Feminist Research Articles

Kesetaraan Gender “Perjuangan Perempuan dalam Menghadapi Diskriminasi”

The oppression of women is a lingering reality in many societies. It is important to continue fighting gender inequality and promoting women's rights. Solidarity and education are key in changing the mindset and systems that support such oppression. The purpose of this study is to provide a snapshot for women out there who are still blind to the prevailing system of patriarchy, encouraging women's awareness and understanding of gender inequality. Through the results of this study, it is hoped to motivate women to be actively involved in social change towards a more just and equal society. This research method is a Qualitative method with a library study approach, researchers look for information from a variety of clear sources, so that researchers can guarantee that this research is accurate. The results of this study show that there are already many Feminism movements that play an important role in voicing and fighting gender inequality. These findings reflect the growing awareness and participation of women in efforts to tear down the structure of patriarchy. Nonetheless, challenges remain, and this study confirms the need to continue to drive social change in order to achieve broader gender equality in a sustainable way for generations to come.

Screen Memories: The Audiovisual Heritage of Turkish Migrant Women in the Netherlands Across Political Film, Video, and Television

This article explores the counterhegemonic uses of audiovisual media —such as film, video, and television— by migrant women workers, specifically focusing on the media tactics of self-representation used in the intersectional feminist activism of migrant women workers from the Turkish Republic in the Netherlands from 1975 to 1985. Through comprehensive archival research, it aims to historically contextualise and critically evaluate the archival conditions of this marginalised audiovisual heritage. Drawing on archival presences of extant film and television material as well as archival absences, such as lost and abandoned projects, the paper proposes to reconfigure the ‘audiovisual heritage’ of underrepresented communities at the intersection of race, gender, and class, whose archival presences are contingent, arbitrary, and fragmented. To address the specific condition of archival paucity concerning the audiovisual heritage of migrant women workers, the paper concludes with the new perspectives opened by a feminist media historiography of open questions, critical fabulation, and counterfactual speculation.

The Female Body, Christianity, and Colonial Modernity: Representation of Foot-bound Women in Alicia Little’s Travelogues

ABSTRACT This article explores Alicia Little’s presentation of foot-bound women in her travelogues and periodical essays. Her exploration of the anti-footbinding movement saw the dissemination of Western feminist ideas in China. However, as the article demonstrates, this cross-cultural exchange was a dominantly Western feminist movement compromised by an enlightenment project based on the notion of modern womanhood or colonial modernity. To understand the background, the article gives an overview of the history of footbinding, followed by the representation of foot-bound women in Little’s travelogues to unpack the idea of modern womanhood. Her presentation of Christianity offers important clues to understanding her writings on the anti-footbinding movement. This article also explores how Little presents her feminist and Christian ideas of modern womanhood, that are at odds with the traditional Chinese womanhood. In contextualizing Little’s role in the anti-footbinding movement, this paper reveals the complicated dynamics between Western feminism, the patriarchal Chinese society, and foot-bound women.

Wallaert, S. (2023). Kwaad Spreken: Wie Gelooft de Boze Vrouw?. Borgerhout: Letterwerk. Review by Alexia Debbaut

Sigrid Wallaert’s Kwaad Spreken: Wie Gelooft de Boze Vrouw? (translation: Knowing Anger: Who Believes the Angry Woman?) is part of the Questa-series essays, a series launched by the Belgian publisher Letterwerk, which foregrounds critical feminist writing. All essays in this series focus on specific topics (such as ethics, love, age, music...) or specific philosophies (like feminist ethics, feminist philosophy, the philosophy of Proust, etc.). Knowing Anger is an important contribution to contemporary feminist debate because it sheds light on the (omni)presence of feminist anger and its epistemic value. As Wallaert puts it, anger is more than the wrapping paper in which you pack your message. It is an essential part of what you have to say (Wallaert, 2023, p. 29). She speaks of an ‘anger turn’, as she sees a new prominence of (the use of) feminist anger in the (non-fiction) publishing industry, the media, the academic world and politics, parallel to Sara Ahmed’s ‘happiness turn.’ Wallaert investigates where this anger comes from and how it is used as an enabling force in feminist activism by using Miranda Fricker’s Epistemic Injustice: Power and the Ethics of Knowing (2007).

