Women's Studies Commons^™

Intersectional Realities And Adaptive Leadership: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Women Administrators In Higher Education, Jocelyn Vernet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Existing literature consistently documents the acute underrepresentation of Black women in administrative leadership. Furthermore, Black women administrators that are represented and visible in higher education often oversee programs and task forces that heighten their experiences to high-risk situations. Emerging narratives suggest Black women employ effective coping strategies and embrace opportunities to strengthen and cultivate support networks while in their leadership roles. However, there is a significant lack in understanding how these strategies are structured and sustained to overcome the underrepresentation of Black women administrators in higher education. Additionally, basing their experiences solely through a survival lens limits a deeper understanding …

Rural-To-Urban Migration And Household Reconfiguration In China: Lived Experiences Of Muslim Migrant Women Workers In Jinan, Ila Joshi

Journal of International Women's Studies

Rural-to-urban migration in China has profoundly reshaped Chinese society since 1979, resulting in separated families, so-called “left-behind children,” and socio-economic inequalities as part and parcel of the migration process. This paper examines the impact of rural-to-urban migration by focusing on the experiences of migrant women belonging to the Muslim (Tatar/Hui) community in Jinan, Shandong province of China. Despite the relaxation in restrictions on migration in the post-reform era, migrants—especially women migrants—face persistent legal and emotional challenges. Through ethnographic fieldwork, this study analyses the experiences of eight migrant women employed in formal, semi-formal, and informal work sectors. These in-depth interviews are …

Balancing Our Capacity To Serve: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Black Women Navigating Personal, Professional, And Community Leadership Roles, Shemeka K. Brathwaite

Student Theses

This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of Black women community leaders as they navigate a balance between their professional, personal, and community leadership roles. The research design uses the theoretical frameworks of Black Feminist Intersectionality and Role Theory, specifically addressing the cultural burdens imposed by the Strong Black Woman archetype, which adds additional role strain. The study began with a questionnaire completed by 54 Black women community leaders, followed by 20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews selected from this pool. The study’s key findings are illustrated in a Black Women’s Sustainable Community Leadership Framework. Black women community leaders exude high self-efficacy, …

Intersectionality And Insurgent Citizenship: Women Of Color Feminism In 1970s New York City, Genevieve Bonner Davis

Dissertations and Theses

Not since the phrase "Ain't I a Woman" has African American women's intellectual leadership and insight been as visible and influential as the contemporary concept of intersectionality. Like Sojourner Truth's iconic intellectual intervention in the anti-slavery movement, intersectionality has experienced a similar trajectory of dissolution, distortion, appropriation, and popularization. Since its articulation by Black legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, intersectionality theory has had a bumpy road to its buzzy, if controversial, status in the firmament of twenty-first-century political thought.

This thesis traces the origins of intersectionality theory through three distinct but intertwined phases. Phase one is the genealogy of …

“The Revolution Begins At Home”: Ambivalent Sexism In The Color Purple And The Help, Berit P. Gibson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Ambivalent sexism theory, proposed by Glick and Fiske in 1996, argues that sexism is comprised of both negative and “positive” images of women. The theory has become a staple in research on sexism as it theorizes the Madonna/whore dichotomy as sexist on both sides of the binary, and how attitudes switch from “positive” to negative. But, so far, literature scholars have not used the theory to read literature. As the theory is based in ideals of white womanhood, how do we do so in an intersectional way?

In order to work through this question, I bring in The Color Purple …

Transforming Theory Into Action: Feminist Frameworks In Reproductive Justice Organizing, Ella R. Mitchell

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This honors thesis examines how feminist theoretical frameworks can be translated into practical strategies for reproductive justice organizing. Grounded in a reproductive justice framework and drawing on three key feminist frameworks, intersectional feminism, queer feminist theory, and feminist ethics of care, this paper explores how each provides critical tools for understanding and responding to reproductive oppression. Intersectional feminism illuminates how overlapping systems of inequality structure reproductive experiences and political marginalization. Queer feminist theory challenges heteronormative assumptions about family, gender, and reproduction, expanding reproductive justice discourse to include LGBTQ+ communities and diverse forms of kinship. Feminist ethics of care emphasizes relational …

The Voices Of Women Politicians: Media Representation And Its Influence On Identity, Gender Bias, And Self-Presentation, Ariana J. Hernandez

Communication Theses

This study examines how women in politics view and respond to media representation, shifting the focus from analyzing content to understanding the personal experiences and strategic choices of the politicians themselves. Through semi-structured interviews with 15 women in political roles, the research looks at the mental and emotional effort needed to navigate a media landscape shaped by gender.

