Women's Studies Commons^™

Women And The Upsurge Of ‘‘Baby Factories’’ In Southeastern Nigeria: Erosion Of Cultural Values Or Capitalism?, Uche U. Okonkwo, Ngozika A. Obi-Ani

Journal of International Women's Studies

The erection and proliferation of baby factories constitute one of the major injustices directed at women especially teenage girls in southeastern Nigeria. Under this arrangement, women are incarcerated for the purpose of procreation alone. A litany of scholarly works has been written on this subject, placing the blame for this impunity, in Nigeria on the capitalist system. This paper insists that beyond capitalism, there is a need to interrogate the cultural erosion of values mostly responsible for this scourge. To achieve this, newspapers, interviews, archival materials and other extant secondary sources have been used for data collection, analysis and for …

The Electoral Quota—A Form Of Gender Quota To Increase Women’S Participation In Parliament: A Quantitative Study From A Survey In The Middle East, Sophia Francesca D. Lu, Jinky Leilanie D. Lu

Journal of International Women's Studies

Objective: This research focuses on the impact of political parties and electoral quotas on women’s political participation within the context of Islam.

Methods: This study utilizes quantitative methods in analyzing women in eight Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East. The statistical dataset was culled from Kaasem’s work entitled Party Variation in Religiosity and Women's Leadership: A Cross-National Perspective, 2008-2010, published by the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research of the University of Michigan. The statistical analysis and modeling focused on selected Middle East countries, namely: Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Turkey, Israel, and Kuwait. The sample consisted of …

Women’S Representation In The Turkish Parliament: An Analysis Of Cedaw Committee Documents, Sinem Yargıç

Journal of International Women's Studies

According to article 7 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), States parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that women enjoy equality with men in political and public life. The Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) declares in its General Recommendation No. 23 that while removal of de jure barriers is necessary, it is not sufficient to achieve full and equal participation of women in political and public life.

That is why under article 4 of CEDAW, the CEDAW Committee encourages adoption by States …

Alternative Forms Of Resistance: Afghan Women Negotiating For Change, Sara N. Amin, Nazifa Alizada

Journal of International Women's Studies

In this paper we examine how Afghan women resist, strategize and negotiate family and societal constraints to take advantage of the expanding education and employment opportunities in the post-Taliban era. We focus on how these women exercise agency and what resources they mobilize to maximize their opportunities in the face of potential constraints. We argue that to understand women’s agency and changing gendered power relations in the family, it is crucial to examine every day individual behaviors that deviate from prescribed dominant gender behavior and infuse altered meanings to dominant gendering discourses. Our research highlights that gendered power is partial, …

Happiness Audit Among Female Students In A Higher Education Institution, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, India, S. Poulpunitha, K. Manimekalai, P. Veeramani

Journal of International Women's Studies

Students can play an important role in improving and strengthening their society. During college, women gain vast amounts of knowledge and experience, and it also provides them with the best opportunity to prepare for their careers. Students are powerful human resources who are destined to decide the future of any country. In this modern era, the lives of students have become more competitive and they have become mere athletes in an academic race. There is an increased emphasis on measuring the talent of a student primarily through academic outcomes. The mental health of students is an important and necessary factor …

Resolution 1325 In The Agency Of Colombian Women In The Peace Process Of 2012-2016, Rakel Oion-Encina

Journal of International Women's Studies

he Security Council of the United Nations urges member countries of the United Nations to develop Follow-up Plans for Resolution 1325 of 2000, on women, peace and security. Colombia is a country with a long, armed conflict. The Government has not yet designed a plan to implement resolution 1325. During the 2012-2016 period, the Government held a round table of talks with the FARC that culminated in a peace agreement. The women's movement in the country, based on the resolutions of the Security Council, demanded the incorporation of women at the negotiating table and the incorporation of the gender perspective …

Empress Frederick And The Women’S Movement In Nineteenth-Century Germany, Patricia Kollander