Majewska, E. (2021). Feminist Antifascism: Counterpublics of the Common. London: Verso Books. Review by Jonas Vanderschueren

‘If there is an eight-year-old girl somewhere who is desperately willing to kick some patriarchal, neo-Nazi ass. This book was written for her.’ (Majewska, 2021, p. 30). This dedication is an excellent summary of the stated aim of Polish feminist philosopher Ewa Majewska’s book Feminist Antifascism: Counterpublics of the Common. It sets out to theoretically ground a series of activist tactics and strategies that have emerged in the face of creeping authoritarianism and the rise of the fascist alt-right movement in the 2010s and 2020s. The book tries to counterpose to this conservative turn , a more militant and assertive transnational feminist movement, which finds itself at the heart of contemporary anti-fascist politics. The result is a convincing theoretical framework, not merely aimed at resisting fascism, but also filled to the brim with potentiality to effect radical emancipatory change.

Pemberdayaan Organisasi PKK dan UMKM Milik Bu Sri; Upaya Perbaikan Keterlibatan Wanita di Desa Setren

Women's empowerment is a modern concept that marks progressive changes in efforts to liberate from patriarchal culture, where women's involvement in society was previously very minimal. Efforts to align the portion of involvement of all genders are often referred to as the equal rights movement or women's liberation movement. In Setren Village, women's involvement is still low, with the achievement of SDG 5 point "Village Women's Involvement" only 26.32%. Based on this assessment, our community service work program is focused on increasing women's involvement. We initiated two main programs: empowerment of Village PKK Organizations through the creation of Village Gardens and education on Verticulture planting media, as well as rebranding of Mrs. Sri's Village MSMEs which operate in the soybean juice beverage sector. By partnering with the PKK, this women's empowerment organization is expected to be able to contribute to community development. Support for MSMEs also aims to improve the economic and environmental aspects of villages. This research aims to evaluate the results of the women's empowerment program in Setren Village. In contrast to previous research which focused on crafts, our approach uses planting media education and MSME support. The service will be carried out for three months, from March to July 2024, in accordance with the SDGs of Setren Village. The methods used include surveys, discussions and problem identification. Surveys were conducted at the Village Hall and the Village Head's house to obtain initial information. The second visit was made to Mrs. Sri's house to understand the condition of MSMEs. After identifying the problem, discussions were held to determine the work program based on the relevant Setren Village SDG point 5.

The ‘Karman method’ and the boundaries of self‐help: Itinerary of an abortion technology

AbstractThis article explores the controversial itinerary of Harvey Karman and his development in the 1970s of a manual vacuum abortion method which promised a simpler alternative to traditional methods. It highlights Karman's role, often overlooked in abortion rights narratives, as he navigated the transition from illegal to legal abortion, engaging with feminist collectives, doctors and population controllers. Drawing on diverse sources, it examines Karman's efforts to promote his devices and his complex position within medical and feminist circles. The article argues that post‐1972 tension between Karman and feminist activists reveals the gendered alliance dynamics of the abortion movement before and just after Roe v. Wade (1973). It also shows how these tensions encouraged feminist groups to redefine their own practices and led to the delineation of the boundaries of self‐help.

Education of Value Attitude to Family among Adolescents in the World of Social Networks