The findings highlight a significant gap between how these women see themselves and how the media portrays them. They often feel that professional credibility must be built over time rather than being granted automatically. Participants pointed out common gendered portrayals, such as …

Weaving Leadership: A Participatory Narrative Inquiry Into Alaska Native Women’S' Relational And Intersectional Leadership, Aleesha Ikayuk Towns-Bain

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Alaska Native women have long supported their families, Tribes, and communities through leadership that is relational, adaptive, and rooted in Indigenous cultural values. In recent years, Alaska Native women have assumed significant leadership roles within a diverse range of Western sectors—including government, business, higher education, and nonprofits—while maintaining roles as critical culture holders and community builders. Despite their contributions, the leadership experiences of these women are poorly understood in both leadership practice and scholarship. The purpose of this research project was to explore how Alaska Native women make meaning of their leadership experiences through Indigenous relational values and at the …

The Influence Of Religion On Gender Roles, Julianna R. Cutcher

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

Religion plays a pivotal role in shaping cultural norms, values, and power structures within societies. Religious discourse, as a socially constructed form of knowledge, defines gender roles, norms, and stereotypes, often reinforcing systems of privilege that favor straight, cisgender, white, and male individuals. This paper explores how religious teachings contribute to gender inequality, limiting opportunities for women and marginalized groups while enforcing rigid expectations of gender identity and sexual orientation. The analysis highlights the intersection of religion and power, exploring the topic through four lenses: systems of privilege and inequality, gender, social implications, and media and culture; it also presents …

Echoes Of The Goddess: Reclaiming Power-Within In The Modern Workplace, Chloe E. Hanousek

Student Publications

This work examines gender inequality in the American workforce as part of a broader cultural system that consistently devalues care, embodiment, and relational labor. Rather than treating issues such as the wage gap or the motherhood penalty as isolated problems, it situates them within a historical pattern shaped by patriarchal power, medical dismissal, and the domination of nature. Through an interdisciplinary feminist approach, this work traces how the suppression of the feminine influences women’s working lives, health experiences, and relationships to their bodies. By connecting labor inequality to burnout, ecological harm, and the erosion of inner authority, it argues that …

Intersectionality In The Maze Of Oppression: A Feminist Criminology Analysis Of Systematic Vulnerability And Exploitation Of Indonesian Women Trafficked To Cambodia, Reza Anugrah, Lifiana Alanisya Mutaharina

Jurnal Kriminologi Indonesia

This study explores the vulnerability of Indonesian women to the crime of human trafficking in Cambodia, analyzing its structural and patriarchal roots. Employing a qualitative methodology through literature review, the paper delineates how socio-economic disparities and limited employment opportunities in Indonesia drive women toward illegal job offers that ultimately result in exploitation. Human trafficking syndicates exploit traditional gender constructs and manipulate identities to entrap victims, even involving women as alleged perpetrators. Criminological and legal analyses reveal a shift toward more complex forms of transnational crime, exacerbated by the use of digital technology. Although the Law of the Republic of Indonesia …

The Career Resilience Of Women Of Color Amidst Intersectional Racism-Sexism In The Us: A Consensual Qualitative Study, Hannah Ahmad Ridzuan

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Women of color have historically and presently experienced both sexism and racism on interpersonal, institutional, and cultural levels (Sue et al., 2007). While discrimination based on racial-ethnic and gender identities has by far the most extensive literature base (Duffy et al., 2016), literature on the development of women of color career resilience is not as expansive. Informed by the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT) (Blustein, 2006; Duffy et al., 2016), the intersectionality framework (Crenshaw, 1989; Collins et al., 2021), and critical consciousness (Freire, 1971; Quiñones-Rosado, 2020), this consensual qualitative research (CQR; Hill, 2006) explored how women of color in the …

