Negotiating Identity: The Cultural and Religious Significance of Rifa'iyah Batik for Women

Universal or specific? - Violence against women in public spaces in Tanzania: Experiences from public bus stations in Dar es Salaam City

This study examines the contradiction between the role of university students as role models in defending freedom of expression and the reality of Indonesia’s higher education system, which remains entrenched in hierarchical structures and a culture of conformity. Using a qualitative research method through literature review and descriptive analysis, this study reveals how Indonesian students face a dilemma: on one hand, they are expected to be agents of social change; on the other, they must operate within a system that restricts their freedom of expression. The findings indicate that this contradiction creates structural tensions that weaken the effectiveness of students as role models for freedom of expression. This study recommends the need for reforms toward a more democratic and participatory higher education system to support the role of students as agents of social change. Background: Historically, university students have played a crucial role as agents of social and political change in Indonesia. From the independence movement to the Reformasi era in 1998, students have consistently been at the forefront of advocating for various social issues, including the right to freedom of expression. This role has positioned them as role models within society in promoting democratic values and human rights. However, the current reality within Indonesian higher education institutions reveals a fundamental contradiction. The system, which still upholds hierarchical authority and emphasizes conformity, often restricts students’ space for expression. The top-down academic structure, strong seniority culture, and institutional control mechanisms create a paradoxical environment for students who are expected to be champions of freedom of expression. Objective: To examine the contradiction between the role of university students as role model s in advocating for freedom of expression and the hierarchical and conformist structure of Indonesia’s higher education system. Methods: This research employs a qualitative method by integrating a conceptual approach, a statute-based (legal) approach, and a case-based approach. Results: Normatively, students are positioned as agents of change and role models in upholding freedom of expression—in their thoughts, attitudes, and actions. However, in practice, Indonesia’s higher education system, dominated by hierarchical values and a culture of conformity, becomes a structural barrier that limits such freedom. This contradiction leads to a range of multidimensional impacts. Conclusion: The contradiction between the ideal role of students as role models of freedom of expression and the hierarchical nature of the higher education system has generated psychological, social, and intellectual consequences that hinder the development of their critical thinking. Therefore, structural and cultural reforms within university environments are essential to creating an inclusive, democratic, and dialogic academic space.

Socio-spatial conditions for women in Dhaka are very specifi c and highly contradictory. Th is article traces some of these contradictions by looking at the multilayered presence of women in public space—where public space is defi ned as both the space of politics and public discourse, and the physical space of streets, parks and squares. By analyzing the presence of women in public space, it is argued that one can observe a continuous tension within these spaces between ‘offi cial’ discourses and often repeated ideas that stress equal rights for women on the one hand and a whole series of everyday practices on the other that rather tend to make women’s presence in public space marginal.

This study analyzes the phenomenon of judgmental attitudes among women in public spaces, particularly in women-only train carriages, through the perspective of radical feminism and the concept of internalized misogyny. Internalized misogyny is a form of internalization of sexist and discriminatory values ​​against women that are accepted and carried out by women themselves without realizing it, as a result of the influence of patriarchal culture that has taken root in society. This judgmental attitude appears in the form of rivalry, mutual demeaning, and the tendency to compare oneself with other women to gain validation or feel superior. A case study conducted in a women-only train carriage shows that spaces that should be safe for women actually create new social dynamics, such as competition for facilities, conflicts between passengers, and the erosion of empathy and solidarity among women. These findings indicate that internalized misogyny exacerbates negative stereotypes against women and strengthens rivalries between them, thus creating an environment that does not support solidarity. For example, women tend to demean each other or feel threatened when they are in spaces that should be safe for them. This research highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms of internalized misogyny and its impact on women's social interactions in public spaces, as this phenomenon hinders the creation of more equal and supportive relationships between women. A deeper understanding of these dynamics can facilitate women's empowerment and foster stronger solidarity within society. Therefore, it is crucial for women to dismantle their internalized patriarchal values to foster equality and support among women in public spaces.

