Gender Relations Research Articles

Perceptions of Fairness of Support Between Older Parents and Adult Children

Increased life expectancy and reduced fertility mean more generations are living simultaneously but with fewer members. There is also a growing group of older people (aged 80 and over) who need care and support. This impacts mutual support within families and the care provided by public or private care organisations. Across OECD countries, on average, 60% of people aged 65 years and older in 2020 reported receiving support from family members, friends and people in their social network, living inside or outside their household but not care organisations. European research shows that when older persons do not have a partner (anymore), they rely on their adult children for care and support. Given that adult children frequently serve as primary providers of informal care, our study examines their perspectives and motivations to provide future care alongside the demands and expectations of their old parents. Our study adopts a multi-actor interview approach and simultaneously looks at the perspective of 40 adult children and one of their older aged parents (65 years or older). We apply the distributive justice theory to understand how children and parents assess the expectation and fairness of support. This paper contributes to the existing literature about support behaviour between parents and children, expanding insights about the fairness of support, expectations and willingness from a multi-actor approach. Through the lens of child–parent dyads, it is seen that the principles of the distributive justice theory can be perceived as not so strict, and within family relationships, one or more principles can coexist and have underlying mechanisms. This study shows the complexity and often ambivalence of family solidarity by adopting a multi-actor approach. One of the main findings is that contrasting dyads who reject the reciprocal act of support experience feelings of guilt or misunderstanding, resulting in stress and worry. A child may not follow the expected support pattern from the parent due to competing demands such as work or the prioritisation of young children, which can reduce the support given to the older parent. Besides general contrasts and similarities between child–parent support perspectives, the analysis looked into differences regarding gender and legal relationships. Our findings only found gendered care expectations. Future research should entangle this by looking into feelings of closeness, emotional connection and considering the dynamic character of filial support over time, especially between siblings.

Beyond the Clickbait: Analysing the Masculinist Ideology in Andrew Tate’s Online Written Discourses

There is now an expansive literature on the manosphere – the loosely connected groups of digital communities that revolve around men’s rights, aspirations and entitlements, and the perceived constraints upon these. Such studies have produced important critical insights into the collective and organized dimension of the networked harassment of women in digital settings, as well as highlighting the manosphere’s craving to reanimate regressive modes of masculinity. At this time, however, scholars have written relatively little about the manosphere’s high -profile key figures; so-called ‘manfluencers’. While ‘manfluencers’ are symptomatic, rather than a cause, of unequal gender relations, their cultural traction and their role in amplifying misogyny situates these figures as worthy of sociological investigation. In this article, we are concerned with Andrew Tate, the globe’s most prolific and most followed social media producer of masculinity-related content. Building on studies that analyse Tate’s viral video content, here we centre his written discourses, providing an empirically and theoretically driven analysis of his longer-form written content appearing on his website (16,029 words across 64 webpages) and on his Telegram messaging platform (150,288 words across 2191 posts), domains where his more committed followers access unfiltered and persistent communications. Deploying the concept of masculinism as a framework, we combine computational keyword and keyword co-occurrence analysis with a qualitative, close reading of a purposefully derived sub-sample of data. While somewhat subtler compared to his video content, our analysis exposes how Tate’s emphasis on self-help advice for boys and men and his glorifying of essentialism, gender hierarchy and individualism operates as the insidious ideological scaffolding that allows for, leads to and celebrates misogyny, and does so in ways that permits it to be taken up by young men trying to make sense of a context in which previous norms that privileged them are being challenged.

Gendered Discourse in Pakistani Classrooms: A Critical Discourse Analysis

The objective of this study is to analyse how gendered discourses are constructed in context of Pakistan classrooms via critical discourse analysis. Based on realistic classroom narratives from various educational contexts, the study examines how gendered scripts and roles emerge, are reinforced or resisted in pedagogical arenas. This study is qualitative in nature to capture gendered discourse patterns in a learning environment. CDA is chosen as the main theoretical framework for enquiring how gender ideologies and relations regulate and are realised in the text of an IELTS institute in Karachi. Through the analysis of the observed and recorded teacher-student and student-student interactions, this study analyzes the linguistic features, power relation, as well as other micro affirmative and micro aggressive acts that rehearse or challenge gender normativity. The paper also focuses on the relationship between language, culture and ideology and shows how students, especially girls, can be excluded from learning and education. The study concludes that classroom discourse is a reflection of existing power relation in the society, thus shaping the student’s perceived power relations including gender power relations in educational settings.

Gynecologic health care for LGBTQIA+ people.

Gender relations are a set of socially determined norms and rules that assign values, characteristics, and expectations to individuals based on their biological sex. These aspects also influence the clinician-patient relationship, since it has been for a long time based on cisheteronormativity. However, this attitude alienated the LGBTQIA+ community from health services. Global and specific gynecologic care needs to be offered to the LGBTQIA+ population, which has demands for sexual and reproductive health care. In this narrative review, we bring conceptual aspects, gender identity and expression, sexual history, screening for cancer and other care to the community.

