Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Bodied: Who Does Society Think You Should Be?, Rachel Brown, Zoe Dybowski, Alexa Hunt, Brianna Karras

Spring 2023

It is no secret that society has constructed a high level of pressure surrounding the appearance of women’s bodies. In light of such pressures we have chosen to create a zine focused on issues regarding body image and the different ways in which society impacts women's bodies. Our goal is to raise awareness of how society's standards affect women and also empower those who are a part of the project. On the following pages you will find four sections highlighting a few main categories of which we have found there to be the significant presence of stigma and stereotypes: athletes, …

Women On The Silver Screen: A Look At The Various Roles Of Women Across Film Genres, Ryann Bahnline, Dimitar Donovski, Kelly Ryan, Emily Simon

Spring 2023

This Zine seeks to explore the various roles of women in several films across a multitude of genres and their significance, or lack thereof, in their respective films. Genres explored include romantic comedy, science fiction, action/adventure, and horror/thriller. Films often depict the state and views held by a society during its inception, either intentionally or subconsciously. Women have often been relegated to roles in films that affirm gender and cultural stereotypes.

Work It Women!, Megan Day, Brenna Arakelian, Emily King, Natalie Virgil

Spring 2023

“Work it Women!” covers various topics surrounding women in the workplace. The zine begins with a note from the authors, followed by a brief history of women in the workplace. Throughout the entire zine, there are historic facts, examples of successful women in the specific topics presented in the zine, and an overall theme of theme encouragement. The goal with this zine is to educate the reader on what women in the workplace experience, but not to discourage the reader from wanting to be a successful woman.

The Southern Baptist Convention’S Perception Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Compared To African American Pastors’ And Leaders’ Lived Experiences, Jeffrey J. Wallace

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The study of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is complex and multilayered. Similarly, the study of DEI within an ecclesiastical and ecumenical Christian movement like the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has its challenges. Challenges and tensions surrounding the SBC, relating to women's leadership issues, the infiltration of partisanship and politics in the pulpits, racial injustice flashpoint moments, and the lack of ethnic diversity in a crucial leadership position have impacted the overall lived experience of African American pastors and leaders. This phenomenological study explored the Southern Baptist Convention's perception of diversity, equity, and inclusion compared to African American pastors’ and …

Basketball Alumna Makes Harlem Globetrotters' Roster: From Rattler To Globetrotter, Brian Magloyoan

Black History at St. Mary's University - 2025 Collection

Arysia Porter is going from her studies and the St. Mary’s University hardwood to playing with the electrifying Harlem Globetrotters! After receiving a call to participate in a one-day tryout in Atlanta, Porter was selected along with four other women to join the Globetrotter roster. While this is a great achievement, Porter sees this as a great inspiration for other girls. During her time at St. Mary’s Porter held the record for the most points in a single game, as well as having earned a degree in criminology. Aside from being a Globetrotter, Porter she stays working in San Antonio …

Women: Radically Glorified, Oppressed, Or Set Free?, Easton Finger

Senior Honors Theses

A woman’s identity in society has often been debated, starting from the beginning of time. The answer to this identity question has been sought in systems ranging from oppression, slavery, radical feminism, and over-exaltation of power. This thesis suggests that the value of women and their role is not found in those systems but in the knowledge of their Creator. Two questions will be posed, including how women’s identity has been previously defined and can a woman’s identity be found in her Creator God. The history of women in biblical times will be reviewed, as well as how Christ valued …

The Women’S Committee Of The Council Of National Defense In Maryland, 1917-1918, Savannah Scott

Honors Projects

During World War I, the United States created the Women’s Committee of the Council of National Defense to organize and coordinate women’s war work. The Women’s Committee had a federalist structure of national, state, and local committees to organize the different levels of women’s societies in the country. This paper uses the Maryland Section of the Women’s Committee as a case study to argue how how the centralized organization of the Women’s Committee and its flexibility with the local committees led to more productive efforts at mobilizing women. It will expand on the formation and organization of the Maryland Women’s …

Women In Sustainable Leadership: A Case Study On The Perspectives, Opportunities, And Challenges Of Biologist And Conservationist Estrela Matilde, Ella Lyons

