10322 research outputs found
Sort by
“Kamli”
Get PDFThe poem sketches the landscape of a resilient South Asian woman’s un/conscious as she resists socio-religious norms that condemn her to be bereft of love. The woman is thirsty for love due to unreflective customs of a society that makes women crazy by refusing to consider the significance of love for a normal happy life. The poem embeds Urdu words within English to convey the indigenous intensity of emotions, from different levels of craziness on one hand and multiple levels of intensity of love on the other hand. The poem’s title “Kamli” conveys a higher level of craziness in which one loses one’s worldly self to achieve transcendentalism through love. In the South Asian Sufi tradition, transcendental love is achieved through Ishq—an all-encompassing love for the divine. Love, the poem suggests, is sacred and heals like an Amaltas tree
Indigenous and Tribal Women: Indian and Filipino Alangan-Mangyan Perspectives on Happiness
Get PDFResearch on happiness focuses on urban dwellers, and studies done in rural areas leave much to be desired. Existing scholarship also overlooks how women’s economic and socio-cultural roles contribute to happiness levels in relation to health, education, and safety issues. To address such a gap, this study examines and evaluates the perspectives of indigenous and tribal women on happiness, specifically those who belong to Indian rural communities and Filipino AlanganMangyan indigenous peoples. We argue that while happiness is considered a mental state, it is still a very social concept. In other words, social forces may make or break one’s happiness. The study’s first part is one-on-one interviews with Filipino Alangan-Mangyan women regarding their perspectives on happiness. For these women, happiness is rooted in the absence of individual and family problems, conflicts, fights, misunderstandings, typhoons, disasters, deaths, and illnesses. The second part of the study is a systematic review of Indian tribal women’s perspectives on happiness. We find that the happiness of these women stems from improved standards of living, cultural practices, educational level, age, location, absence of discrimination, marital status, reproductive health status, and political participation. Our study suggests that one common feature of both groups is that their happiness is often achieved when basic needs and rights are met. Therefore, happiness should be treated as a fundamental human right since it presupposes the individuals’ ability to access basic needs like food, education, employment, and healthcare
Hashtag Counterpublics: #LifeinLeggings as Feminist Disruption to Mainstream Public Media Discourses
Get PDFThis essay explores the disruptive impact that the hashtag #LifeinLeggings, founded by the Caribbean Alliance against Gender-Based Violence, had upon mainstream media, highlighting its role in reshaping public discourse from feminist counterpublics. It examines how women, through the sharing and documentation of their stories, unsettle mass media spaces to initiate crucial conversations about their mundane experiences with sexism and misogyny. Through a critical technocultural discourse analysis, I interrogate the disparities in discourse and representation of the movement in online newspapers at the start of the movement. The article contrasts the silence of local media in Barbados, with more detailed reporting found in regional and international outlets, highlighting the varied recognition of women’s issues. Finally, the essay emphasizes the transnational reach and unifying power of digital activism, illustrating its effectiveness in mobilizing women’s voices across geopolitical borders and advancing feminist agendas
Dalit Feminist Literature from South India: New Models and Perspectives
Get PDFTwenty-first century Indian literature has been enriched overall by Dalit feminist literature written originally in regional languages and available in English translation. What are the contributions of South Indian Dalit women’s writings to literature and to feminism? How is the representation of women in South Indian Dalit literature redefining the images of women in contemporary literature? These questions are answered through an analysis of Bama’s Karukku, select short stories by Gogu Shyamala and Joopaka Subhadra, and select poems by Swaroopa Rani, Sukirtharani, and Vijila Chirappad. Using Dalit feminist theory, we examine how the texts analyzed here represent the standpoints of women living through the reality of intersectional oppressions. Borrowing the metaphor of the sharp double-edged palm frond invoked in the title of Bama’s Karukku, we argue that the sufferings endured by Dalit women on one hand, and their strength and resistance on the other, transcend simplistic narratives of heroes and victims. By showing remarkable courage, persistence, and clever use of traditions in the face of patriarchal caste oppression, the characters encountered in these texts are contributing to new models and images of women. This argument is established through an examination of two recurrent themes in these writings: Dalit women’s response to sexual violence and their defiance of traditional gender norms
Consumptive Behavior of Urban Adolescent Girls in Using Skincare Products
Get PDFAdolescence is a time when an individual enters a new chapter of life, marked by physical and emotional changes, new lifestyle, and consumption needs. For instance, adolescent girls begin to take care of their facial skin, resulting in teenagers becoming consumers of skincare products. Easy access to many over-the-counter (OTC) skincare products, available without a doctor’s prescription, makes many teenage girls less wise in determining which skincare products they truly need. The present study examines consumptive behavior and the formation of a lifestyle for adolescent girls in Jakarta, Indonesia in consuming facial care products. Using qualitative research methods, researchers conducted in-depth interviews with high school girls who use facial skin care products. The study found that adolescent girls’ satisfaction with skin care products varies depending on their background. Girls tended to buy facial skin care products because they were influenced by what people in their surroundings say, rather than because they needed to. The use of these products could enhance prestige, indicating certain social values such as status or class. Jean Baudrillard’s (1991) theories about the hyperreal and postmodern consumer society were used to analyze the results. The research concluded that: 1) The number of new skin care products made adolescent girls increasingly likely to consume these products, and their desires were recast as “needs” due to their expectations; 2) Information technology and social media, mass media, ease of access to products, and the influence of the adolescent community in the city of Jakarta made adolescent girls consume skin care products excessively in pursuit of being beautiful; and 3) Adolescent girls who used skin care products were categorized into three groups regarding their choices, namely irrational teenagers, potentially rational teenagers, and rational teenagers
