Women's Studies Commons^™

Livelihoods, Security And Needs: Gender Relations And Land Reform In South Africa, Susie Jacobs

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article focuses on the land reform programme in South Africa as well as on broader questions of rural women’s needs. It draws on interviews with 47 key informants, drawn particularly from the NGO sector, carried out in 2002 and 2003. It examines the importance of ‘land’ compared with wider issues such as personal and bodily security. Despite some encouraging state initiatives, most informants felt that poorer rural women remained marginalized within the land reform programme and more generally. Needs for independent income, health, and personal security were emphasised, with secure access to land seen as potentially beneficial although not …

Socio-Cultural, Environmental And Health Challenges Facing Women And Children Living Near The Borders Between Afghanistan, Iran And Pakistan (Aip Region), Iraj M. Poureslami, David R. Maclean, Jerry Spiegel, Annalee Yassi

Journal of International Women's Studies

For hundreds of years, people in the AIP region (the Afghanistan-Iran-Pakistan borders) have been challenged by conflict and political and civil instability, mass displacement, human rights abuses, drought and famine. Given this sad history, it not surprising that in this region health and quality of life of vulnerable groups are among the worst in the world. In spite of national and international efforts to improve health status of vulnerable populations in this region, the key underlying socio-cultural determinants of health and disparities, i.e. gender, language, ethnicity, residential status, and socio-economic status (SES), have not been addressed or even systematically studied, …

The Interrelationship Between Gender-Based Violence And Hiv/Aids In South Africa, Chineze J. Onyejekwe

Journal of International Women's Studies

This paper focuses on how gender-based violence intersects with HIV/AIDS in ways too devastating to be ignored. Women’s subordinate position is linked to poverty, sexual abuse/rape, and the risk to women in long-term union. The country’s pioneering steps to establish legal and judicial frameworks for dealing with these problems are discussed.

Investigating The Dilemmas Of Ethical Social Research, Helen Johnson

Journal of International Women's Studies

The author’s work with a university ethics committee and field research in Pacific New Caledonia is used as a basis to problematise the biomedical research models used by universities in Australia for assessing social research as ethical. The article explores how culturally specific Western emotional bases for ethical decisions are often unexamined. It expresses concerns about gaps in biomedical models by linking the author’s description of field interactions with research participants to debates about the creation of knowledge.

A Cross-Cultural Test Of Nancy Jay’S Theory About Women, Sacrificial Blood And Religious Participation, Virginia S. Fink

Journal of International Women's Studies

I examine the theoretical insights of Nancy Jay’s 1992 investigation of patrilineal sacrificial rituals and their role in the restriction of women in religious rituals. I use the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample, a representative sample of preindustrial societies, to test the strength of patrilineality and other factors identified as subordinating women in preindustrial societies. A societal pattern of male inheritance of property and patrilineal descent are the strongest predictors of women being restricted or excluded from major public religious rituals. The implications of this pattern for modern societies are discussed.

Portraits Of Believers: Ahmadi Women Performing Faith In The Diaspora, Huma Ahmed-Ghosh

Journal of International Women's Studies

This paper is a look at how South Asian Ahmadi women in Southern California express their agency through their religious performance in the diaspora. This paper also tries to dispel the notion of a homogenized Muslim people and an Islamic faith in the USA. Western feminist work reflects diverse women’s lives and experiences. A study of immigrant women who organize their lives along ethnic (South Asian) and religious (Islam/Ahmadiyyat) prescriptions will contribute to western feminism by expanding its scope, while at the same time challenging its perceived static hegemonic status. Ahmadi women, while cognizant of the gender hierarchy and the …

Grassroots Participation And Feminist Gender Identities: A Case Study Of Women From The Popular Sector In Metropolitan Lima, Peru, Beatriz Padilla

Journal of International Women's Studies

As women become active in grassroots organizations, they assume gender consciousness that generally leads them to adopt or experience “feminist gender identities,” which is illustrated with ethnographic material collected in Lima, Peru. I also provide a summary of the latest historical development in Peru as a framework to locate the activism of poor women as a new phenomenon arising with the “globalization crises” or the Lost Decade for Latin America. While I frame the study of women’s participation as part of social movement theory, I challenge and re-interpret traditional approaches to the study of women’s involvement and activities.

Gender Based Violence In India: A Never-Ending Phenomenon, B. R. Sharma, Manisha Gupta

Journal of International Women's Studies

Religion, customs, age-old prejudices, etc. have put Indian women in a subservient and exploitable position in many domains of life. Low rates of participation in education, lack of economic independence, value biases operating against them, etc., have resulted in the women being dependent on men folk and other institutions of authority like the family, neighborhood and the society. They are usually ignorant of their rights and even if they are not, they do not have easy access to justice.