Gender, Marginalization, And Digital Technology In Islamic Learning: A Nigerian Perspective, Abdulgafar Olawale Fahm

Journal of International Women's Studies

The integration of digital technologies has significantly transformed the landscape of Islamic education in Nigeria, enhancing accessibility to religious knowledge while simultaneously reinforcing pre-existing socio-cultural disparities. Utilizing an intersectional analytical framework, this study critically explores how gender, socio-economic diversity, and Islamophobia collectively influence experiences within digital Islamic learning environments. Employing qualitative feminist methodologies, I conducted semi-structured interviews from November to December of 2024 with Islamic scholars, educators, students, and general digital platform users from Lagos, Ilorin, and Maiduguri. The findings indicate that intersecting factors such as gender roles, socio-economic conditions, geographical location, and Islamophobic attitudes distinctly shape patterns of digital …

Envisioning Transgender Equity: Amplifying Global South Narratives Through Inclusive Archives And Education, Saloni Walia, Sukanya Mondal

Journal of International Women's Studies

In their 17 Sustainable Goals (SDGs) for 2030, the United Nations (n. d.) places the goal of “achieve[ing] Gender Equality and empower[ing] all women and girls” at the fifth spot as SDG 5. However, reports from 2016 reveal that the SDGs mainly focus on issues concerning heterosexual cisgender women and girls, with no reference to the LGBTQ community (United Nations, 2016). This oversight raises concerns about the inclusivity of SDG 3, which aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” (United Nations, n.d.), but its application to people with diverse gender identities remains unclear. This …

Sylvia J. Wynter’S Concept Of The Over-Representation Of Man And Its Relevance To Gender And Global Development In The 21st Century, Tina Renier

Journal of International Women's Studies

This essay critically examines Sylvia J. Wynter’s (2003) concept of the “overrepresentation of Man” (p. 263) and its profound implications for gender and global development in the 21st century. I examine Wynter’s critique of “Man” as the universal subject of knowledge and power through a Caribbean-transnational, decolonial, and intersectional feminist lens. My reflection challenges the historical reduction of the human experience to a singular, patriarchal notion and highlights the voices and contributions of previously excluded marginalized voices and women scholar-activists. In the context of global development, the overrepresentation of Man undergirds the continued dominance of Western, patriarchal ideologies that shape …

Bama’S Sangati: A Collective Resistance To Oppression And Attitudinal Ambivalence Towards Dalit Women, Sarani Ghosal Mondal

Journal of International Women's Studies

Originally published in Tamil in 1994 and translated into English by Lakshmi Holmström in 2005, Bama’s^[1] Sangati: Events is a collection of life narratives from Dalit women of the Paraiya community in Tamilnadu, South India. Each narrative depicts an event of exploitation from the perspective of an adolescent girl, Sevathi. Her myriad questions to her grandma uncover Dalit problems in India. These agonized questions relating to injustice, caste-based discrimination, and violence mirror Dalit women’s vulnerability in Indian society. This study analyzes the narratives of strife, anger, and forced negotiation in a caste/class-ridden patriarchal society. Premised on gender-caste-class dynamics, …

“Take This Job And Shove It”: How Black Women’S Fight For Economic Rights Informed Their Participation In The Broader Social Movements Of The Twentieth Century, Kyndle Diane Lee

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the vital role of Black women in the American labor movement during the twentieth century, emphasizing how their leadership and union participation were central to both labor organizing and the broader fight for human rights. Black women workers navigated and resisted the effects of racism, sexism, and class exploitation in a century marked by industrial expansion, economic upheaval, and major civil rights struggles. Far from passive participants, they emerged as key organizers, negotiators, and strategists in their communities, labor unions, and national movements. Additionally, their work extended beyond their demands for better wages and safer working conditions. …

Empowerher:A Digital Mosaic Celebrating Six Black Feminist Icons, Jessica M. Mcguire

