Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

Is Women’S Studies Dead?, Marysia Zalewski

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article considers the recurring criticisms of Women’s Studies. The desire for the demise of Women’s Studies is not new yet recent demands for its end have come from Women’s Studies scholars themselves. I review the arguments for and against the termination of the field and, although the arguments against Women’s Studies are compelling, I argue for its continuation. This paradoxical conclusion is reached by reconsidering the “for and against” debates through Wendy Brown’s use of Jacques Derrida’s “spectre” and Walter Benjamin’s “angel of history.” Thus, despite the seduction of the discourse of conventional argumentation performed through the deconstructive critique …

Historical Perspectives On Violence Against Women, Vivian C. Fox

Journal of International Women's Studies

Three great bodies of thought have influenced western society’s views and treatment of women: Judeo-Christian religious ideas, Greek philosophy and the Common Law legal code. All three traditions have, by and large, assumed patriarchy as natural – that is male domination stemming from the view of male superiority. As part of the culture perpetuated by these ideologies, violence towards women was seen as a natural expression of male dominance. This paper contains three main themes. The first establishes patriarchy as an early pattern of military societies and the subsequent emergence of the Judeo-Christian, Greek and legal cultural paradigm as ideological …

Individual-Systemic Violence: Disabled Women’S Standpoint, Maria Barile

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article presents an insider reflection on questions of violence and women with disabilities. We explore reasons for the systemic omission of women with disabilities from mainstream research and from services addressing non-disabled women’s experiences. Several questions are postulated. Has segregation of women with disabilities from the mainstream rendered a large part of their experiences, including the experience of violence, invisible? Have misconceptions about the lives of women with disabilities contributed to exclusionary practices within the women’s movement?

This article further submits that violence against women with disabilities assumes many forms, both individual and systemic. It explores several factors, among …

How Was It For You? The Oligarchic Structure Of International Relations And Feminist Theory, Leonard A. Stone

Journal of International Women's Studies

It is my purpose to show that radical humanist and feminist theorising have much to offer each other. Central to this article’s thesis is the oligarchic structure of international relations; that is, a small, oligarchic clique of states exercising power in its own interests to the detriment of the overwhelming majority of the world’s population. The core position and borders of radical humanist theorising are examined, along with an assessment of some of the major the theoretical divergences between radical humanist and feminist theorising. Areas for theoretical alliance are also located which indicate the necessity of an inter-disciplinary approach that …

Book Review: Men And Gender Relations, Jane E. Prather

Journal of International Women's Studies

Review of Men and Gender Relations by Bob Pease

Who Will Empower The Better Half? Social Dynamics In Operation, Debabrata Lahiri, Santanu Mitra

Journal of International Women's Studies

In a game theoretic framework it can be argued that a gender sensitive institution is an offshoot of certain social conditions, which in most cases need to be acted upon by some anti-establishment catalytic agent. Given the fact that among about half of the population there is a need for such an institution, the main function of a catalytic agent is to engineer a conversion of that need into an active demand. In a society characterized by gender exploitation, catalytic agent can only come exogenously. For a sub-society it is easier to come across such an exogenous catalytic agent. The …

Public Health Implications Of The Declining Calcium Intake In Female Adolescents From A Nigerian University, Blessing Ogochukwu Agoreyo, Ifeyinwa Flossy Obuekwe

Journal of International Women's Studies

The importance of calcium for strong bones has long been recognized. It is now also known that adequate calcium intake helps reduce high blood pressure and lessens the symptoms of premenstrual tension as well as possibly protecting against bowel cancer. Over the last several decades, researchers have learnt a great deal about how a nutritionally balanced diet during childhood and adolescence works to prevent the onset of damaging adult diseases. One long – lasting effect of nutritional imbalance during adolescence is osteoporosis, a bone-crippling disease characterized by low bone mass and an increased bone fragility. Once recognized primarily as an …

Participation Of Rural Women In Development: A Case Study Of Tsheseng, Thintwa, And Makhalaneng Villages, South Africa, M. Kongolo, O. O. Bamgose