The article reveals the problems of family education in the digital society. The “Childfree” movement, which emerged in Western Europe on the basis of the feminist movement, promotes the ideas of freedom and independence from the family. Supporters of the anti-family movement in Korea (“Sampo Generation”) advocate voluntary childlessness. These movements pose the strongest threat not only to the institution of the family, but also to the entire human society, denying traditional spiritual and moral values. The negative impact of social networks is manifested in the fact that barriers of communication between parents and children are created. It is proposed to develop a model of integration of educational interactions of teachers, children and their parents on the Internet. The school is considered as a social practice that relies on the infrastructure that includes material and social resources, including social networks. The benefits of social media and gadgets should be competently utilized. The content of social networks should be filled with strong Russian traditions of family education. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the relevance of the problem of education of value relations to the family in adolescents in the world of social networks. The research methodology is based on the poly-subject strategy of upbringing. The scientific literature was analyzed using the apperception method. Methodology and research methods. The development of the problem of education of value relations to the family in adolescents in the digital society is based on a poly-subject strategy of education. The scientific literature was analyzed using the apperception method. The result of the study is the formulation of scientific and pedagogical tasks related to the justification, development and testing of the model of digital educational environment of the school that promotes the education of value relations to the family in adolescents, providing pedagogization of the Internet environment. Such a model of digital educational environment of the school will be a means of pedagogization of social networks at the level of prevention, protection and management. Pedagogization of social networks should be evaluated with the help of informational, normative, activity, diagnostic indicators.

Era of the Female Witness: Jewish Women and the Trial of Klaus Barbie

Abstract In May 1987, Sabine Zlatin and Simone Lagrange became household names in France after they testified against the infamous Nazi Klaus Barbie, “the Butcher of Lyon,” during his trial for crimes against humanity. On the witness stand, Zlatin’s testimony revealed her perseverance as a Polish-Jewish immigrant involved extensively in wartime rescue and resistance. Meanwhile, Lagrange shared her encounters as a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl whom Klaus Barbie tortured. Throughout Barbie’s trial, national and international media outlets reported frequently on Zlatin and Lagrange’s wartime and postwar lives. The enormous media attention the trial received made it a crucial event during the resurgence of Holocaust memory in France, yet what made this trial unique regarding the role of Jewish women as witnesses was its timing in the aftermath of the women’s rights movement. The feminist movement allowed people to better understand the gendered nature of Zlatin and Lagrange’s testimonies and recognize their persecution and perseverance as women during and after the war. Going forward, the centrality of experiences shared by women shaped how the trial would be remembered, and arguably even influenced a greater consideration of crimes against women within the statutes for crimes against humanity.

States, Alliances, and Subnational Inequality: Argentina in Comparative Perspective, 2003–2019

Abstract Economic inequality is unevenly distributed across subnational territorial units, and national averages obscure this variability. What explains variations in inequality within countries? This study argues that the type of subnational governing alliance (regressive or progressive) expressed in the composition of government cabinets affects the level of provincial inequality. The study classifies and codes provincial cabinet members according to their economic, political, and social background. These sectors can form part of a progressive (unions, social, and feminist movements) or regressive (agribusiness or large energy companies) alliance. A large-N analysis of original panel data for Argentina between 2003 and 2019 provides empirical support for these claims. The study also analyzes two key cases, Chaco and Corrientes, which show how the different alliances are associated with varying results in inequality. The study concludes by exploring some comparative implications.

Construction of Gender Equality in Arab News Media: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Women in Arabia are often seen as subjects who need liberation from the constraints of patriarchal culture. Based on a report released by the United Nation in 2020, Saudi Arabia has big challenges in terms of women's empowerment and gender equality. The subject of limited space for women in Arabia has been extensively examined in earlier works from social and political science perspectives. However, there has been a lack of research on this topic from a linguistic viewpoint, particularly in the field of critical discourse analysis. This study aims to examine how Arab media portrays gender equality in the context of reporting on Arab government policy concerning women's rights. This research uses a critical discourse analysis approach initiated by Fairclough (1995) and a transitivity system approach introduced by Halliday (2014). This study discovered that the Arab media perceives Saudi Arabia's policy change on women's rights in a positive light. It is depicted as a demonstration of gender equality, a representation of the women's liberation movement, and a significant advancement that will propel Arab nations forward. In this particular instance, it pertains to the advancement of gender equality, which is being achieved through the implementation of policy reforms by the Saudi Arabian government with regards to women's rights. The reporting that is carried out can be a tool to guide public opinion, in this case, what is being constructed is gender equality which is realized through the Saudi Arabian government's policy reforms regarding women's rights.

