffrey Mark Stear

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing the number of STEM professionals and reducing inequities in STEM are national priorities. Community colleges are important to address these concerns because they represent a higher percentage of underrepresented minority (URM) and women students. However, students starting 4-year STEM degrees in community college have had a lower completion rate. Partnerships between community colleges and 4-year universities have the potential to improve success for community college students, but more research is necessary. The purpose of this ex post facto, quantitative, correlational study was to determine the relationships among participation in different types of partnerships between community colleges and 4-year universities, …

Exploring The Underlying Barriers For The Successful Transition For Women From Higher Education To Employment In Egypt: A Focus Group Study, Muhammad Qasim Rana, Shadia Fahim, Mohammed Saad, Angela Lee, Olugbenga Timo Oladinrin, Lekan Damilola Ojo

School of Art, Design and Architecture

Education is the foundation of culture and the engine of economies; it is an essential part of life. However, it remains inaccessible or unavailable in some parts of developing nations. Moreover, such barriers for girls and women can extend beyond education and into the workplace, and this is a bone of contention based on erroneous beliefs and other factors. Barriers for girls’ and women’s education are debatable in the literature; however, there is a sparsity of literature that focuses on the bridge to the workplace. Therefore, through a focus group study, this study explores the barriers that prohibit the transition …

From “The Coca-Cola Douche” To Embracing Pleasure: Media Representations And Irish Womens’ Lived Experiences Learning About Sexuality, Jaelynn Sutter, Taylon Mendenhall

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Media, for better or worse, is a powerful social influence that runs much deeper than the daily news. Our qualitative survey-based study focuses on how Irish women learn about and understand sexuality; our findings demonstrate the significant role media plays in this development. Specifically, our survey indicates the influence of the media in Irish women's lives as it leads to societal expectations. More than half of our participants cited media as an integral tool in learning about sexuality, including magazines, television, movies, novels, and the Internet. For some, media use in understanding their own identities opened the door to empowerment …

Indigenous And Tribal Women: Indian And Filipino Alangan-Mangyan Perspectives On Happiness, Hazel T. Biana, Melvin Jabar

Journal of International Women's Studies

Research on happiness focuses on urban dwellers, and studies done in rural areas leave much to be desired. Existing scholarship also overlooks how women’s economic and socio-cultural roles contribute to happiness levels in relation to health, education, and safety issues. To address such a gap, this study examines and evaluates the perspectives of indigenous and tribal women on happiness, specifically those who belong to Indian rural communities and Filipino AlanganMangyan indigenous peoples. We argue that while happiness is considered a mental state, it is still a very social concept. In other words, social forces may make or break one’s happiness. …

Best Laid Birth Plans: A Relational Analysis Of The Legal Rights Of Birthing People In Canada, Julianne Michelle Stevenson

LLM Theses

While it is trite law in Canada that patients have the right to make their own medical decisions, news reports, regulatory complaints, and civil claims indicate that this right is failing to translate to delivery rooms. This thesis examines the gaps between the legal rights of birthing people in Canada as they exist “on the books” and the way those rights are experienced, using the critical theory of Law in Action. Building on feminist critiques of the traditional liberal conception of autonomy, this thesis conceptualizes childbirth as an experience deeply embedded in relations to others and concludes that to close …

Watching The Fall Of Roe V Wade: Media Exposure Relates To Us Women's Alcohol Use Intentions, Stacy M Post, Mary C Jobe, Arianne N Malekzadeh, Katarina E Aubuchon, Rebecca K Hoffman, Michelle L Stock, Lisa Bowleg

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: The Supreme Court of the United States’ decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in June 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade and ended federal protection of abortion rights. Given the drastic policy changes as a result of the ruling and high exposure to media related to abortion, women opposed to the decision may have experienced distress, which could trigger maladaptive coping strategies, such as alcohol use. The present research examined how consuming abortion-related media in the weeks following the Dobbs decision impacted alcohol use intentions among women of reproductive age residing in the 13 “trigger law” states that …

Nigerian Women’S Participation In Politics: Historical And Social Acceptance Issues, Afolabi Olubela

African Social Science Review

Due to restrictive laws, cultural practices, institutional barriers, and disproportionate access to quality education, healthcare, and resources, women worldwide continue to be marginalized from the political sphere. There are multiple barriers that prevent women from taking their place within the political arena, including legal, political, and cultural constraints. Breaking down these barriers and creating opportunities for women calls for a collaborative effort among states, civil society, and the international community. This study adopted descriptive survey research design. Two hundred (200) respondents were randomly selected from three local government areas in Ogun State. These respondents comprise of a cross section of …

Understanding Complicated Grief, Resilience, And Coping Skills In African American Women: A Phenomenological Study, Gyna M. Grant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Complicated grief can have an impact on the resiliency and coping skills of African American women in ways that can be damaging in their daily life routines. Research studies have focused on the female population affected by complicated grief, but none of these studies have looked specifically at the African American female population. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences and resiliency of African American women coping with complicated grief following significant loss utilizing an open-ended survey. The population for this study was African American women, living in the southern areas of Connecticut, who …