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Abstract

EmpowerHer: A Digital Mosaic of Six Black Feminist Icons is a research project that explores the lives and work of Angela Davis, Patricia Hill-Collins, bell hooks, Sojourner Truth, Audre Lorde, and Anna Julia Cooper. This digital project expands our knowledge of feminist theory beyond the women's words to encompass information about their education, work, motivations, and areas of focus. It also expounds on why they are important and highlights their accomplishments. This project was completed by researching these women’s lives, primarily with the use of biographies, journal articles, and online resources. In addition to the narrative provided for each …

If These Walls Could Talk, What Would They Say About Reproductive Justice Today?, Cassandra Chaney

Journal of International Women's Studies

This article critically examines the lives of the three women in the television film If These Walls Could Talk (Cher & Savoca, 1996). The three protagonists, all White American women, live in the same house and are all faced with the decision of whether to terminate their unplanned, unwanted pregnancies in 1952, 1974, and 1996. Notably, three Black women were included as minor characters in the film. These foundational questions guide this film analysis: (1) What were the societal norms for US women who considered either abortion or giving birth in 1952, 1974, and 1996? (2) What barriers did women …

Operationalizing Intersectionality Analysis For Urban Agriculture In Quito, Ecuador, Laine N. Young

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis outlines the results of a case study in Quito, Ecuador with the municipally led participatory urban agriculture project, AGRUPAR, an internationally recognized project that promotes women’s empowerment, traditional knowledge, agroecology, and livelihoods. It works to improve the lives of those experiencing high levels of poverty in Quito. This dissertation applies an intersectional analysis to urban agriculture research to enhance attention to power relations, social justice, and equity within its scholarly and practical realms. Intersectionality is an understanding that people have unique experiences of oppression based on their unique social location (what intersecting social categories they belong to) and …

Mirrors Of The Reel: Black Women's Identity In American Cinema (2009-2024), Melanie-Penny Harrison

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study investigates whether white supremacy structures, embodied in Hollywood’s predominantly white leadership, drive negative portrayals of Black women in 31 mainstream American films from 2009 to 2024. Employing a mixed-methods approach—quantitative content analysis, qualitative content analysis (QCA), and narrative methodology—I code portrayals for racism, patriarchy, heterosexism, colorism, and internalized racism, classifying them as progressive (e.g., empowered roles), regressive (e.g., subservient stereotypes), or hybrid. Guided by Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, the analysis examines narrative structures, character agency, symbolism, and dialogue to uncover intersectional patterns (e.g., race, gender, class) across three periods: 2009–2013, 2014–2018, and 2019–2024. Across these periods, cultural …

Intersectionality And The Canon Of Romanticism, Serenah Minasian

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation discusses the origins of the canon and the place it has in British Romanticism studies both past and present. This research begins unpacking what has already been done in this sector of study and takes it steps further by the use of Crenshaw’s “intersectionality” theory. The “Introduction” unpacks past scholarly work and its role in the present studies and how we must move beyond the past. “Chapter I” serves as a historical breakdown of the canon’s role and impact in both literary studies and Romanticism studies in specific. “Chapter II” provides an in depth analysis of two major …

Migration And Work: An Intersectional Perspective On Women Workers In Brick Kilns In The Sivasagar District Of Assam, India, Kashmiri Saikia, Sikha Das

Journal of International Women's Studies

This paper is based on fieldwork regarding brick kiln workers in the Sivasagar district of Assam, located in Northeast India. Apart from family migration, women migrate alone to these brick kilns in search of work opportunities. Despite progress, evidence suggests that many women who work in brick kilns are not afforded workplace rights and are underrepresented, unregistered, and paid lesser wages compared to men workers. Many kilns are unregulated and remain outside the purview of workplace laws. Through interviews and conversations with women workers, this paper aims to understand and analyse the dynamics of gender, migration, and work in the …

Intersectionality And Career Persistence Of African American Women In Cybersecurity Careers: A Narrative Inquiry, Monica Marquita Jones Prewitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this narrative inquiry is to examine the experiences of African American women working in cybersecurity, a male-dominated field. An intersectional lens will be used in the study to provide insight into their positionality as women of color in a male-dominated career field. The study will examine the stories of the women who persisted in the field and the existing influences or interventions that supported their retention. This pre-registered study will provide the framework for this study to be completed at the University of Arkansas. The researcher will use a descriptive phenomenological approach and semi-structured interviews to understand …