Journal of International Women's Studies

This study investigates factors which influence limited participation in the development process by women in South Africa’s rural areas. The influence of government development policy, education and cultural values on rural women was sought and investigated in this study. The results suggest that most women in rural areas are illiterate. They lack initiatives, innovations and self-reliance attitudes. Women in rural areas are isolated, confined and marginalized through the non-interactive government policies on rural areas. These symptoms reflect a lack of structured development strategy to create needed opportunities in these areas. As a result, there is a high rate of unemployment, …

Cooking Soup To Writing Papers: A Journey Through Gender, Society And Self, Zenobia Chan

Journal of International Women's Studies

This paper describes my roles as a housewife, previously, and a doctoral student, currently. It examines crossing the border from the family domain to the university domain from a gender perspective. When I was a housewife, I was stigmatised by society and without any prospects. As a doctoral student, I am considered a worthy woman and my life has been romanticized. The analogy of cooking soup represents my life as a housewife, while writing papers represents my life as a doctoral student. Describing this dramatic transition from seven years as a soup-cooking housewife, to a third-year, paper-writing, doctoral candidate, I …

In Her Husband’S Family: A Newly Wed Woman’S Expectations And Her New Family’S Attitudes In Rural Assam, India, Dilip K. Medhi

Journal of International Women's Studies

From the introduction:

Until recently, living in a joint family system was typical among Hindus and members of other religious groups in India. Living in an extended joint family was also a common practice. However, joint family groups and extended joint family living are now relatively rare, due to India’s economic and social developments over the past four decades or so. Currently, the most common family arrangement is that of the nuclear family, comprised of a father, mother and their children. In rural areas, this nuclear family unit operates within a number of more traditional expectations and arrangements, however. Within …

Feminisms And Cross-Ideological Feminist Social Research: Standpoint, Situatedness And Positionality – Developing Cross-Ideological Feminist Research, Myfanwy Franks

Journal of International Women's Studies

When we consider the different cultural spaces in which feminist social researchers might be carrying out empirical research the nature of ‘feminist social research’ becomes difficult to define. The issue becomes even more complex when we consider the multiple standpoints, contexts and positionalities of different kinds of feminists from diverse backgrounds, both secular and religious. There cannot be a blanket universal agreement between feminists from different ideological positions regarding appropriate subjects and methodologies for research. Nevertheless, the writer concludes that through a pragmatic feminist approach, exemplified by working in a situated way with the materials that are available, we can …

The Trademark Of A Trend Setter: An Interview With Czech Feminist Writer And Environmentalist Eva Hauserová, Madelaine Hron, Eva Hauserová

Journal of International Women's Studies

I had long known of Eva Hauserová – major Czech feminist writer and founding figure of the Gender Studies Center in Prague. I met her personally for the first time at party she gave in Prague in spring 2001, certainly one of the most delightful get-togethers I enjoyed while I was there: it was a “kiddie” party, and we (a number of well-known writers and scholars) were to dress up like kids, eat snacks and play children’s games. I was immediately enchanted by Eva’s wit, her artistic and literary talent, as well as her lucid understanding of Czech politics and …

The Secrets Of Self-Starvation, Zenobia C. Y. Chan, Joyce L. C. Ma

Journal of International Women's Studies

This is a single case study for which a life history approach was adopted. The informant, a patient suffering from anorexia nervosa (AN), was specifically selected because of her particular circumstances. Three themes emerged from her narrative that accounted for self-starvation: saving money, reserving food and competing for slenderness. The paper explores these themes and closes by emphasizing the necessity of understanding the sensitive and untold story of a patient’s self-starvation in her cultural-familial context.

Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behavior Of Adolescent Girls In Suburban Districts Of Tehran About Dysmenorrhea And Menstrual Hygiene, Mohammad Poureslami, Farzaneh Osati-Ashtiani

Journal of International Women's Studies

The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and health-taking behavior of female students ages 15-18 years old in regard to dysmenorrhea and menstrual hygiene in suburban districts of Tehran, the capital of Iran. The study applied a descriptive, cross-sectional method, in which 250 students were selected at random, using a cluster random sampling method. The data was collected by applying a 44-item questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was checked by the Chronbach-Alpha method, showing a correlation of 90 percent. Seventy-seven percent of the subjects claimed that they had enough knowledge about dysmenorrhea, from …

Maternal Instinct, Tara Pearson

Journal of International Women's Studies

No abstract provided.