Immigrant Women From Iran And Afghanistan In Sweden: Experiences Of Domestic Violence During The Covid Pandemic, Fatemeh Hamedanian

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This paper explores the firsthand experiences of immigrant women victims of domestic violence amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Sixteen Iranian and Afghan women residing in Sweden were interviewed. Their responses were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. An intersectional perspective was used to understand domestic violence among the immigrant women. The study found high levels of psychological violence and controlling behavior by the women’s partners. The harm was compounded by economic instability, the temporality of residency permits, and the limited access to support services. The intersectional analysis suggests that multiple factors in the midst of the pandemic increase the vulnerability of abused …

Interviews And Perspectives Among Community Members Working With Undocumented Female Border Crossers In The States Along The United States-Mexico Border, Melissa M. Frasco

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In order to discuss immigration in the context of the United States, we must dispel the myth that immigration is monolithic. Therefore, when we discuss national identity, gender equality, policy, employment rates, and countless other ordinary topics, we are discussing immigration, as it is embedded in our history and our future. The goal of my research is to delineate the experiences of violence that female border crossers undergo in the process of crossing into the United States via the southernmost border. The data collection process involved four semi-structured interviews to collect oral histories from workers at community-based organizations. These organizations …

Exploring Women’S Education And Employment Opportunities In India, Syria, And The Philippines, Emma R. Sarcol, Ines Coutinho, Elle Maguire, Helen C. Collins, Patricia A. Jolliffe Dr

The Qualitative Report

The implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 marked a new chapter in global development and laid the foundations for addressing inequalities that hinder holistic progress. However, gender gaps pose a significant threat to achieving these goals. Project DREAM (Developing Resilience, Education, Aspiration, and Motivation) sought to explore women’s sense of aspiration, achievement, and lived experience in India, Syria, and the Philippines, as well as develop pilot interventions to address gender disparities. Semi-structured interviews with 69 young women from India, Syria, and the Philippines informed the development of three interventions, namely an aspiration and job skills workshop …

Reproductive Justice At Work: Employment Law After Dobbs V. Jackson Women’S Health Organization, Laura T. Kessler

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

In June 2022, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, landmark decisions which held that the U.S. Constitution protected a right to abortion prior to fetal viability. Overnight, about 64 million American women of childbearing age potentially lost the right to decide what happens in their own bodies. In the two years since the decision, seventeen states have made most or all abortions illegal, with the fight over abortion still taking place in state and federal courts. Experts across fields have explored the decision's effects on health, economic …

Ua19/16/2 Tennis Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and match statistics for WKU tennis team in 2024.

Ua19/16/2 Softball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU softball team in 2024.

Ua19/16/2 Volleyball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and game statistics for WKU volleyball team in 2024.

Ua19/16/2 Track & Field Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases and match statistics for WKU track & field team in 2024.

Escaping The Peripherality: Local Experiences Of The Us Military Presence In Northeast Thailand, Wipawee Srifa

CGU Theses & Dissertations

From 1964 to 1976, the United States military deployed troops to Thailand as part of its strategic operations during the Vietnam War. Most of these military personnel were stationed in Isan, a northeastern region of Thailand, due to its proximity to key bombing targets in Indochina. Historically, Isan was affiliated with Laos and was assimilated into Thai governance in the late eighteenth century. Until the 1950s, most of Isan’s population resided in rural, agricultural communities and were politically, economically, and culturally marginalized by mainstream Thai society. The Thai state’s internal colonization exacerbated socioeconomic disparities for Isan peasants, severely restricting avenues …

What Are We Waiting For? A Collection Of Poems And Essays About Family, Love, Loss, Time, And Hope, Right/Write To Heal, Skye Adams, D W, N L, D G, Jillian Foley, Madison Burke, Erica King, Becky Wurwarg

Justice Policy

This anthology is a collaboration with the Opportunity Scholars project and the Right/Write to Heal Initiative. The collection tells the stories of women and their families who have been impacted by incarceration in Maine and New York, the pathways that brought them to justice system involvement, and what inspires them to remain hopeful. These stories of family, love, loss, time, and hope were written by residents at the Southern Maine Women’s Reentry Center and the Women’s Center at the Maine Correctional Center, and partners from New York who participated in a weekly creative writing project together. The authors and editors …

Who Can You Count On? Banking While Female: Money, Community, And Self-Help, Leena Haider

Gaines Fellow Senior Theses

This ethnohistorical study explores how women’s creation and participation in financial systems allow them to find the economic prosperity and build community ties which they are entitled to. Because when facts or figures may not appeal to everyone, stories can. This paper is divided into four sections: In the first section, "Contextual Background," I delve into the historical and anthropological context of ROSCAs, exploring their origins, cultural significance, and economic functions across diverse societies in the Global South, before focusing on the diasporic usage of ROSCAs among immigrant communities. The second section, "Portraits of Women from Oral Histories," presents written …

Moral Panic And The First Amendment, Michael L. Smith

Faculty Articles

Debates over free speech in the United States frequently see advocates of strong, broad protections at odds with those who argue that unfettered free speech tends to harm society's most vulnerable. Free speech advocates invoke the marketplace of ideas and argue that the antidote to false or harmful speech is more speech. In response, critics contend that speech itself causes harm and chills counter-speech effectively excluding marginalized groups, including women and LGBTQ people, from discourse altogether. These critics support limitations on robust free speech doctrine targeting speech that harms marginalized communities.