Education is essential, especially in an era of disruption and moral deterioration. Consequently, there is a need for multiple forms of religious teaching, particularly in the digital sphere. Women must also be able to access the digital domain, as they constitute most of the religious population. Only women have a greater understanding of women's issues. Hence, the empowerment of Muslim women requires the assistance of female digital experts. The study tried to show that many women also educate and spread Islamic teaching in the digital sector. Even though there is a concept of women in public spaces as aurat, women still show their existence and can keep up with the times. This research was conducted by a case study using a descriptive analysis method through a qualitative approach. The primary data sources are observation, interviews, and documentation with research samples of 10 viral female clerics on social media. It shows that the concept of women appearing in public spaces does not prevent da'wah and social roles, as the existence of women is closely related to their actions for society. Furthermore, preachers in the current era need digital, technological, and human literacy to survive. Nevertheless, they must imitate the previous female ulama and posit them as ideal role models: acting as muharrik (activator), murabbi and mu'allim (educator), munadzzim (organiser/leader), mura'i (guardian), and munasik (controller) for the ummah at the same time. In research on women, gender theory is often used as the basis for analysis. However, this study is more focused on the theory of the contribution of the female ulama in the digital era. How do they master digital literacy to transform religious values into digital form?

Can universities be agents of progressive social change? How would we know if a university was acting as an agent of social change? Drawing on four case studies, I raise a number of questions to problematize our understanding of the university as an agent of social change. I outline a number of contributing factors that appear to explain successful cases. I conclude by arguing the relevancy of these cases for larger, and more traditional, sociological projects.

Eat, Swim, Pray

n his Afterthoughts on Rhetoric and Public Discourse, S. Michael Halloran finds that efforts of citizens to shape the fate of their community... would surely have been of interest to American neoclassical rhetoricians of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries (2). Unfortunately, he sees an apparent lack of interest in such 'Public Discourse' among new rhetoricians of late twentieth-century English departments (2). One way to increase our in public discourse is to bridge the university and community through activism. Given the role rhetoricians have historically played in the politics of their communities, I believe modern rhetoric and composition scholars can be agents of social change outside the university. Some critical theorists believe that the primary means of affecting social change is to translate activism into liberatory classroom pedagogies. This paper seeks to address other ways in which we can affect social change, something more along the lines of civic participation. As Edward Schiappa suggests, pedagogy that enacts cultural critique is important but it is not enough.... We should not allow ourselves the easy out of believing that being 'political' in the classroom is a substitute for our direct civic participation (22). I agree. I hope here to suggest ways we can empower people in our communities, establish networks of reciprocity with them, and create solidarity with them. Using a self-reflexive rhetoric, I'll describe the limitations of my own role as a participant observer in a predominately Black (their term) neighborhood in a city in upstate New York. I hope to reveal a tentative model of civic in our neighborhoods

The City

This article discusses several activities intended for Acehnese women after the implementation of Islamic sharia. Activities aimed at women in public spaces have an impact on the marginalization and narrowing of women's public spaces. This article also explicitly provides an overview and analysis of what actually happened to Acehnese women so that it appears that there is a problem of the domination of male power over women based on religious, cultural, and political arguments. The purpose of this article is for the public to understand that the Aceh government has made policies aimed at women in the public sphere with the support of Wilayatul Hisbah, which has an impact on the marginalization of women. It is found that after the implementation of Islamic law in 2001 until now, in Aceh, there have been domestication of women with various regulations (qonuns) as well as text interpretations which are used as legitimacy by the power of conservative ideology on progressive understanding. This article makes Aceh a focus area. This article is based on the literature as a secondary source as well as interviews with experts.

Cartography is a control tool that prioritizes the interests of power over cultural and natural realities and, far from being neutral, it reflects political decisions that influence the organization of space. Likewise, cartography defined by an androcentric approach excludes women, influences the inequitable distribution of power and omits gender violence in the territories, thereforehe exclusion of women's experiences reinforces inequalities in areas such as daily life, care work and territorial appropriation. This research analyzes the experiences of insecurity faced by women in public spaces in the Unidad Habitacional Infonavit Amalucan. The methodology was based on counter-mappings elaborated from women’s narratives to recognize their experiences in public spaces around the houses, with the aim to explain the insecurity and resistance of women in the public spaces of the housing units. The results show the differences between participatory mapping with mixed groups and counter-mapping, the latter highlighting insecurity in public spaces around housing units and resistance strategies to carry out daily activities and care. The main conclusion is that counter-mapping is a potential tool to reassess the experiences omitted in quantitative mapping with an androcentric approach as they provide evidence of the insecurity and fears experienced by women in public spaces.