Journal of International Women's Studies

Empress Frederick of Germany (1841-1901) is known first and foremost as the liberal consort of Emperor Frederick, who died after a reign of only 99 days in 1888. A vast majority of her biographers believe that she converted her husband into a supporter of British-style liberalism, and that his premature death effectively ended prospects for liberal development in Germany. Yet historians have consistently overlooked her work to advance women’s causes, which left a far more tangible legacy than her involvement in politics. The essay discusses reasons why she embraced women’s causes and attempts to reassess her legacy. It also invites …

Violence And Motherhood In Kashmir: Loss, Suffering, And Resistance In The Lives Of Women, Shazia Malik

Journal of International Women's Studies

This paper examines the social and political context of aggrieved mothers in Kashmir through personal narratives collected by the author. The theme of motherhood as a counter-piece of feminist analyses has re-emerged in recent years for example in the works of Ellen Ross (1995), Elleke Boehmor (2005) etc. Studies on motherhood, as Ellen Ross (1995) contends, are in the process of moving from the margins to the centre of feminist discussion, the mother increasingly a subject rather than a distant, looming object2. The context for this analysis is contemporary Kashmir positioned precariously in geo-politics. The paper attempts to reconstitute the …

Explaining The Lack Of Progress In Yemeni Women’S Empowerment; Are Women Leaders The Problem?, Nadia Al-Sakkaf

Journal of International Women's Studies

Despite existence of women’s empowerment policies and the appointments of women leaders to oversee the implementation and sometimes design of those policies, the Republic of Yemen has repeatedly ranked last in the WEF Gender Gap Index since 2006. Is this a problem of capacity? Are the women leaders, who are driving the national women’s development agenda forward, lacking in this field? This article investigates this question through a mixed-method research by surveying and interviewing Yemeni women leaders who were involved in empowerment policies in health, education, economic participation and political empowerment between 2006 and 2014.

Findings from this research show …

Writing The Body As Subversion In Alexandra Chreiteh’S Always Coca-Cola, Luma Balaa

Journal of International Women's Studies

Women in Always Coca-Cola are oppressed by multiple intersectional forces of oppression, such as patriarchy, the male gaze, colonialism, and the beauty myth. Although some women in the novella are caught in a state in between rebellion and conformism, Always Coca-Cola largely subverts patriarchy. By the end of the novella, the female protagonist is able to break free from some of her chains of oppression. Through a close textual analysis, this paper draws on many theories such as the “male gaze,” Hélène Cixous’s “writing the body,” and Naomi Wolf’s “the beauty myth” to argue that Alexandra Chreiteh’s Always Coca-Cola attempts …

The Dolphins And The Bodily Arts: Swimming As A Feminist Rhetoric And Pedagogy At The Detroit, Michigan Women's City Club Pool, 1924 To 1975, Liz Rohan

Journal of International Women's Studies

This micro historical case study introduces US progressive-era feminist swimming pedagogy as a “bodily art.” It showcases the interplay between culture, rhetoric, feminism and pedagogy during a boom time in the city of Detroit when female athletes competed in the city’s open waters and discourse about women’s swimming was circulating nationally. It suggests that historical cultural constructs can be models for future culture building.

Susceptible Lives: Gender-Based Violence, Young Lesbian Women And Hiv Risk In A Rural Community In South Africa, Johannes N. Mampane

Journal of International Women's Studies

In South Africa, as in many parts of the world, lesbian women are still perceived to be immune from the risk of contracting HIV as compared to heterosexual women. However, the South African media has been inundated with reports on the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) perpetrated against lesbian women and their consequent risk of acquiring HIV as a result of being raped (or gang raped). As a result of this situation, this study was conducted in March to July 2015 to explore and describe the experiences of young lesbian women regarding their susceptibility to GBV and HIV in a …

Why Are Women Subordinated? The Misrepresentation Of The Qur'an In Indonesian Discourse And Practice, Erwati Aziz, Irwan Abdullah, Zaenuddin H. Prasojo