Making Room for Women. Gender and Space at Work in the Swedish Armed Forces

ABSTRACTThis article contributes new insights into the spatiality of gender relations in military work and organizations, focusing specifically on the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF). It examines the unique and longstanding practice of gender‐mixed rooms, which have served as the standard way of lodging soldiers in Sweden for decades. Drawing on a combination of in‐depth interviews, archival research, and document analysis, the study follows the process of making room for women, tracing back to the early 1980s when the first women enrolled in the SAF. The findings demonstrate that gender‐mixed rooms have played a pivotal role in shaping both gender relations and institutional norms within the SAF. We argue that women's inclusion into the soldier collective has been simultanously facilitated and conditioned by this spatial arrangement. The case underscores the need to closely examine both the “how” and the “where” of gender equality initiatives when striving to foster more inclusive organizations.

Addressing Social Isolation and Suicide Risk in South Korea’s Permanent Rental Housing: An Empirical Investigation of Intervention Strategies1

This study examines social isolation and suicide risk in South Korea's permanent rental housing, which has been in existence since 1989. The research objectives are threefold: firstly, to identify individuals and households at heightened risk of mental health challenges; secondly, to analyse the causal relationships between residential environments and mental health outcomes; and thirdly, to formulate evidence-based recommendations for suicide prevention interventions. The study employs data from the Housing Management Agency and the Korea Welfare Panel Survey (KOWEPS) to emamine a range of factors, including household composition, age, gender, housing satisfaction, and social relationships. The study’s key findings indicate an elevated prevalence of suicide and loneliness, particularly among older adults and single-person households. Significant influences on these outcomes include financial stress, housing tenure, neighborhood characteristics, and housing quality. The study identifies depression as a critical factor, influenced by self-esteem, social support, and environmental satisfaction, with older residents with lower education and employment rates being most at risk. The research underscores the need for demographically targeted mental health strategies and highlights the importance of expanded public health interventions and housing improvements. It advocates for early identification and proactive management of mental health risks, emphasizing a comprehensive approach to reducing social isolation and suicide in permanent rental housing.

CLINICAL CORRELATION OF MMSE AND TAU RESULTS FROM BLOOD OR IMAGING REPORTS

Abstract Background A novel blood test for Alzheimer pathology is now available. Abnormal tau measurements from blood or brain PET may indicate brain tau. We analyzed the correlation of Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) to tau results disclosed to patients in a memory clinic. Objectives To assess the correlation of blood or PET tau positivity to MMSE test scores. To evaluate an MMSE score cut-off that translates optimally to tau positivity. Method Retrospective observational chart review of patients attending a memory clinic in Boston, MA, with a MMSE test score and blood tau or tau-results were included for analysis. Baseline MMSE and a binary blood or PET scan result were analyzed with covariates age, sex and race. Spearman correlation of MMSE to blood/PET tau. Kruskal Wallis/Chi square tests for relationship of age, sex, gender and education with MMSE score and tau-PET status. ROC analyses and sensitivity/specificity were obtained. Results We disclosed 45 positive and 10 negative tau results. 58.2% were female and 82.7% were white. Mean age was 70.12 ± 14.17, mean MMSE was 21.35±7.36. Tau abnormality trended negatively with MMSE score (r= -0.26, p=0.07). A cut point of 28 for MMSE estimated tau deposition in the brain by PET scan or blood tau, with an AUC of 0.694 (95%CI 0.48 to 0.90). Conclusion In a small pilot study, tau blood or PET results trended negatively with MMSE scores, possibly indicating a ceiling effect as we only analyzed very mildly impaired subjects.

KESEIMBANGAN PERAN GENDER PERSPEKTIF AL-QUR’AN

This research examines the Qur'anic perspective on gender role balance between men and women. This study aims to analyze Qur'anic verses that discuss gender relations and reveal how this holy book provides a comprehensive view of equality and balance of roles between the sexes. Through a thematic interpretation approach and contextual analysis, this research demonstrates that the Qur'an teaches principles of gender equality in various aspects of life, such as spiritual, social, educational, and economic. The findings reveal that the Qur'an does not discriminate against any particular gender, but rather emphasizes complementary roles and responsibilities between men and women. A proper understanding of the concept of gender balance in the Qur'an can provide a foundation for creating a more just and harmonious society..

Effects of employee competency on customer loyalty via justice perception and customer affection in Indian banks: do gender and failure severity moderate such relations?

