Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

The Circle Of Empowerment: The Nzinga Group's Approach To Empowering Afro-Brazilian Adolescent Girls And Women Through The Cultural Tradition Of Capoeira Angola, Sofia Stafford

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Around the world gender and racial inequality leads to lower levels of empowerment related to self-esteem, autonomy, and self-confidence. These difficulties are exacerbated for girls and women who are faced with overcoming the double-stigmatization of being both black and female. However, Afro- Brazilian girls and women, when given the tools and support to empower themselves will empower their communities. Through a mixed-method approach of participatory research, observations, and nine interviews, this paper explores how the tradition of Capoeira Angola and specifically the roda, empowers Afro-Brazilian girls and women. More specifically, I examine how, through Capoeira, the process of “empowerment” can …

The Justice-Seeking Power Of Women Who Experience Sexual Violence In Uganda, Caren Holmes

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This six-week study explores the justice-seeking power of women who have experienced sexual violence in Uganda, by examining a diversity of avenues used to pursue justice. The research includes three unique case studies: examining (1) the formal prosecution system in the rural, eastern region of Kapchorwa, (2) the internal judiciary framework within Makerere University and (3) the unique alternative projects being brought forward by FIDA Uganda in post-conflict Gulu and the greater Acholi regions. The study looks to understand and evaluate each of the frameworks for justice considering the extent to which they are able to serve survivors of sexual …

Giving A Voice To The Powerless: Participatory Monitoring & Evaluation As A Tool For Inclusive Development Through Microfinance, Evan T. Burke

Capstone Collection

The greatest experts on the situation of the marginalized peoples of the world are the marginalized communities themselves. This paper explores how participatory monitoring & evaluation can be a powerful tool for giving voices to marginalized communities, ensuring that the voices of beneficiaries and local stakeholders are heard and inform sustainable project design. It analyzes a participatory monitoring and evaluation methodology implemented for women’s credit cooperatives in Gujarat, India by the Human Development & Research Centre, and examines lessons to be learned to design evaluations facilitating inclusive development.

Strategies for the monitoring and evaluation of microfinance have evolved along with …

Social Identity-Based Threats To Human Security: Gender Practice In Sustainable Development And Conflict Transformation, Emma W. Buck

Capstone Collection

I seek to advocate for practitioners in conflict transformation and/or sustainable development to build awareness around the peoples who, according to the status afforded them by their identities within a social context, experience threats to their own sense of human security within situations of violent conflict and/or underdevelopment. This capstone does so by examining gender -- that is, the context-specific distinctions between men and women-- as a social context that influences an individual’s feelings of human security. The capstone then expands a practitioner’s means of addressing gender-based threats to human security in situ. I will first define and situate …

Microconsignment As Magic Or Sleight-Of-Hand: How Social Entrepreneurship Affects Women's Political And Economic Participation In Guatemala, Briana Bardos

Honors Scholar Theses

Much research has been done on increasing the amount of female participation in both the formal economy and political sphere across the globe. This project seeks to go beyond this idea and analyze whether economic empowerment leads to increased political participation. By analyzing a specific type of empowerment, social entrepreneurship, through the specific lens of Soluciones Comunitarias’ MicroConsignment Model, my paper looks to explore if and how women in Guatemala are affected by this model politically and economically. Existing work in the field of women’s social movements makes clear the linkage between social mobilization and positive outcomes, such as increased …

Poner Fin A La Violencia Hacia La Mujer: Estrategias Y Opiniones De Tres Organizaciones Feministas En Valparaíso, Chile, Hannah Neukrug

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Violence against women is a worldwide problem that affects about 1 in every 3 women in Chile (Ministerios del Interior y Seguridad Pública, 2013). In this study, I research the responses to this issue in Chile by asking the following questions: What strategies do some feminist organizations of the civil society in Valparaíso, Chile use in order to combat violence against women: Do you strategies include men? Why or why not? I hope to accomplish three objectives: outline the deep-rooted causes of violence against women and ways to combat these causes, define the forms in which some feminist organizations try …

The F Word: An Analysis Of The Perceptions And Performance Of Feminisms Amongst Five Black, Xhosa Women Living In Langa, Victoria Chigozie Akah

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This independent study project analyzes the perceptions and practice of feminisms amongst female township residents through a small-scale research project that involved interviewing a group of five women living in Langa as well as research on the development of feminist thought on the African continent and in South Africa. Some might say that the South African constitution is decidedly feminist with Section 9 of its constitution guaranteeing equality for all, regardless of gender or sex. Despite the development of feminist thought in South Africa, especially in “the Academy”, articles often hint at the skepticism feminism receives in Black, female spaces …