The issues related to women are being raised and discussed in various fora, in the recent times. Of these, ‘violence against …

Has Affirmative Action Reached South African Women?, V. Naidoo, M. Kongolo

Journal of International Women's Studies

South Africa has unfortunately inherited a work environment based on an economic system characterised by deprivation, political instability, adversarial labour relations, cheap migrant labour, and massive income and wealth disparities. The world of work is also characterised by an appalling systematic discrimination against Blacks, women, and people with disabilities. Affirmative action has been the only policy instrument used by the Democratic South Africa to redress the past imbalances. In line with the Employment Equity Act No. 55 of 1998, the beneficiaries of this action are mainly African women (Blacks, Coloured, and Indians including disabled people). This has been justified by …

Female Workers In Japan: Opportunities & Challenges, Rajindar K. Koshal, Yuko Yamada, Sasuke Miyazima, Manjulika Kosha, Ashok K. Gupta

Journal of International Women's Studies

This study is based on a survey of male and female workers in organizations in and around Nagoya, Japan. It provides insights into gender issues within Japanese business organizations. The study finds that the female managers in Japan assess the managerial skills of women more positively than do their male counterparts. Business organizations in Japan are male-dominated and little is done to help women fit into the business culture. This is especially true when one considers the number of females in management ranks. Female workers in Japanese businesses perceive that they make many positive contributions to the workplace, such as …

Institutionalized Powerlessness In Context: The Static And Dynamic Nature Of Women’S Status In Rural Bangladesh, Akiko Nosaka, Bradford W. Andrews

Journal of International Women's Studies

Understanding the institutional structures surrounding the social status of women is an important topic in studies of gender and inter-generational relationships. This article uses exchange theory to examine the status and familial interactions of women in rural Bangladesh throughout their lives. Overall, their status today remains low but it does fluctuate according to a highly institutionalized pattern of family-based social expectations. Furthermore, this article shows that although the institutions defining a woman’s status appear to be stable, they are also changing because of the society’s exposure to recent worldwide advances in family planning and health care.

Book Review: Clinical Aspects Of Sexual Harassment And Gender Discrimination- Psychological Consequences And Treatment Interventions, G. Asha

Journal of International Women's Studies

Review of Clinical Aspects of Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination- Psychological Consequences and Treatment Interventions by Sharyn Ann Lenhart

Review Of Play Like A Man, Win Like A Woman: What Men Know About Success That Women Need To Learn By Gail Evans., Amy Lee Andreassen

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

In her book, Evans, now retired, attempted to define the "unwritten rules" in business. Her premise is that to get ahead in today's corporate environment, women need to understand and "play" by the rules written by men. Evans believes in the bottom line, "When it comes to business, most women are at a disadvantage. We're forced to guess, to improvise, to bluff. That is why so few of us play the game well, and even fewer find it fulfilling" (p. 7).

Journal O/Women In Educational Leadership, Vol. 2, No. 4--October 2004

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

No abstract provided.

Seeking Coherence And Integrity: Personal And Professional Demands And Expectations Of Senior Women Professors, Florence A. Hamrick, Mimi Benjamin

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

This study of 26 senior women professors at a large research university suggests that, while their negotiation of professional and personal commitments involved calculated balancing acts and strategies, they primarily described searches for integrity and coherence in life. More effective personal management strategies, modified and more realistic expectations, and a refusal to dwell on past decisions were among the themes identified. Respondents described an almost uniform and longstanding self-sufficiency and acknowledged having more control over aspects of their work, lives, and time. However, for many, time was also increasingly spent on some level of attention to health, and retirement preparation.

Pioneer Women In Manitoba: Evidence Of Servant-Leadership, Carolyn Crippen

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Leadership was characterized as patriarchal and hierarchical during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Pioneer women were often not credited with leadership qualities although many, including school teachers, journalists, suffragettes, healthcare workers, and social activists played an important role in the development of Manitoba communities. This study hypothesized that women were engaged in unrecognized leadership strategies within that contemporary culture. This research explored whether three particular Manitoba pioneer women, Margaret Scott (1855-1931), Margret Benedictsson (1866- 1956), and Jessie McDermott (1870-1950), did, in fact, practice a form of leadership. This leadership form was identified as servant leadership and defined by Robert …

Women In History - Mary Parker Follett: A Leadership Theorist Ahead Of Her Time, Sandra L. Gaspar

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

As a management and leadership voice in the 1920s and 30s, Mary Parker Follett was far ahead of her time (Burnier, 2003; Business Strategy Review, 2002; Harrington, 1999; Smith, 2002). Follett was born in 1868 in Quincy, Massachusetts and was educated at Radcliffe. She began her professional life as a social worker in Roxbury, an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse neighborhood outside Boston. She believed strongly in the power of diversity to enrich society and advocated the grass roots development of community-based organizations and adult education (Smith, 2002, p. 3). After 1908, she became involved in a movement to establish community …

Voices Of Women In The Field-S Is For Survival: Tips For Surviving Administrative Change, Harriet Gould

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Superintendent tenure averages about five years in any district. With frequent turnover, most women leaders encounter many administrative changes during their careers. As the new super begins leading the district, stress, tension and even anger can develop. Team dynamics may fall apart or never develop. If this is the direction your administrative relationship is headed, these alphabet tips may be a helpful resource for survival.