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Despite the relatively small population of 8,000 occupants and the minimal international recognition of the Island of Príncipe, located off of the Gulf of Guinea on the Western Coast of Central Africa, the region has increasingly become a leading example of sustainable practices to be taken on a global scale in the near future to combat our current climate crisis. This case study explores the sustainable practices that Príncipe has learned to embrace under the leadership of Portuguese conservation biologist and project manager for the NGO Fundação Príncipe, Estrela Matilde. Estrela integrates social, cultural, and environmental conservation to align with …

"Real Women Have Bodies": A Study In Adaptation, Madison Ephlin

Honors Projects

The art of adaptation is a difficult process, and is often hard to please general audiences that have a connection to the source material. As a student who studies both English Literature and Film Production, the question asked through this study is what does it take to write a “successful” adaptation? What qualifies as “successful”? How does an adaptation balance the themes, characterization, and plot of a piece of literature with the continuous momentum and visual complexity that the medium of film requires, all in 120 pages or less? This study engages with these questions by actively practicing adaptation, adapting …

Those Who Came Before Us: A Review Of Tell Her Story, Hannah Landman

Student Work

"Gupta’s book offers a refreshing look at women in ministry before, during, and after Jesus’s time on earth."

Posting about the book Tell Her Story from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/those-who-came-before-us-a-review-of-tell-her-story/

Review Of Political Invisibility And Mobilization: Women Against State Violence In Argentina, Yugoslavia, And Liberia, Marian Azab

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Social Media And Women Empowerment In Nigeria: A Study Of The #Breakthebias Campaign On Facebook, Deborah Osaro Omontese

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines how the March 2022 #BreakTheBias campaign on Facebook was used as an empowerment platform in Nigeria, where women experience gender disparity. Research on the role of social media in women’s empowerment in Nigeria is an area that has not been fully studied. Previous studies have looked at women’s empowerment mainly through an educational or political lens, neglecting how social media have also been effective in empowering women. Other researchers have studied how women utilize social media platforms for leisure, entertainment, and media sharing. In the present study, non-probability sampling was used to identify 20 posts that convey …

Teaching With And For Gender Equity, Katie Dineen

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

In this workshop, humanities educators will learn how to integrate primary sources, life stories, essays, and learning activities that center women’s voices, contributions, and experiences in their curricula and classrooms. Educators will pair provided resources to be meaningfully incorporated into existing humanities curricula, aiming to support students in recognizing their own agency, valuing diversity, and appreciating difference.

Torn Between The Real Me And The Social Me: Educated Women’S Perspectives Of Surviving Marital Abuse, Mayada A. Daibes, Reema R. Safadi

The Qualitative Report

The perspectives of educated women on surviving abusive marital relationships have not been adequately explored, thus implying a gap in the literature regarding the role of education in enhancing or mitigating the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV). In this context, the question is how do educated women perceive surviving abusive relationships? Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), using flexible semi-structured face-to-face interviews, was conducted to understand the experiences of eight highly educated women (master’s, Ph.D.) in abusive marriage. Four superordinate interrelated themes were developed: (a) developing an awareness of self-respect generating role confusion, (b) being torn between traditions and ambitions, (c) …

2023 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Essay/Art Contest, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

The Crown Of Loss, Zahra Taheri

Journal of International Women's Studies

In many patriarchal, Eastern cultures, marriage has been idealized and beautified as a means of escape for girls and young women. Marriage has been propagated as a way out of the restricted life girls often experience under the harsh surveillance of male family members, especially fathers and brothers. Hence, many Eastern cultures, particularly the more patriarchal and restricted ones, often witness the formation of the “Cinderella Complex” in girls. Many girls come to believe that marriage can help them realize their suppressed dreams. As a result, girls often focus on attracting male attention instead of focusing on cultivating their talents. …

Women In Cybersecurity: A Study Of The Digital Banking Sector In Bahrain, Adel Ismail Al-Alawi, Noora Ahmed Al-Khaja, Arpita Anshu Mehrotra