PurposeSince liberalization in the 1990s, India has witnessed a growth in the number of educated middle-class women in professions. However, there are few women in leadership positions and decision-making bodies. While the earlier notion of the ideal woman as homemaker has been replaced by one which idealizes women of substance, a woman’s role in the family continues to be pivotal and is even viewed as central in defining Indian culture. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how and to what extent gender inequalities are reproduced in the organizations employing educated professionals.Design/methodology/approachBased on the perspective that gender is socially constructed, this paper analyzes gender inequality in Indian organizations through semi-structured interviews of men and women scientists in two private pharmaceutical laboratories.FindingsThe findings show reproduction of a gendered normative order through two types of norms and practices: one, norms and practices that favor men and second, socio-cultural norms that devalue women in public spaces which help to maintain masculinity in the workplace. Although these practices might be found elsewhere in the world, the manner in which they are enacted reflects national cultural norms.Originality/valueThe paper highlights how various norms and practices enacted in the specific Indian socio-cultural context construct and maintain masculinity at workplace depriving opportunities to professional women which affect their rise to leadership positions.

This study examines how microfinance interventions impact political, social, psychological, and economic empowerment and disempowerment. Disempowerment in the political, social, psychological, and economic spheres sometimes results in prejudice against women in society. As a result, the microfinance scheme for those living in rural areas emerged, concentrating on women as agents of social change. Consequently, several research that used a very broad definition of women empowerment and were published in journals with peer review were left out. To eliminate any uncertainty in the theoretical and empirical foundation, this study's examination of women's empowerment through microfinance is grounded in a comprehensive literature survey. A thorough literature review forms the basis of this study's analysis of women's empowerment via microfinance to ensure completeness in the empirical and theoretical underpinnings. According to the literature, finance as an example has not brought about the necessary socio-economic transformation and has even had negative effects in certain circumstances. However, this study demonstrates that the program for microfinance empowers women and lessens societal inequities to some level.

The paper presents the applied approach in the implementation of UN Women's project in Serbia "Safety of Girls and Women in Public Space". Five thematic workshops on improving public urban planning policies were conducted by the expert team of the Institute of Architecture and Urban & Spatial Planning of Serbia - IAUS, in the period from May to September 2023. Educational workshops, with a high level of participation, were intended for urban planners and designers, experts dealing with spatial, economic, social and environmental aspects of urban planning, but also other participants in whose jurisdiction is decision-making, as well as taking care of the arrangement, maintenance and ensuring of order and peace in public urban space. The workshops are designed as flexible and adapted to all participants, encouraging active participation and free presentation of experiences, attitudes and exchange of opinions, and if necessary, replacement of roles. The main goal was to disseminate information and raise awareness of participants on the topic of urban security and gender sensitive planning, first through the earning of theoretical knowledge, and then through practical application using planning methods and tools through simulation of teamwork at specific city locations. The relations between public urban spaces and users were analyzed, personal sense of security from the point of view of women and girls, sharpened observation of imperfections in space that can cause unpleasant and unsafe situations and adoption of a set of preventive measures to improve the situation. The final result is the creation of the document "Roadmap for Implementing Urban Safety Measures in Urban Planning" created on the basis of discussion and observations. This material offers concrete recommendations for changing the relevant legal framework at the national level and proposes the introduction of the topic of urban security as an obligation in the field of urban planning. In conclusions the paper provides an overview of applied methods, gained experience and recommendations for future educational workshops, analyzes the achieved results and points to concrete proposals for further formalization of the topic of gender sensitive space and women's safety within the framework of domestic urban planning practice.

In 1964, indigenous Nubians were displaced from their original land – the land between what is now Egypt and that of Sudan – to modernised settlements built by the Egyptian state. The Nubians dissatisfaction with the novel built environment translated into transgressive public spaces. One of the most common transgressions was the addition of an external bench called Mastaba. Since power relations between men and women have changed, the built environment now acts as a catalyst in the exclusion of women from formal public spaces such as conventional coffee shops and squares. Mastabas function as liminal spaces, spaces which blur the boundaries between public and private spheres. As these spaces do not suit the formal understanding of public spaces, we investigate these liminal spaces in order to reveal the spatial tactics of the marginal. We argue that the existence of these spaces raises issues of spatial justice and spatial resistance. The behaviour of liminal public spaces varies; they have the ability to transform adjacent spaces. This research investigates the role of the Mastaba in opening up the public space for women, thereby giving them the ability to contribute to the writing of their social contract. We base our analysis on extensive fieldwork, consisting of auto-ethnographic observations and participation, informed by a feminist epistemology. We use tools of spatial analysis to explore an alternative public space offered by liminality. To question the binary notions of private and public space, we ask ourselves: where does that space start? As spatial professionals, we also wonder: can we contest the hegemonic definition of public space and contribute to spatial resistance? Drawing lessons from the case of the Mastaba, we propose contingencies for designing the liminal that serve the marginal.