Women, Militarism, and Political Representation: The Case of Armenia
Get PDFHow does militarism affect women’s presence in the political process? Through a focus on the Republic of Armenia during the period 1990-2020, we examine the puzzle of women’s political representation. The country’s legacy of communist-era ideology of women’s equality, its democratic transition, women’s high levels of educational attainment and labor force participation, and the 2007 gender quota adoption should have served to place Armenia in the top 50 countries in women’s political representation. Yet for two decades, the country appeared low on international rankings of women’s political empowerment. To unpack this puzzle, we revisit two strands of the women-and-war literature—one that ties militarism to the dominance of men, and one that finds increases in women’s parliamentary representation in the aftermath of conflict. We find that both have merit. Armenia’s long history of conflict with Azerbaijan and high military spending have reproduced traditional gender roles, including a militarized masculinity which favors men in positions of political power. The devastating 2020 war, however, may have helped turn the tide that began earlier with constitutional reforms in 2015, elections in 2017, and anti-government protests in 2018. A new gender quota dramatically enhanced women’s political representation. Drawing on socio-economic and political indicators as well as documentary and interview data, our paper contributes to literatures on women, gender, and conflict; on patterns and variations in women’s political representation; and on women in Armenia. Future research could examine the direction of gendered political change following the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s unilateral military action in September 2023
Swiping the Norms: Feminist Dating Apps and Indonesian Women’s Dating Scene Realities
Get PDFThis research aims to investigate the dynamics of gender roles by focusing on the standpoint of women users of the feminist dating app Bumble. This app has emerged in Indonesia as one of the most popular platforms to meet potential partners, and it has provided a unique setting to examine how traditional and evolving gender roles manifest in online dating. By first analyzing women users’ behaviors, preferences, and interactions, this study sheds light on how gender roles and cultural norms influence the dating experience in the digital realm. Qualitative interviews were conducted with ten dating app users to gain deeper insights into their experiences, and the results were analyzed using the phenomenology method. This qualitative component explores the subjective perceptions, expectations, and challenges associated with gender roles in the dating app context. The study’s findings illuminate the evolution of dating dynamics in Indonesia and reveal notable shifts in the dating landscape. Challenges such as “ghosting” and “relationshopping” emerge, which underscore the nuanced interplay of agency and hesitancy in the quest for meaningful connections. While Bumble empowers women users, it also highlights the delicate balance between newfound agency, societal expectations, and emotional vulnerabilities. These findings highlight the need for future research to consider diverse gender identities, sexual orientations, demographic ranges, and regional variations. Continual investigation is imperative to monitor the evolving nature of dating apps and their impact on societal norms amidst technological advancements and shifting social contexts
Living in the Shadows: Exploring the Link between Colonialism, Climate Change, and Women’s Vulnerability
Get PDFThe UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its sixth climate change report in early 2022. For the first time in thirty years, this report acknowledged colonial domination and global exploitation as drivers of the climate issue and contributors to the vulnerability of communities and groups. Colonialism, climate change, and women’s vulnerability are rarely discussed in the available literature. A scoping review was done to determine how colonialism makes women more vulnerable to climate change and related disasters. The study examined when and how colonialism increases women’s vulnerability in the Global North and South. Through the study, it was found that colonialism’s effects vary by situation. Women are often more vulnerable as a result of racism and societal norms inherited from the colonial era. With the aid of this research summary, future studies will be able to lessen women’s long-term vulnerability to disasters caused by climate change. Further, this study emphasizes the need to understand each area’s social dynamics, which can make it hard for some communities to adapt to climate change. A postcolonial lens may help to comprehend these relationships and address individual susceptibility. A fairer and more climate-resilient society can be built by acknowledging colonialism’s legacy and its impact on present-day vulnerabilities
Bridging the Gap: An Action Research Pilot Study on Confidence Building for Women Design Students in Higher Education
Get PDFWomen are significantly underrepresented in the design industry globally, particularly in tech-driven industries like industrial design, despite an increasing number of women design graduates. While there are various factors that influence this underrepresentation, recent studies identify a general lack of confidence among women as a major contributing aspect. Women students tend to have lower self-assessments compared to their male peers, leading to limiting behaviours and barriers to pursuing opportunities in tech-based fields, which thus perpetuates gender disparity in design fields and STEAM. To address this disparity, the Industrial Design department at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa launched the “Wom+n in Tech” initiative. This experiential, interdisciplinary programme aims to cultivate confidence among women design students by leveraging the technology, equipment, and expertise available within the faculty to host seminars, mentorship hubs, and practical workshops and training sessions in various tech-related areas. The goal is to encourage women students to engage and experiment with unfamiliar tools and technologies, thereby developing competence and confidence. This paper presents a trial project that uses reflective action research methods that evaluate the initial response to the initiative through qualitative reflections of participating students, mentors, and staff. The findings indicate a positive adoption of the programme, with participants reporting increased confidence and seeing much value in the initiative. The evidence-based methodology that led to these results affirms the continuation and expansion of Wom+n in Tech. Based on the initial findings, the programme aims to scale its impact through further practical workshops, experiential learning, personal development, collaboration, cross-disciplinary learning, and industry connections