This Article identifies a significant wrinkle in this narrative: …

The Art Of Re-Presenting : Power And Agency For Black Women Amid Trauma, Oppression And Everyday Life, Diane Carol Vermette

Wayne State University Theses

In this thesis, the work and lives of seven Black American women artists who created artwork in the twentieth century are explored to discover how they have used their work to represent Black women in America. Using four critical concepts: Double Consciousness, First, Second, and Third Wave Feminism, Black Feminist Thought, and Intersectionality, several critical questions are answered in order to discover the historical and social context in which they worked and how this affected their ability to reflect the lives, struggles, hopes, and identities of themselves and other Black women. Using the word re-presenting as a signifier of how …

Does Hookup Culture Silence Women?, Kylee Rose Rock

Honors Theses and Capstones

The issue of hookup culture on college campuses is of concern to many feminist scholars, given the alarming rates of sexual assault and unsafe sexual experiences in the college setting. This essay argues that hookup culture has the ability to silence women by means of the social landscape which college-aged adults find themselves in today. Further, this essay examines the social experiences of young women on college campuses, and advocates for a change in social habits and scripts through reconsidering our approach to the anti-porn movement in today’s modern culture. Drawing upon literature from Rae Langton’s work, "Speech Acts and …

Exploring African American Female Students' Choice Of Stem Major At Rust College, Shatara Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In comparison to the rest of the United States population, African American women are undeniably inadequately represented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As one of the oldest historically black colleges in Mississippi, Rust College has the social responsibility to increase the presence and contributions of minorities in STEM. Since the enrollment of African American females is greater than that of African American males at Rust College, the college has the fortuity to assist in increasing the diversity in STEM for both race and gender. This DIP utilizes Intersectionality Theory as the conceptual foundation to explore …

A Litany For Survival: Exploring Activism, Feminism, And Collective Identity In Women's Movements In Pakistan, Nida Zehra

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Beginning from the history of women's activism and movements in Pakistan, to how differing forms of activism between the old and young generations are shaping the women's movement, this thesis sheds light on the Aurat (Woman) March in Pakistan, that first began in 2018 as an occasion to celebrate International Women's Day, that has heralded a fourth wave of feminism, began a new form of activism, and has been seen as a continuation of the women’s movement in modern-day Pakistan. My research studies its dynamics and the young Pakistani movement actors of today. It analyzes interviews of Aurat March participants …

Shinners, Alexis E. Mabry

Theses and Dissertations

Shinners is a project that aims to examine the position of women in subcultures and capture conversations of women in subcultural sports. Within feminism, sociological constructs, campy horror, and personal experience I am manifesting the physical and mental obstacles faced in the subcultural sport of Bicycle Motocross (BMX) through photography, painting, collage, video, and sculpture. I interpret images posted to social media of injuries obtained while riding BMX as forms of empowerment, bodily gore as extreme evidence of participation, performative violence, valorizing the understanding of both the physical and psychological pain of failure, and the use of failure as a …

Vote Like A Man, Act Like A Woman: An Exploratory Analysis Of The Political Behavior Of Contemporary American Conservative Women, Alex Hawkins

Masters Theses

This article seeks to establish a baseline for the political behavior and participation levels of Republican women by measuring six political activities. Using CCES 2020 self-selected survey data, the six political activities measured were: made a political donation, attended a march or protest, attended a political meeting, worked on a campaign, contacted a public official, displayed political signage. The political behavior and participation levels of Republican women were compared to the levels of Republican men and non-Republican women. This comparison was established to provide further insight into the political behaviors of Republican women, including the relationship between gender and partisanship …

Ideals Of Benevolence, Acts Of Dysconsciousness: White Women's Pursuit Of Diversity In Nonprofits, Tessa A. Fulmer

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Recent political movements such as the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements have brought renewed attention to the social roles of White women and their unique position of intersectional privilege and oppression. White women experience the benefits of whiteness while simultaneously experiencing the gendered oppression of womanhood. However, there is a lack of research exploring how White women conceptualize and respond to their own positionality as both White individuals and as women. This study utilizes constructivist grounded theory to examine how White women navigate their social location within the context of working in the nonprofit sector, a space wherein White …

The Power Of Her Voice: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study Exploring The Career Experiences Of Women Middle-Level Leaders, Cynthia Mako Robinson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study provides a vital contribution to the discourse on women’s career trajectories by amplifying the often-overlooked experiences of women middle-level leaders. Positioned at the intersection of strategic and operational functions, these leaders play a vital role in organizations—developing and motivating employees, driving change, and serving as relationship managers and key connectors to senior leadership. Employing an interpretative phenomenological approach, this study explores the lived experiences of 15 accomplished women middle-level leaders, each with over 15 years of service across private, public, and nonprofit sectors in the United States. Grounded in relational-cultural theory (RCT), career theory, positive work relationships, and …