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Should sex work \u27be understood as legitimate work, and an expression of women\u27s choice and agency‟ (Jeffreys 2009: 316)?
No full textThis article presents a radical feminist critique of how best to manage the increasingly complex social problems arising with the globalization of prostitution. It purports the essentialist arguments made by Sheila Jeffreys; that prostitution should not, and must never be perceived as a legitimate profession, regardless of its \u27traditional\u27 status as one of the oldest professions. The article systematically challenges liberal feminist arguments supporting legalization on the basis that working alongside and with prostitutes is a more effective way to improve working conditions and support the prostitutes. By no means discrediting the value of this perspective, this article criticizes the liberal ideology. It argues that liberal feminism fails to question the wider social structures upholding the practice of prostitution. This article recognizes prostitution as a social issue. It is inherently harmful for men as well as women and misconceives expectations of sex. It advocates the proactive Swedish approach to tacking prostitution, which makes it illegal to buy sex, as opposed to sell sex; sanctioning the \u27demand\u27 as opposed to the prostitute
The U.S.A. trilogy: a portrait of a nation: John Dos Passos\u27 redefinition of American literary tradition through visual art
Get PDFThe work of John Dos Passos is often overlooked in the American literary canon. The reason for this may lie in the fact that his work, interdisciplinary in nature, is inherently averse to definition. Whereas some critics have identified the influence of the visual arts on the author, none have dealt specifically with the impact of artists such as Pablo Picasso and George Braque on his methods of narrative construction and characterisation. Further, none have adequately expressed the gravity with which Dos Passos transformed the novel form. This article addresses the author\u27s literary transcription of analytic cubism with particular view to his U.S.A. trilogy. The competing planes, sharp angles and bold juxtapositions of cubism, are identifiable in Dos Passos\u27 work, and are employed by the author as a method of redefining an American literary tradition. The author explores identity both on an individual, national, and literary scale in an era of social, political and economic upheaval as he offers up a new model for the great American novel
A Children’s Crusade: legacy and the formation of adolescent identity in Marvel’s Young Avengers
No full textWhile Marvel\u27s most iconic superheroes have played a prominent role within popular culture since their conception, little critical attention has been paid to the derivative characters that ground and populate their respective narratives. This article explores identity formation in the comic book text through Young Avengers, a 2000s series following the adventures of adolescent heroes who view established \u27legacy\u27 characters such as Captain America and Scarlet Witch as both role models and parental figures. This article, among the first academic analyses published on Young Avengers, argues that \u27legacy\u27 heroes represent both cultural figures for offshoot characters to emulate as well as cultural structures to rebel against, positioning the Young Avengers as the product of both their cultural upbringings and their own personal identities
‘The mounting spirit’: empowering competition and challenging tradition in Shakespeare’s King John
Get PDFThe Life and Death of King John by William Shakespeare is a dramatization of the reign of John, King of England. In comparison to Shakespeare\u27s other history plays, the subversive ideological messages of the play have been somewhat overlooked by scholars. Theories which have enhanced understanding of the allusions to Republicanism in the works of Shakespeare allow for a more comprehensive interpretation of King John as a play which has an ideological purpose. This article explores the way in which self-referential and meta-theatrical devices within the text indicate an attempt on the part of Shakespeare to reflect the growing political awareness and aspirations of the burgeoning Fourth Circle. In doing so, it could be argued that Shakespeare subtly makes the case for an alternative method of government in a country that was beginning to change
Competition and tradition: Carolingian political rituals, 751-800
Get PDFIn 751, the Carolingians supplanted the traditional ruling dynasty of Francia. This article surveys Carolingian political rituals between 751 and 800, and argues that ritual was one means through which this new royal family sought to construct and legitimate its authority against its dynastic competitors. This article also highlights the neglected spiritual dimension of many of these rituals. Whilst tradition often formed an important part in these ceremonies, early medieval ritual was not static, and there is evidence of innovation and improvisation. The meaning of rituals was also unfixed, as reflected and conditioned by competing textual accounts
New horses for new courses: the necessity of human security in the post-Cold War world
Get PDFIn the post-Cold War world, a number of new, non-state based security threats have emerged. As a consequence, classical, state-based international relations theories are no longer sufficient for the analysis of threat scenarios and the preservation of security. The proliferation of sub-state threats such as civil war, genocide and human rights abuses has further compounded the need for new approaches to the study of international relations, and also increased the need for students of international politics to pay attention not only to the states in the international system, but also the people inhabiting them. This article will argue the case for the human security doctrine, whereby the referent object of study is changed from states in the international system, to the individuals inhabiting them. It will demonstrate that such an approach serves to secure increased security not only for civilians, but also for states
Masculinity and monasticism: an exploration of the ways in which traditional hegemonic masculinity was reconciled with the challenges of monasticism
Get PDFThe Late Antique and early medieval periods saw the growth of monastic communities in the West, as ideas about asceticism and cenobitic monasticism spread from Egypt. At the same time, a strict system of hierarchical gender identity operated in the Roman Empire, in which masculinity, and in particular, elite masculinity, was dominant. This article will explore the ways in which monasticism initially provided a threat to the hegemonic masculinity of its day before considering how it adapted, particularly considering differences in dress, labour and the public voice. It will conclude that through these adaptations, the two concepts were largely reconciled, allowing those who identified into the masculine elite to adopt monastic lifestyles with enthusiasm, eventually becoming dominant in monastic communities at the expense of women and non-elite men
Competing interpretations of the land: presenting multi-experiential archaeology
Get PDFThis article introduces multi-experiential archaeology, a critical concept incorporating aspects of agency, multi-vocal and landscape theories. Multi-experiential archaeologies explore a wider range of human experience than has been typical in traditional site-based and archaeo-centric approaches, but it can be argued that such an inclusive approach serves to undermine or destabilise the archaeological discipline. Case-studies drawn from indigenous-colonial interaction illustrate the potential of multi-experiential archaeology to present new, critically informed and ethically situated interpretations of the past
The strength of rhetoric in Christian conservative and radical feminist movements: comparisons and outcomes
No full textOver the course of the latter twentieth century in the western world there has been a rise of several notable grassroots and counter cultural movements. This article aims to expose the similarities between two of these influential movements: Christian social conservatism and radical and cultural feminism, and to emphasize how both of these movements are largely founded upon a strong, unmovable rhetoric and the use of folk devils and an overall fear of any outside influence in order to legitimize their fears over a perceived threat. This article will also examine how changing perceptions and ideologies within both the Christian right and the radical feminist movement have resulted in a backlash amongst those who consider themselves the \u27true\u27 practitioners of their respective movements ideologies
Cultural tourism and the portrayal of the Maya in the Yucatán peninsula
Get PDFThis article explores the relationship of the tourist industry in Yucatán, Mexico, to Maya culture and how certain elements are used to further the marketing of the tourist industry. It is argued that this is done primarily for reasons of economic growth, not cultural conservation of the indigenous culture. Through its analysis, this article outlines how the current model of cultural tourism relies heavily on Maya culture but does not benefit the indigenous Maya, and in fact reinforces the marginalisation of the indigenous Maya in Mexican society