Determinants Of Living Arrangements Of Lesotho’S Elderly Female Population, Chuks J. Mba

Journal of International Women's Studies

The paper addresses the demographic and socioeconomic correlates of living arrangements of women aged 60 years and over in Lesotho using the 1996 Census of Lesotho data file. Simple cross-tabular and multivariate techniques are applied to the household distribution of the census. The results show that a majority of elderly women in the country are widows, live in the rural areas, have had little education, and dwell in extended family households of which a significant proportion of them are the head. The findings further indicate that the age of the women’s surviving children, and advancing age of the elderly themselves …

Using Film To Teach Women’S Studies Courses: A Teaching Aid Recommendation, Diane Kholos Wysocki

Journal of International Women's Studies

Film review of “What a Girl Wants” (Produced by Elizabeth Massie, ©2000).

The Black Power Movement In Trinidad: An Exploration Of Gender And Cultural Changes And The Development Of A Feminist Consciousness, Victoria Pasley

Journal of International Women's Studies

In February 1970 the Black Power movement in Trinidad exploded as thousands of young people took to the streets in massive demonstrations that rocked the island. The government responded by arresting activists and ultimately declaring a state of emergency. At the same time a group of young army officers, sympathetic to the Black Power movement, mutinied. Prime Minister Eric Williams and the People’s National Movement (PNM) government emerged from the uprising, severely shaken but still with a firm grip on powers. Women played an active role in the demonstrations and within the activist groups that were a part of the …

Returns To Native Lands, Reclaiming The Other’S Language: Kincaid And Danticat, Gerise Herndon

Journal of International Women's Studies

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Mental Health Of Indian Women – A Feminist Agenda, G. Asha

Journal of International Women's Studies

Review of Mental Health of Indian Women – a Feminist Agenda by Bhargavi V. Davar

Feminism, Nationalism, And War: The ‘Yugoslav Case’ In Feminist Texts, Jelena Batinic

Journal of International Women's Studies

From the Introduction:

This paper presents a study of feminist representations of the situation in the former Yugoslavia. I have decided to look at feminist textsvthat were generated in response to the wars in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, which appeared in both the feminist popular press and scholarly publications in English. By focusing on the ideological plane, seen in terms of narrative structures available for speaking and perceiving one’s experience, I seek to examine the feminist representation of the conflict of Yugoslav nationalisms and within Yugoslav feminism itself. Narratives are produced in the space where various discourses transpire, compete, …

Women And Poverty: The South African Experience, Johanna Kehler

Journal of International Women's Studies

Introduction:

A lot has been said, done and published on the topic of women and poverty. This article will first provide a short introductory outline of poverty and the feminisation thereof. Secondly, the article will explore the problems regarding women and poverty in the South African context. Emphasis will be given to rural women and women on farms, as two of the most marginalised groups of women in South Africa.

South Africa, in the midst of transformation, is struggling to overcome the burden of race, class and gender-based inequality inherited during the periods of colonialism and Apartheid. The main goals …

Actions Speak Louder: Women In Caribbean Documentaries Of Everyday Life, Ian Craig

Journal of International Women's Studies

Introduction:

This paper focuses particularly on two recent documentaries of everyday life featuring Haitian women, Claudette Coulanges’s Chercher la vie and Rigoberto López’s Puerto Príncipe mío. The contribution of these works to the existing corpus of documentaries on Haiti is assessed. Gender differences in patterns of discourse and activity are analysed in order to clarify the social situation of women in contemporary Port-au-Prince. The films corroborate other cited evidence that women are the backbone of Haitian daily life, sustaining activity in market places, the factory floor and the home. However, their discourse and activities suggest that their constant struggle …

Migration And Cultural Change: A Role For Gender And Social Networks?, Sara R. Curran, Abigail C. Saguy