Feminist identity crisis in Africa

Feminist movement in Africa lacks capable guardians to steer the development of feminine identity or theory, and to operationalize the feminist agenda. The apparent lack of a national or continental feminist theory has not helped to elevate the status of the majority of women beyond the patriarchal controls, particularly in the rural and peri-urban communities, despite improved social modernization. Africa’s feminist crisis involves the lack of leadership, ideological vacuity, absence of structure or movement, and the non-application of cultural; political; class; religious and tribal identities in developing feminist theory. In search of capable feminist guardians, the tendency of feminist groups is to co-opt self-actualized African women into feminism with or without their consent, and without regard to the accidental coincidence of those personalities’ narratives with feminist epistemology. Feminism in Africa is in search of relevance within the public space. This paper interrogates these issues and uses the narrative of several self-actualized women in Africa, who have, apparently, been co-opted into feminism as a result, to discuss aspects of the crisis and the delimiting public policy and legislation against, perhaps, the development of feminine identity.

Riots or revolution? A framing analysis of the Mahsa Amini protests in U.S. and Iranian media

This study examines the framing of the Mahsa Amini protests in American and Iranian news media using a mixed-methodology approach to analyze 200 online news stories published by two news outlets from each country between 16 September 2022 and 16 December 2022. The findings show that CNN and Fox News, despite being often seen as partisan news outlets with polarized ideological views, covered the events similarly: they framed the protests positively but engaged in orientalist discourse regarding the hijab. In contrast, Iranian media; Press TV and The Tehran Times, portrayed the protests negatively as part of a foreign agenda and neglected the hijab issue. Both countries’ media coverage aligned with their home country’s governmental interests, politicizing Iranian women to serve their narratives and echoing critiques raised by postcolonial scholars on the perpetuation of the symbolic division between East and West through the use of reductivist frames. This paper provides a framework to investigate the discourses and narratives associated with the coverage of protests and feminist movements in the Middle East. The patterns outlined in this paper can help journalists assess their objectivity and reporting style of social movements and women’s issues in the Middle East for more nuanced reporting.

Feminist Theologies: Looking Back To Look Ahead

Feminist theologies in the U.S. are the reason why attention to gender has changed religions. Feminist studies in religion and social activism go hand in hand. These twin foci form a useful backdrop for understanding contemporary feminist spirituality which is a concrete coupling of religious dynamics and feminist action. That spirituality is the product of feminist work in religion and has an impact on society. Brief descriptions of a small sample of the groups that continue to deepen this work point to a bright future for feminist theologies despite backlash and obstacles.

A Feminist Reading on the Exploration of Female Identity and Sexuality in Sri Lankan Cinema: A Case Study of Asoka Handagama’s Selected Works

Since the emergence of the feminist movement, the distortion of feminine identity and sexuality is profoundly discoursed in relation to literature and other genres of art. This research has endeavoured to articulate how female identity and sexuality is portrayed in Sri Lankan cinema with reference to selected work of veteran filmmaker, Asoka Handagama. The sample comprises of the award-winning movies, “Thani Thatuwen Piyambanna” (Flying with One Wing, 2002), “Aksharaya” (A Letter of Fire, 2005) and “Aege Aesa Aga” (Let Her Cry, 2016) which features three significant female characters and their plight in patriarchal society. The researcher has deployed Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze Theory which examines the voyeuristic and scopophilic representation of women in media along with the Lacanian and Freudian concepts of gaze as the theoretical approach of the study. The research was predominantly conducted utilizing the qualitative approach while textual analysis and interviews focusing on the director of the selected films, critics and academics were the major tools of primary data collection. The secondary data was collected through research publications, newspaper articles, the internet and magazines. The hermeneutic approach was deployed in interpreting the sample and the collected data focusing on the connection between the selected sample and the broader discourses. Even though Laura Mulvey exemplifies that women are always being projected as passive objects in cinema, the findings of the study reveal that the selected sample represents the female figure as a more assertive and emphatic entity regardless of the persistent patriarchal norms.