Journal of International Women's Studies

Discourse and gender practices show that women occupy a weak position in Indonesia. Women are portrayed as their husbands' "companions", or as "complementary" to a male-centered system. This article aims to explore unilateral interpretations of the Qur'an that ignores verses that venerate women. Misrepresentations of verses that honour women, or erroneous reading of said verses, have caused women to be disadvantaged in public discourse, in social practice, and in policy. By analysing the Qur'an and hadiths, as well as a series of interviews, this article shows that arguments promoting gender inequality are founded on the deliberate selection of specific Qur'anic …

Educational Background And Identity: Factors Influencing Arab Women Learning English As A Second Language, Sundus Alzouebi, Diana Ridley, Khadeegha Alzouebi

Journal of International Women's Studies

In the UK, being unable to communicate in English is a significant barrier to social inclusion. Each ESOL student brings a wealth of cultural experience and diversity to the country, but without sufficient proficiency in English to interact outside the home, migrants, refugees and settled communities struggle to integrate, can feel socially isolated and struggle to find employment.This is even more so for women, many of whom have childcare responsibilities. Arab women form a large proportion of the ESOL population, and often come from diverse backgrounds; some with high-level academic qualifications from their home countries and others who never attended …

A Gender-Responsive Approach: Social Innovation For The Sustainable Smart City In Indonesia And Beyond, Donna Asteria, Janice J. K. Jap, Dyah Utari

Journal of International Women's Studies

The smart city has become one of the many ways to solve the problems of contemporary urban environments. The sustainable integration of technology, people and institutions is essential in urban planning. However, utilizing technology in city management with the Internet of Things (IoT) in smart cities will not be sustainable without ensuring that the community is prepared. The involvement of all societies and persons, as agents of implementation and technology users, requires a gender-responsive approach to social innovation in the urban management. With regard to this issue, the purpose of this paper is to describe the importance of the human …

The Turkish Women’S Movement In Abeyance, Gizem Kaftan

Journal of International Women's Studies

The Turkish women’s movement started during the Ottoman era, and it is still in process in the newly established Turkish Republic. This paper examined the Turkish women’s movement, which began after 1923 and found that the Turkish women’s movement had two abeyance cycles. The first abeyance period in the Turkish women’s movement took place between 1935 and the 1960s. In the first abeyance period, the reasons for the abeyance were economic problems, World War II, and the changing political arena in Turkey. In 1945, Turkey became a multi-party democracy, and this changed political opportunity structures. After 1960, the Turkish women’s …

Rural Women In Kwara State (Nigeria) And Their Contributions To The Welfare Of Their Households, Abraham Falola, Segun B. Fakayode, Ajoke O. Kayode, Mujidat A. Amusa

Journal of International Women's Studies

The high incidence of poverty in the rural households calls for a concerted effort by all members of the household, including the women. Meanwhile, the discussion on the economic contribution of rural women in many developing countries has largely focused on national and regional levels with little or no concentration on their impact at their immediate household level. Therefore, this study examines the contribution of rural women to household welfare in Kwara State, Nigeria. Data were collected from 160 women in the rural area of the state using structured interview schedule. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, index ranking …

Gendered Narratives Relating To Women In The Information Technology Department Of A South African Organisation, Errolyn Long

Journal of International Women's Studies

In South Africa, there is an underrepresentation of women in senior management positions and industries requiring “masculine”-typed duties. The study aimed to explore the gendered narratives relating to women in the Information Technology (IT) Department of a South African organisation using a feminist interpretivist framework. A qualitative design informed by feminist methodology and narrative inquiry outlined by Gilligan et al. (2003) was used for this study. Two females and four male participants participated in the study and data collection involved in-depth semi-structured interviews. The Gillian et al. (2003) approach of data analysis was used (Listening Guide). The listening guide assisted …