Lagniappe, Marilyn L. Grady, Barbara Lacost

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Two new features are introduced in this issue of the Journal of Women in Educational Leadership. We welcome a feature that will be known as Women in History. Sandy Gaspar provides the first entry for this section of the journal. We also introduce Harriet Gould's essay in the section of the journal that will be called Voices of Women in the Field.

Chasing A Gendered Agenda: Collaboration And Team Teaching In Higher Education, Dana Christman, Barbara N. Martin, William W. Lockwood

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

This case study sought to characterize and give voice to women faculty working in collaboration and team teaching with male faculty in a higher education setting. The experiences of the women, as well as how they made sense of their experiences are presented. Then, cast against the framework of Feminist Phase Theory, particular attention is paid to the structure, climate, and culture of the work experience. The significance of the study is found in the multiple realities of women faculty members' experiences, and in the suggestions provided for improving the chances of success for female and male faculty to collaboratively …

The Depoliticization Of Czech Female Art, Roya Amirsoleymani

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Contemporary Czech art is heavily influenced by a history of Communism, the 1989 transition to capitalism, and the impact had on visual culture by the political and economic changes after the Velvet Revolution. Czech female art, defined as art made by women that is informed by themes of female identity, image, the body, sexuality, feminism, sexual identity, and gender theory, responds to how female identity has been affected by these social changes. This essay argues that Czech female art is depoliticized by its artists, through either neglect or resistance to political connotations and ramifications, but that it is simultaneously engaged …

Speech: Delivered At Campaign Fundraiser For Betty Castor, Edna Louise Saffy

Saffy Collection - All Textual Materials

A speech that Edna Saffy delivered at a campaign fundraiser for Betty Castor. Dr. Saffy also recognized and honored Janet Reno at the fundraiser. Date: August 7, 2004.

By Chance Or By Choice, Marilyn L. Grady, Barbara Lacost

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

May 17, 2004 marked the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Linda Brown (1943- ), a Topeka, Kansas third grader, is the symbol of "bringing down segregation" in U.S. schools. Rosa Parks (1913- ), "the mother of the Civil Rights Movement," refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus on December 1, 1955. Coretta Scott King (1927- ) has created the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change as a living memorial to her husband's life and dream. In January 1986, because of her efforts, she celebrated the first legal holiday …

Journal O/Women In Educational Leadership, Vol. 2, No.3-July 2004

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

No abstract provided.

Women School Superintendents: Perceptions Of Best Practices For Leadership, Susan Katz

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

In U.S. public schools, a limited number of women have attained the position of superintendent. Consequently, there has been limited research focusing on understanding the position from a woman's perspective. The purpose of this study was to add to the body of literature focusing on women's ideas and beliefs about leading schools.

Power Factors That Define Gender Inequity Within The Missouri Public School Superintendency, Kristina Alexander, Frank D. Grispino, Phillip E. Messner

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Although women have access to the superintendency power position, evidence has shown that women have not been able to break the glass ceiling. A review of the literature failed to identify specific and practical employment factors that must be resolved or overcome if women are to reach power parity in Missouri. This study was undertaken to identify those variables that best define negotiating and access power barriers for Missouri women superintendents.

A Reflective - Reflexive View Of Women And Leadership, Glenda Moss

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

This article reflects the author's personal experiences through a reflective-reflexive view of women and leadership. Significant writings on women and leadership, particularly Rhode (2003) The Difference "Difference" Makes: Women and Leadership, are included in the analysis.

Jagged Edges Of The Glass Ceiling, Victoria L. Robinson

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Although many aspiring, young women might believe the glass ceiling was shattered a decade ago, they still need to understand how that glass ceiling impacted an older generation of women in educational leadership. they also must be aware that some segments of the glass ceiling might still exist. This article provides a historical overview of the external barriers faced by women in educational leadership and presents mentoring recommendations to both generations.

Character Citizenship, Donald F. Uerling

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

The thesis of this article is that public schools have both the legal authority and the educational responsibility to provide schooling for character and citizenship. We will begin with a review of constitutional principles expressed in selected Supreme Court cases; we will end with some observations about such schooling from an educational perspective.

Women's Research Institute Of Nevada Newsletter, Women's Research Institute Of Nevada

Newsletters

No abstract provided.