Women’S Work In A Rural Village: Realities, Motivations, And Satisfaction, Sierra Larson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

According to a United Nations report published in 2004, the remaining key challenge to women’s empowerment and gender equality is “women’s indifference to their own empowerment." [1] Initially I was interested in conducting my fieldwork on the state of women’s satisfaction with women’s rights and gender equality in Indonesia, as well as limits to greater equality. Before beginning my study, I spent time considering this declaration about women’s indifference as a potential barrier to greater empowerment and equality, as well as the biases inherent in the statement. I decided to not focus directly on women’s satisfaction with gender equality, since …

Women's Social Rights: Untapped Economic Potential, Monae S. Evans

Student Publications

This paper analyzes whether women’s social rights play a role in fostering higher levels of economic development. Prior development initiatives and economic policies failed to account for the productive capacities of women by discriminating against their basic rights to things such as an equitable education, equal inheritance, and marital rights. Applying the CIRI (Cingranelli-Richards Human Rights) dataset for women’s social rights, I found that improvements in these areas of human rights leads to significant increases in real GDP per capita, which highlights the need for development analysts and economists to focus their attention on countries’ most viable productive resource, women.

“I’Ve Taken My Own Power”: Insights Into Women’S Empowerment And Its Effectiveness In Different Ngos In Cape Town, Molly Willeford

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The research outlined in this study examines different views on women’s empowerment in Cape Town, South Africa. Although a new Constitution and a new democracy promises equal opportunities for men and women, vast inequalities can still be seen throughout most of the country, with the city of Cape Town being no exception. There are numerous non-government organizations in Cape Town, most working towards what they call “the empowerment of South African women.” But what does empowerment mean for the workers and volunteers within these NGOs? The three participants in this study all belong to different organizations in the Cape Town …

Child Marriage: Addressing The Challenges And Obstacles In The Post-2015 Agenda, Valeria Pelayo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study explores the progress of child marriage eradication over the last forty years in order to identify the weak points of implementation as well as how these are being incorporated in the post-2015 agenda. An assessment of current rates by geographic region and several other demographic factors is included along with future projections for these affected areas. The shortcomings identified include a lack of program evaluation, negligence towards married children, a shortage of data on sub-national legislation efficacy, and minimal attention paid to child marriage in the context of slavery and human trafficking. The scope of the problem is …

Postcolonial Disability In Mohesen Makhmalbaf’S Kandahar, Sukshma Vedere

Ray Browne Conference on Cultural and Critical Studies (2015-2021)

Kandahar (2001), an Iranian film directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, details the journey of the protagonist, Nafas, to Kandahar to save her sister from committing suicide on the day of the solar eclipse. The film has gained recent attention by disability studies scholars for the representation of disability in Afghanistan; scholars have discussed the significance of prosthetics and international aid for the disabled in post-war zones of the Third World, but little has been said about disability as a postcolonial embodiment. I argue that Kandahar represents the postcolonial state as a disabled space both literally and metaphorically. It projects the veil …

“I Am Not Free While [Anyone] Is Unfree”: A Proposal And Framework For Enmarginalized Feminist Policy Analysis, Avina Ross

Social Work Student Works

This paper introduces a new feminist approach and framework to policy analysis. As an integration of intersectionality, Black feminist thought and endarkened feminist epistemology, enmarginalized feminist policy analysis (EFPA) offers an intersectional and flexible scope in a framework to assess policy for a diversity of populations, focusing on groups who are forced to live marginal and oppressed lives. Discussion is provided on existing approaches and frameworks in addition to an overview of the theoretical underpinnings of EFPA. A nine-component framework, which includes a section for analyst reflexivity, is provided to guide users in conducting EFPA. The author concludes with implications …

How Law Shapes Experiences Of Parenthood For Same-Sex Couples, Nicholas K. Park, Emily Kazyak, Kathleen S. Slauson-Blevins

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) parents are increasingly common and visible, but they face a number of social and legal barriers in the United States. Using legal consciousness as a theoretical framework, we draw on data from 51 interviews with GLB parents in California and Nebraska to explore how laws impact experiences of parenthood. Specifically, we address how the legal context influences three domains: the methods used to become parents, decisions about where to live, and experiences of family recognition. Law and perception of the law make some pathways to parenthood difficult or unattainable depending on state of residence. Parents …

Privilege And Marginalization In Drag Communities In The United States, Dustin Satterfield

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Within the gay and lesbian community, there is a smaller community of drag performers. These entertainers make a performance of gender stereotypes. Non-male performers have observed that male privilege is reproduced in this community despite a hyper awareness of oppressions and gender status. Using an online questionnaire I examined male privilege and non-male marginalization in United States drag communities. I asked drag performers about their perceptions of themselves and their perceptions of other performers within their local drag communities. I find that self-perceptions of privilege are highest for male performers and self-perceptions of marginalization are higher for non-male performers. I …