Journal of International Women's Studies

Cybersecurity is of utmost importance due to the sophisticated cyber-attacks occurring, mainly in the banking sector. Cybersecurity is considered a vital industry to protect and secure both the consumer and the owner. This study aims to examine and investigate women in the field of cybersecurity in the digitized banking sector. This study covers several factors that affect women's contributions in this field, including challenges and limitations, women in Fintech and ecosystem, women involved in digital transformation, women in applying cybersecurity management strategy, social and economic impacts, and skills and qualifications in the field of cybersecurity for banking. Most of the …

Modern Articulations Of Gender Parity: The ‘New Woman’ Debate In The British Victorian Era And The Modern Muslim World, Maha F. Habib

Journal of International Women's Studies

Within the ‘New Woman’ debates within the Victorian era in Britain and the modern Muslim world (the areas of the former Ottoman Empire), one can witness a powerful feminist consciousness and astounding consistencies in the quest for gender equality, despite the difference in religious traditions, contexts, and contingencies. The debates attest to a consistency in feminist goals and challenges across time and space. The challenges include: intimate and long-standing linkages between scriptural traditions and the social order; interpretative legacies on women and their ‘nature’ that solidified cultural understandings of gender; and the relationship of these legacies to structures of power, …

A Seat At The Table: Why The Seat You've Been Entrusted With Is More Vital Than The Position You're Entitled To, Donna Pisani

Doctor of Ministry

My NPO (The lack of understanding and framework of Biblical leadership as entrustment rather than an entitlement that empowers both genders to lead together has created a lack of female representation in strategic influence and leadership roles) was birthed out of my experience as a female in ministry for four decades leading with men, coupled with the lack of resources available to an upcoming generation of leaders. Through extensive research and interviews, the most viable solution that emerged was a published book written to empower a new generation of female leaders—one that addresses the theology of women in leadership with …

Cultural Factors Associated With Human Trafficking Of Girls And Women In Northern Tanzania: The Case Of Arusha Region, Rehema John Magesa

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Human trafficking is persistent in many regions of Tanzania despite different efforts to reduce the practice by the Government and other stakeholders. Girls and young women are more affected by this practice in violation of their human rights than men and boys. This study explored the cultural factors attributing to the trafficking of girls and women in Northern Tanzania. The study involved 400 girls and young women for a quantitative and qualitative study on cultural determinants of human trafficking. The study found the following cultural practices pushed girls and women towards situations in which they could be trafficked: female genital …

“Tell Them About The Dream Martin!”: The Retelling, Reframing, And Re-Examination Of The Civil Rights Movement Through A Black Feminist And Postmodern Lens, Damele Elliott-Hubbard

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This research seeks to explore the intersectionality of race, gender, and class that existed during the Civil Rights Movement, and the tensions that were a result of that intersectionality. This is accomplished through a re-examination of The Movement through a post-modern and Black feminist lens. Post-modern theorist Jean Francois Lyotard proposes the necessity of throwing off the grand narratives or metanarratives of well-known historical events, with the intention of creating micronarratives that depend heavily on the experiences of those who lived during those times. The aim of this research is to conduct a gendered study of the CRM, while investigating …

Performing Widowhood On The Early Modern English Stage, Asuka Kimura

Late Tudor and Stuart Drama

The deaths of husbands radically changed women's lives in the early modern period. While losing male protection, widows acquired rare opportunities for social and economic independence. Placed between death and life, female submissiveness and male audacity, chastity and sexual awareness, or tragedy and comedy, widows were highly problematic in early modern patriarchal society. They were also popular figures in the theater, arousing both male desire and anxiety. How did Shakespeare and his contemporaries represent them on the stage? What kind of costume, props, and gestures were employed? What influence did actors, spectators, and play-space have? This book offers a fresh …

No Lack Of Gain: A Biblical Theology Of Feminine Generosity, Jenny Zoë Huelsman

Master of Art Theology Thesis

This thesis traces a biblical theology of feminine generosity. The capable wife of Prov. 31:10–31 sets an Old Testament paradigm, which is inhabited and enlarged by women in the New Testament. The thesis considers the women who supported Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:1–3); the widow and her mites (Luke 21:1–4); Mary’s anointing of Jesus (John 12:1–8); and Tabitha caring for the widows (Acts 9:36–42). Throughout these profiles, a picture emerges of women who make essential contributions to the mission and work of Christ as agents of generosity that is derivative, expressive, contextual, intemperate, and Christocentric, always flowing from and returning to …