Environmental Metamorphosis: An Analysis of the Causes of the Differences between the Female Views of Tibetan Buddhism and Chinese Buddhism

By analyzing the formation of Buddhist view of women in ancient India and the development of Buddhism after it was introduced into different regions of China, the author explores the differences between Tibetan Buddhism and Chinese Buddhist view of women and the reasons for their formation. In Tibetan Buddhism, women 's status is higher, and men and women are relatively equal; the status of women in Han Buddhism is relatively low. The view of women in Han Buddhism is influenced by Confucianism. Although there is the concept of equality between men and women, it still shows that men are superior to women in the practice of life. Tibetan Buddhism shows a unique view of women with Tibetan characteristics. On the whole, the view can be divided into women 's liberation tendency at the conceptual level and masculinity at the practical level.

Dari Yogyakarta ke Pelosok Nagari: Aisyiyah dan Modernisasi Perempuan di Nagari Kubang (1930-1945)

This article aims to provide an overview of the establishment of Aisyiyah in Yogyakarta and its development and role in Kenagarian Kubang, Minangkabau, during the period of 1930-1945. The women's movement in Indonesia has undergone a long historical evolution, and during the national movement era, women had established formal organizations dedicated to improving their conditions at that time. These formal organizations were not only city-based but also village-based, as exemplified by the Aisyiyah Organization in Kubang. As an autonomous organization under Muhammadiyah, Aisyiyah was granted the authority to manage charitable activities in the social, religious, educational, and vocational fields. This article analyzes how Aisyiyah contributed to enhancing the welfare and education of women in Kubang, as well as its role in the social and religious movements in the region.

Transformative reproductive futures in Northern Ireland

A foundation of rights-based solidarity has fostered an environment of cooperation between LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) rights and reproductive justice in Northern Ireland (NI) following the introduction of equal marriage and the decriminalization of abortion in 2019. This article provides a grounded look at this reproductive justice organizing in NI as an example of transformative organizing for reproductive futures. The case study considers a conversation with two activists who have been central to this work. Emma Campbell coconvenor of Alliance for Choice and Danielle Roberts the coconvenor of Reclaim the Agenda and former Senior Policy and Development Officer of HERe NI. Reclaim the Agenda is a coalition of feminist, youth, LGBTQ+ and community organizations that connects and mobilizes women to promote feminist activism through education, campaigning and celebration. HERe NI is a community organization and registered charity based in Belfast that supports lesbian and bisexual women and their families across NI. Alliance for Choice campaigns for free, safe legal and local abortion access for everyone who needs it in NI. Together these groups approach reproductive justice using a framework informed by lesbian feminist organizing and an intersectional approach that views access to abortion as part of a broader understanding of gender justice inspired by Black-women led SisterSong through (1) cross-movement organizing (2) centering bodily autonomy and (3) trans affirming feminist approaches to navigating shifting language about gender. The case study will be of interest to those working provide abortion services in a queer-informed way, as well as those navigating the challenges of reforming abortion policy.

The Impact of Feminist Movement on Translation and Gender Equality

The Impact of Feminist Movement on Translation and Gender Equality

(UN)EINIG? GENERATIONEN VON SCHRIFTSTELLERINNEN IM DIALOG ÜBER DIE EMANZIPATION VON FRAUEN: HELMINA VON CHÉZY, AMALIA SCHOPPE UND AMALIE STRUVE*

AbstractIn addition to her literary activities, the writer Helmina von Chézy (1783–1856) was committed to the emancipation of women throughout her life. She took a public stand on women's literary activity, participated in anthology and journal projects and wrote portraits of women in various genres. Among her correspondents was Amalie Struve (1824–62), a writer of the 1848/49 revolution who was two generations younger and who came into contact with the women's rights movement in America during her exile. The article explores the extent to which Chézy's Nachlass in the Varnhagen Collection provides new insights into the emancipation of women before and immediately after the revolution. Chézy's previously unpublished portrait of Amalia Schoppe (1783–1858), who also belonged to her network, is examined more closely. To what extent can conclusions be drawn from these texts about the state of the public debate on women writers in Germany? What is innovative about their contribution? The second part deals with Amalie Struve's letters to Chézy from the time of her move to the USA. To what extent do they shed new light on Chézy as a writer of radical change as well as on Struve's emancipatory commitment? To what extent does a generational transition become clear here?