Efforts To Eradicate Child Marriage Practices In Indonesia: Towards Sustainable Development Goals, Sonny D. Judiasih, Betty Rubiati, Deviana Yuanitasari, Elycia F. Salim, Levana Safira

Journal of International Women's Studies

Child marriage in Indonesia is a reality recurring within society. Religious and customary laws often become the basis to legitimize the practices of child marriage. According to UNICEF in 2016, Indonesia ranked the seventh in the world and the second in ASEAN for the highest rate of child marriage. Child marriage is a manifestation of gender inequality, especially for female. Indonesia, as one of the member countries of the United Nations (UN), has ratified the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) program issued by the UN to eradicate the practice of child marriage occurring within the society. One of …

Socioeconomic Status And Maternal Health-Seeking Behavior: A Comparative Study Between A Rural Site And An Urban Community In Bangladesh, Delwar Hossain

Journal of International Women's Studies

Maternal health-seeking behavior is not only a crucial public health issue but also a serious women’s health concern in Bangladesh. The present study examines the relationship between couples’ socioeconomic status and maternal health-seeking behavior in comparison of rural areas and urban communities in Bangladesh. Based on the research objectives, it included 95 rural and 95 urban couples (total 190 couples) randomly selected from purposively selected rural areas and urban communities in Thakurgaon District (north western area of Bangladesh). Results of the present study indicate that the rate of illiteracy was higher in rural sites than in the urban communities (rural: …

Impact Of The Legal Context On Protecting And Guaranteeing Women’S Rights At Work In The Mena Region, Chokri Kooli, Hend Al Muftah

Journal of International Women's Studies

This research explored whether the MENA region countries have adopted sufficient legal provisions that encouraged females to access the labor market. A documental collection, revision, and analysis were performed to enhance our understanding of statutory provisions that were adopted by 13 countries through the MENA region to encourage and facilitate access of women to the labor market. Findings showed that the governments of the different studied countries made considerable efforts to comply with the international legal norms and protect the female workers. Among other things, the findings suggest that the MENA countries need to offer more legal protections to guarantee …

Through The Eyes Of A Woman: Using Oral History To Explore The Enigmatic World Of Saudi Arabia’S Female Population, Carmen Winkel, Laura Strachan

Journal of International Women's Studies

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) remains cloaked in mystery and stereotypes especially when it pertains to its female population. Oppression? Subjugation? Discontent? These typecasts reverberate around the world, but interestingly when one speaks to a Saudi woman her story offers diverging representations of Saudi life that often debunk those expressed elsewhere. But without scholars asking “real” people about their lives and analyzing their lived responses, these dominant narratives are reaffirmed over and over again. To move beyond these stereotypes, this paper attempts to address the lives of Saudi Arabian females by using firsthand accounts obtained for an undergraduate student …

Muslim Women’S Right To Divorce And Gender Equality Issues In Bangladesh: A Proposal For Review Of Current Laws, Shahnewaj Patwari, Abu N. M. A. Ali

Journal of International Women's Studies

In Bangladesh, sharia law goes hand in hand with the statutory laws of the land. These laws are both conjointly used to regulate and monitor the issues of divorce among Muslims of the country. Orthodox Islamic laws provide husbands with the authority of issuing divorce or talaq to their wives known as Talaq-e-Tawfiz (popularly known as tawfiz) in the kabinnama (the written document of the contract of marriage). Women’s power to exercise the tawfiz, however, depends solely on the will of their husbands. Although Muslim women are capable of repudiating their marriages by the process of khula or mubarat, these …

Shifting Feminist Activisms: Indian Feminism And Critical Events Of Rape, Geetanjali Gangoli, Aisha K. Gill, Martin Rew

Journal of International Women's Studies

Since the gang rape and murder of Jyoti Singh Pandey in 2012 India has generated an enormous amount of national and international media attention and a reputation for sexual violence, pointing to the country’s “endemic problem” (Washington Post, 2012). The rape led to widespread protests, by students and wider society, particularly in Delhi. Notwithstanding these recent events, rape has long been, in fact, a catalyst for feminist and social movement responses in India. This paper will focus on three cases of ‘stranger rape’ that have been valourized as pivotal moments for feminist activism on sexual violence within the country. Reformulating …