Journal of International Women's Studies

From the Introduction:

To incorporate the insights from the literature on gender and migration, we focus upon three key concepts that have emerged regarding the role of social networks, households, and communities for affecting migration processes. The three key concepts we interrogate are: “social embeddedness” (Portes and Sensenbrenner 1993), “circular and cumulative causation” (Massey 1990), and “relative deprivation” (Stark 1991). We propose considering these three concepts through the lens of a third area of research, the sociology of culture, and we draw upon ideas about identity formation, trust, and normative expectations. Our empirical examples come primarily from Thailand where we …

Russian Women: Living In History’S Shadow, Angela Brintlinger, Steven Conn

Journal of International Women's Studies

From the Essay:

There has never been one “woman question” in Russia, but rather many. During an extended stay in St. Petersburg in the summer of 1999, we attended a conference on women’s issues and interviewed a number of women from all over Russia, trying to ascertain for ourselves the state of the “woman question” in post-Soviet Russia. In our conversations with women, it became clear that as some test the new economic and political waters, as others see their future in the traditions of the Orthodox church, and still others feel ill-positioned to succeed in the new Russia, the …

The Geopolitics Of Race: Women From Palestine, Israel, Northern Ireland And The Republic Of Ireland Meet, Elise G. Young

Journal of International Women's Studies

There are six sections to this paper. I begin by introducing the history and goals of The Global Women’s History Project and the Inaugural Conference reviewed in this paper. Second, I introduce the central theme of the paper, the geo-politics of race, and discuss the relevance of this theme to the outcome of the conference. Third, I explain my use of the term race. In the fourth section I introduce excerpts from delegates’ talks expanding on the areas of challenge to coalition building- race, class, and taking responsibility for history- as well as documenting the successes of coalition building. Section …

Book Review: A Natural History Of Rape: Biological Bases Of Sexual Coercion, Susan Hansen

Journal of International Women's Studies

Review of A Natural History of Rape: Biological Bases of Sexual Coercion by Randy Thornhill and Craig T. Palmer

Lies, Damn Lies And Public Protection: Corporate Responsibility And Breast Cancer Activism, Laura Potts

Journal of International Women's Studies

Introduction:

The first world conference on breast cancer, held in Kingston, Ontario, in July 1997, provided a unique opportunity for activists, concerned about the possible links between breast cancer and the environment, to share their concerns in an international forum, with oncologists, radiologists, epidemiologists, survivors and alternative therapists. It also clearly exposed the fracture lines between competing discourses of risk and responsibility, between groups charged with a duty to protect and to care - health professionals, epidemiologists, statutory bodies, and those taking on those duties - generally activists, from environmental, feminist and survivor groups. These lines were even more clearly …

Empowering Women In Rural Bangladesh: Impact Of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee’S (Brac’S) Programme, Dilruba Banu, Fehmin Farashuddin, Altaf Hossain, Shahnuj Akter

Journal of International Women's Studies

From the Introduction:

Literally, ‘empowerment’ is seen to relate to the user’s power. It involves undoing negative social constructions, so that the people affected can perceive themselves as having the capacity and the right to act and have influence (Rowlands, 1995:102). Rao and Kelleher (1995:70) define women’s empowerment as “the capacity of women to be economically self-sufficient and self-reliant with control over decisions affecting their life options and freedom from violence”. In the existing socio-cultural milieu of Bangladesh, embodied within the phrase of ‘empowerment’ is the concept of change. The development activities of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) in Bangladesh lead empowerment …

Literacy, Womanism And Struggle: Reflections On The Practices Of An African Woman, Nombuso Dlamini

Journal of International Women's Studies

From the Essay:

As I begin writing about the importance of, and interconnections among literacy, womanism and struggle, I feel myself drawn enthusiastically to treasured memories of my mother’s life and the influence she has had in shaping my theoretical and professional undertakings. Going back into my childhood, I can surely categorize my mother then as having been a literacy worker as she taught at an elementary school, a womanist because of her concern for and actions about issues of women equity, and a political activist because of her struggles against apartheid. My interest here is in tracing a …