Suzanne Witthoff: Trailblazing At Wmu, University Libraries

East Campus Oral Histories

WMU Alum Suzanne Witthoff meets virtually with Cassie Kotrch over Zoom to discuss her time at WMU College of Business when it occupied East Campus. Suzanne shares memories and stories she has of her time at WMU in the 1960s.

Revolutionary Women, Fredgy Noël

Theses and Dissertations

Revolutionary Women is a five screen video installation that honors five women leaders of the Haitian Revolution that lasted from August 22, 1791- January 1, 1804. Women revolutionaries are almost non-existent in its historical documentation in spite of their important roles as fighters, military leaders, and spiritual guides. Revolutionary Women aims to fill this gap. It re-inserts these erased women into the history of the Revolution through telling the stories of Cécile Fatiman, Dédée Bazile, Marie-Jeanne Lamartinière, Victoria "Abdaraya Toya" Montou, and Sanite Bélair. The video installation takes an experimental mixed-media approach to tell their dynamic stories. The five screens …

Words On Screens: Women’S Names In Mobile Phone Contact Lists In Jordan, Ibrahim Darwish, Noora Abu Ain

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Arts مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للآداب

This study investigates how male Jordanians store the names of their female relatives in mobile phones contact lists. The source of the data is a small-scale survey of 90 male Jordanians from three equal age cohorts: young (18-35), middle-aged (36-49) and old (+50). The participants’ responses were coded in an excel sheet in which each token was coded for either [r] (real name) or [p] (pseudonym). Using Rbrul for quantitative analysis, the data were analysed within the framework of variationist sociolinguistics. The results show that male Jordanian city dwellers store the real names of their female relatives in mobile phone …

Bodies Of Women And Water, Emma Taylor

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

Some of the most powerful voices come from the throats of those who are silenced. Art is a way for those without power to wordlessly scream and demand a change. Whether it be through a paintbrush, clay, or the performance of the body, art becomes most powerful when informed by those advocating for justice.

Taiwanese Women In And Out Of The Workforce: Perceptions Of Working Mothers And Their Roles, Josie Coyle

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis explores how Taiwanese citizens perceive women in the workforce and at home, with a specific focus on how working mothers in Taiwan are perceived. The first section provides a literature review of perceptions of women in and out of the workforce in Taiwan and how policies surrounding maternity leave and breastfeeding can impact these perceptions. The second section will detail the findings of an original survey that asks the Taiwanese respondents their opinions regarding women in the workforce, division of labor in the home, breastfeeding, and gender roles. The data shows that there may be a greater level …

Decision-Making And Christianity: Black Queer Women's Mental Health, Deborah Coffy

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigated how Christianity affects Black queer women's decision-making regarding seeking mental health services. Those who felt they met the inclusion criteria completed a Basic Demographic Survey. After vetting these individuals, eleven female participants—who are both Black and queer—were asked to participate in an individual semi-structured qualitative interview. The interview focused on one's journey with mental health, societal and relationship influences, Black and LGBTQ+ identity, influences from conservative, traditional, or mainstream Christianity, and sense of self. Although Christianity may not have directly impacted most of the women in this study to seek mental health services, Christianity did have an …

17th Century Colonial Witchcraft: Before Salem, Andréa Diane Davis

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Within this thesis, I examine several historians who discussed the social, historical and political, and religious contexts of witchcraft accusations in 17th Century colonies, particularly in New England. Additionally, I take as my case study an examination of the Elizabeth Garlick case in 1657. Elizabeth Garlick lived in the Long Island town of what is today East Hampton. However, from the town’s beginning in 1649 until 1664, the half of Long Island settled by the English was considered part of the Connecticut Colony and submitted to all the laws and appurtenances thereof. Several historians have commented that despite its geographic …