Learning From ‘The Outsider Within’: The Sociological Significance Of Dalit Women’S Life Narratives, Bhushan Sharma, Anurag Kumar

Journal of International Women's Studies

Dalit women have long occupied marginal positions and been excluded from two major Indian social movements: The Feminist Movement and the Dalit Movement. The researcher examines how Dalit women have made creative use of their marginality—their ‘outsider-within' status—and have represented their lived experiences. The study scrutinizes select life narratives of Dalit women writers: Bama's Sangati: Events (2005), Urmila Pawar’s The Weave of My Life (2015), and Baby Kamble’s The Prisons We Broke (2008) to discuss and explore the sociological significance of three characteristic themes in these narratives: (1) the interlocking nature of Dalit women’s oppression, (2) endurance and …

“Toward Antiracist And Transnational Feminist Solidarity”: Translator’S Note, Rintaro Kondo

Journal of International Women's Studies

This short essay presents an overview of the rationale for the translation into Japanese, of Rethinking Patriarchy, Culture and Masculinity: Transnational Narratives of Gender Violence and Human Rights Advocacy by Elora Halim Chowdhury (JIWS, vol.16, No.2, 2015). It includes a brief response by the author and the Japanese translation.

An Autoethnography Of Mothering In The Academy, Joanne Yoo

The Qualitative Report

Autoethnographies are an effective methodology for investigating mothering in the academy as they can allow researchers to explore their individual experiences of work/life balance struggles to shed light into wider social issues, such as academia’s accelerated time. This autoethnography includes five vignettes that describe the challenges of mothering in the academy. These vignettes depict some of the issues faced by mothers working on insecure academic contracts, the impact of accelerated academic time on mothering and the value of finding a supportive community of women to find new stories about motherhood in academia. Such windows into female academics struggles for work/life …

Mccormick, Dale, Wendy Chapkis

Querying the Past: LGBTQ Maine Oral History Project Collection

In this interview, Dale McCormick discusses her early life in New York City and in Iowa City. She describes a college era lesbian relationship that, when discovered by her mother, led to several years of failed psychiatric conversion therapy. McCormick describes the vibrant second-wave feminist community in Iowa City of the 1960s and 1970s and the role anti-(Vietnam)war activism played in her life. She discusses in detail the process of becoming a union carpenter apprentice and the harassment she faced as the only woman on construction crews. With the publication of her book “Against the Grain, a Carpentry Manual for …

Caulfield, Christine, Wendy Chapkis

Querying the Past: LGBTQ Maine Oral History Project Collection

Christine Caulfield, a 64 year old trans woman, discusses growing up in a military family. She discusses the challenges of moving multiple times during the first 13 years of her life as a military dependent and reports that military culture in the 1960s and 70s was not welcoming to LGBTQ people. She knew she was ‘different’ from age 8, but had no language to express it. She was seriously bullied as a child and also experienced sexual abuse during those years by an Assistant Boy Scout Master. She discusses a suicide attempt she made during her first year of high …

Gendered Processes And Women’S Stunted Career Growth: An Exploratory Study Of Female Software Engineers, Sucharita Maji, Shikha Dixit

The Qualitative Report

In the present qualitative study, we explored to what extent gender has been an integral part of workplace experience and career growth among female software engineers in Indian Information and Technology sector. Following a purposive sampling strategy, data were drawn from twenty-one female software engineers. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted. A hybrid of theoretical and inductive thematic analysis was done to answer the research questions. For analyzing the data through theoretical thematic analysis, Acker's (1990) “Hierarchies, Jobs, Bodies: A Theory of Gendered Organizations” was used as the theoretical lens. The result revealed that four features of gendered processes in the …