The Marriage Market: The Mail-Order Bride Industry In The United States!, Penelope Burner

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The international bride market has generated more than 2 billion dollars in 2010 in the United States alone. The concept of a “mail-order bride” is one that dates back to the founding of the United States. Many people believe this practice to be antiquated, but with the addition of technology, this industry has become very prevalent in modern society. I will examine the effects the mail order bride industry has had on views regarding women in the United States, Asia and Europe and show how this industry still has relevance today. I will track the way this industry has shaped …

Accessing Canal Pride: The Intersection Of Identities For Lgbt People With Physical Disabilities At A Global Event, Margaret Webb

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research is the study of the intersection between queerness and disability within the context of Amsterdam Gay Pride, specifically the Canal Parade. The study examines the intersection between LGBT identity and physical disability at the event and in surrounding organization and events within the Amsterdam LGBT community. The primary research question was: how does Amsterdam Canal Pride’s accessibility affect both the positioning of the LGBT and disabled identifying community in Amsterdam and the relevance of the event as a place of activism and celebration? Five interviewees identifying as lesbian or gay, possessing a physical disability, participating in activism within …

Violence Against Women And Machismo A Research Study Of How Machismo Justifies Cases Of Violence Against Women And The Psychological Process That Influence Women To Remain In Abusive Relationships In The City Of Fortaleza, Rosa Cabrera

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research is a study on the phenomenon of violence against women that the city of Fortaleza is currently experiencing. Violence against women is an issue that is affecting women worldwide, however in the context of Fortaleza it has become extremely prominent. This study looks whether or not the socialization process of men and women influence rates of violence against women, if institutions are giving life to this violence, and how violence is manifesting in the lives of women in Fortaleza through the eyes of three professionals at Centro de Referencia, one professional at the Delegacia de Defesa da Mulher …

Fuera De La Casa En Búsqueda De Espacios Para Mujeres Jóvenes En Matagalpa / Outside The House Search Spaces For Young Women In Matagalpa, Brenna Bailey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In Matagalpa one can see many spaces that are for and dominated by men. At any age there are a multitude of activities available to them. And where are the women? Most likely they are in the house. In a crucial period of growth young women are restricted: to the house, by responsibilities young men do not have, and by the limitations placed on them by society. This investigation exposes some limitations and obstacles young women in Matagalpa are up against. It focuses on women already involved in organized activities; a futsal soccer team, a ballet school and a Christian …

Rough Hands: Family Conceptions Of Rural Morocco’S Agricultural Labor, A Case Study, Leah Kahler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Conceptions of success for people in any capitalist context are tangled with social hierarchies of work. The rural women of Morocco have been specifically singled out as the objects discourses about their domestic and agricultural work, agency, gender identity and role, and their use of private and public space ownership. This project will examine the justifications, conceptions, and satisfaction with rural-agricultural work in a small-scale family farm in Morocco’s Al Hoceima province. Using the case study approach, I will live with a family in Sidi Bouafif and work alongside the family for an eight-day fieldwork period. Through participant observation and …

Did One Veil Give Women A Better Life?, Mary C. Westermann

Student Publications

Unfortunately, a young woman in Renaissance Florence did not have many options for her future. A woman's family usually decided whether she would be able to get married or would have to enter the convent, but sometimes she was able to make this choice. In this paper, I look at the lives of wives and nuns to analyze how their lives differed in responsibilities and freedoms, but also to see how all women had similar restrictions and expectations placed upon them.

Attitudes Toward Motherhood Among Sexual Minority Women In The United States, Emily Kazyak, Nicholas Park, Julia Mcquillan, Arthur L. Greil

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

In this article, we use data from the National Survey of Fertility Barriers—a national, population-based telephone survey—to examine how sexual minority women construct and value motherhood. We analyze the small (N = 43) random sample of self-identified sexual minority women using “survey-driven narrative construction,” which entails converting the structured answers and open-ended responses for each respondent into narratives and identifying themes. We focused on both sexual minority women’s desires and intentions to parent and on the importance they place on motherhood. We found that there is considerable variation in this population. Many sexual minority women distinguish between having and raising …