Comparing The Social Responses Of Aids And Covid-19 Through Oral History, Elise Lee

Women's and Gender Studies Theses

In the past 40 years, the United States has faced 2 major public health crises: the AIDS epidemic, and the global COVID-19 pandemic. In this project I consider the various aspects of these public health emergencies such as sharing the burden of survival, the role of fear, the bastardization of identity politics, and queerness as a political project. I do this by analyzing oral histories and I argue that we can look at the AIDS epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic in parallel. During both AIDS and COVID, despite severely lackluster governmental responses, we saw overwhelming amounts of community organizing and …

Why Are You So Ashamed?, Katherine Gaylord

Women’s and Gender Studies Student Work

These comics were created by students in Dr. Stella Oh's WGST 3300: Race, Gender, and Graphic Novels exploring thematic topics of identity, loss, illness, disability, and caregiving. After reading creative and scholarly works addressing war, PTSD, social stigma, and graphic medicine, students engaged in creating several comics. Some of the student comics are featured in this collection. Communicating their ideas through the visual-textual medium of comics, students engaged in critical reflection of their readings and class discussions. Students produced their comics through software such as Illustrator, Canva, Procreate, and other media.

Evolving An Intersectional And Equality Approach To Addressing Issues Of Abortion In Nigeria, Ibrahim A. Obadina

Journal of International Women's Studies

Anti-abortion regulation and criminalization in Nigeria raises questions about religious, societal, and cultural dispositions to abortion. If one defers to religious and cultural norms that are against abortion, what remains are concerns about discrimination based on gender, age, and economic status. At the regional level, the focus of abortion activism has consistently been on the legal justification for permitting abortion on recognized grounds, particularly under the African Women Protocol, known as the Maputo Protocol. This work analyzes socio-economic grounds for legal justifications for permitting abortion, focusing on how inequality and discrimination can shape the regulation and governance of abortion, especially …

How Housing Insecurity And Welfare Systems Retraumatize Women In Southern California, Yesika Menera

McNair Summer Research Program

Studies show that individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity also experience trauma and mental illnesses. Despite this evidence, many resources provided through state welfare services seldom allocate sufficient funds and personnel to help address mental health. This study investigates the relationship between housing insecurity and trauma for adult women who have tried to access assistance throughout Southern California. To do this, I conducted in-depth interviews and DSM-5 questionnaires with twenty-six women during the summer of 2023 and 2024 via Zoom. My findings show that adult women who have experienced homelessness and housing insecurity in Southern California were more susceptible to …

Thriving Through Time: Resilience And Empowerment For Aging Women In Rural Indonesia, Erna Setijaningrum, Rochyati Wahyuni Triana, Asiyah Kassim

Journal of International Women's Studies

Recent research exploring aging women’s realities in rural areas has revealed how gender norms, ageism, and isolation intertwine, impacting women’s lives, health, and access to services. As disadvantages and exclusion increase with age, women encounter shrinking opportunities, reinforced stereotypes, and marginalization. Especially in remote Indonesian villages, aging women lack access to healthcare, income support, and basic services compared to urban counterparts. Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 35 aging rural women in Blitar Regency, East Java Province, Indonesia, this phenomenological study provides insights into the marginalization and deficient public services these women face, including worsening isolation, …

Examining The Physical Activity Experiences Of Blind And Visually Impaired Women, Lindsay E. Ball

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Substantial research has indicated that blind and visually impaired adults often do not meet physical activity guidelines, and therefore, are not experiencing the numerous affordances of physical activity participation. However, those who report meeting physical activity guidelines express higher rates of health-related quality of life. Largely, the research examining the physical activity behaviors and perspectives of blind and visually impaired adults have been survey studies leaving a rich description of their physical activity experiences unexplored. The overall aim of this project was to engage with blind or visually impaired women to understand their experiences accessing and participating in physical activity, …