Empowered For A Better Future: An Analysis Of Women’S Empowerment Through Gulu Women’S Economic Development And Globalization (Gwed-­‐G) Organization In Gulu, Uganda, Jessica Wightman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study aims to determine the motivating factors that women in Gulu District, Uganda have for joining empowerment programs, how their perception about their own empowerment has changed over time, and the role one non-­‐ governmental organization (NGO) has played in assisting in these women’s empowerment. Data was gathered through 12 personal, semi-­‐structured interviews with the assistance of a translator when necessary. Ten of the subjects currently participate in empowerment programs through Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalization (GWED-­‐G), a local NGO. The two remaining subjects are staff members at GWED-­‐G and served as key informants to this study. The …

Syrian Refugee Families’ Awareness Of The Health Risks Of Child Marriage And What Organizations Offer Or Plan In Order To Raise Awareness, Rachel Fowler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The hypothesis of the study assumes: If Syrian refugee families understood the health risks involved with child marriage and the severity of these risks, they would be less likely to choose to marry off their daughter under the age of 18. If these families had more health educational programs and had more access to these programs, these programs would influence their decision towards avoiding child marriage for their daughter(s).

According to UNICEF, one-third of registered marriages among Syrian refugees in Jordan between January and March 2014 involved girls under the age of 18. Child marriage puts girls at risk of …

Human Trafficking In Morocco: A Focus On Sub-Saharan Migrant Women, Ladarrien Gillette

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this study was to report on the situation of exploited and trafficked Sub-Saharan migrant women in Morocco. With the lack of legal framework to recognize or combat human trafficking my research focuses on the broader context of trafficking as a means to exploit mostly women in regards to sexual assault. Since the crime is not explicitly defined within Moroccan penal code there are no specific organizations dealing with survivors of trafficking but there are a few that indirectly address women migrants. The irregular situation of migrants in Morocco makes their involvement with being trafficked more complicated than …

Gender And Self-Representation In Maya Angelou's Autobiography I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings 2014, Jay-Nel Steitz

Master's Theses

A voice that has been silenced for so long has much to say. Whether still confined or set free, the statement applies equally to both. The silenced voice wants not only to tell his or her story, but to share the life experiences which in turn reveal the identities of these individuals. These silenced voices then are not those of the oppressors, but the oppressed; and when an oppressor wants to share his or her story, the oppressed wants to tell their side of it as well. How can those labeled the marginalized outcasts of society express their feelings and …

Sex-Trafficking In Cambodia: Assessing The Role Of Ngos In Rebuilding Cambodia, Katherine M. Wood

Senior Honors Theses

The anti-slavery and other freedom fighting movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries did not abolish all forms of slavery. Many forms of modern slavery thrive in countries all across the globe. The sex trafficking trade has intensified despite the advocacy of many human rights-based groups. Southeast Asia ranks very high in terms of the source, transit, and destination of sex trafficking. In particular, human trafficking of women and girls for the purpose of forced prostitution remains an increasing problem in Cambodia. Cambodia’s cultural traditions and the breakdown of law under the Khmer Rouge and Democratic Kampuchea have contributed to …

Challenges To Women In Political Leadership In Samoa, Kiki Martire

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Samoan women hold an integral and valued place within their families and communities. Despite this, Samoa continues to report some of the lowest representation of women in political office in the world. The newly instated Constitutional Amendment guaranteeing 10% of Parliamentary seats for women will bolster female political involvement in the upcoming 2016 elections. An investigation into the challenges that face women entering political leadership roles at the village and Parliamentary level will bring awareness to the struggles encountered by women and contribute to dismantling the barriers which stand against them. Fourteen female politicians and experts in the field were …

Coming Into Consciousness Women’S Empowerment Projects In Chinandega, Nicaragua, Brittany Wightman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Nicaraguan people are gridlocked into various oppressive hierarchies. Those who find themselves at the bottom of these hierarchies face what Paolo Freire calls “dehumanization”, because they are unable to engage in the inquiry and praxis of their realities. Through my independent study project, I address the hierarchical system of patriarchy in Nicaragua, and highlight the ways in which women empowering themselves are reclaiming their humanity through increasing consciousness. I was fortunate enough to work with two organizations in Chinandega: El Movimiento de Mujeres de Chinandega, and El Grupo Crecer. In working with these organizations I became immersed in the the …

Slachtofferhulp: An Analysis Of The Amsterdam Police Department’S Response To Lesbian Domestic Violence, Taylor Sczymecki

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This independent study project examines the role that the Amsterdam Police Department plays in the context of lesbian domestic violence. Amsterdam is a city well-known for its tolerant culture and large LGBT community, yet there is little to no discussion between the government, the police, and the citizens of Amsterdam. This article examines the taboos surrounding lesbian domestic violence, perceptions of how the police are handling such cases, and asks who should be initiating discussions. Although the research looks at lesbian domestic violence as a general topic, it looks specifically at the way the Amsterdam Police Department networks Roze in …