PurposeThis study examines whether customer-perceived employee competence (CPEC) furthers customer loyalty through justice perception and affection, and whether gender and service failure moderate these relationships.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 535 customers of five Indian rural banks administering the questionnaire. The questionnaire gathered information on sociodemographics and measured constructs using standard inventories. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results reveal that when the effects of age are controlled for, CPEC enhances attitudinal and behavioral loyalty. The effects of CPEC partially influence attitudinal and behavioral loyalty through justice perception and customer affection. Attitudinal loyalty also promotes behavioral loyalty. With a few exceptions, stronger (weaker) effects are observed for female (male) gender and low (high) service failure, including CPEC influencing loyalty and justice perception, justice perception impacting customer loyalty and affection, customer affection promoting loyalty and attitudinal loyalty furthering behavioral loyalty.Originality/valueCustomers need competent employees to address bank service failure. CPEC fosters justice perception and affection, which in turn increases customer loyalty to the bank.

Food–gender relationship on the backdrop of war: the gendered practices of cooking, sharing and belonging through food

Food–gender relationship on the backdrop of war: the gendered practices of cooking, sharing and belonging through food

Gender relations and women’s empowerment in small-scale irrigated forage production in Ethiopia

Small-scale cultivation and irrigation of planted forages can increase the availability of good-quality animal feed in smallholder farms. However, low adoption rates of improved forage technologies in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa have been observed and are partly attributed to limited understanding of gender dynamics in the context of production and utilization of planted forages. The introduction of small-scale cultivation and irrigation of planted forages is likely to interlink gender relations in the mixed crop–livestock farming system given the differences in contributions, benefits and challenges men and women farmers face. Efforts to transform livestock systems through improving adoption, scaling, and sustainability forage interventions can benefit from empirical evidence on gender relations in feed-related activities. We aim to highlight the linkage between gender relations and women’s empowerment in the production and utilization of feed resources smallholder settings. We used mixed methods, drawing on quantitative data obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 250 men and 250 women, and qualitative data obtained from eight focus group discussions in smallholder settings of the Amhara and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s regions of Ethiopia, where small-scale irrigation was introduced to boost the production of cultivated forages by households. We used the Women’s Empowerment in Livestock Index tool to elicit data and analyze the empowerment of the sampled men and women. Women’s empowerment differed significantly with different dimensions of gender relations, types of forages grown, and small-scale irrigation practice. Moreover, women in households practicing small-scale irrigation of planted forages were significantly more empowered and most (80%) achieved the adequate threshold in “work balance”. The study findings point to the positive link between empowerment and the likely shifts in gender relations from the practice of small-scale production and irrigation of forages.

Caste, Neoliberalism and Entrepreneurship in India: A Sociological Mapping

The article presents a comprehensive mapping of the recent sociological literature on neoliberalism in the Indian context. It contends that the conceptualisation of neoliberalism demands a serious acknowledgement of the resilience and persistence of the social and its intertwining with the neoliberal economy. In this direction, the article critically reviews the scholarly works on caste, gender and neoliberalism in contemporary India to explicate the mutually constitutive nature of the social and neoliberal economy. The article also maps the recent studies on entrepreneurship and illustrates how caste and gender relations continue to be significant factors in facilitating entrepreneurship among different communities and social groups. The article calls for more sociologically informed conceptual frameworks to understand the unravelling of the neoliberal economy in the diverse socio-economic context of Indian society.

The Role of Women in Shakespeare's Tragedies: Power, Agency, and Subversion

The intricate and nuanced roles that women play throughout William Shakespeare's tragedies, with a particular emphasis on the ways in which female characters navigate power, agency, and rebellion within the patriarchal frameworks of their different realms. Through an in-depth examination of significant characters like Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra, and Desdemona in Othello, the study investigates the ways in which these women exercise power and authority, frequently upsetting the norms and expectations of society. In addition to this, the paper examines how Shakespeare makes use of these characters to attack and question the gender relations that existed during his time period. The analysis uncovers the ways in which Shakespeare's tragedies provide a reflection on the limitations and potentialities of female power and agency. This is accomplished by showing the conflict that exists between established gender norms and the rebellious activities of these women. The purpose of this research is to make a contribution to the knowledge of gender in literature by highlighting the lasting importance of Shakespeare's works in discussions of feminist theory and literary criticism.

Critical Discourse Analysis of Gender-Based Violence in English Media and Conversations

Globally prominent and inexhaustible, gender and patriarchy have a well-established ambivalent effect on people's lives as well as the norms of society. Gender-dominated society persists despite efforts to eradicate it, and men are typically the ones who commit it in intimate contexts. This study utilizes the “Socio-Cognitive Approach” and “Critical Discourse Analysis” to look at how gender-based violence is represented in English-language media and discourse. Despite international efforts to eliminate it, gender-based violence goes on to occur, indicating a gap to fill on how it is common and sustained in the media and in everyday discourse.The study is about a great deal of vital social problems, including how gender limitations are introduced and shaped in “discourse and the media”. This researcher poses some questions:What are the different shapes and expressions of it?What social, cultural, and personal elements play a role in it? What are the social, medical, and psychological repercussions? This research hypothesizes the following:Women who confront economic obstacles have poor academic access; Patriarchal power relations can normalize and justify such gender relations; Various elements, encompassing individual and cultural groups contribute to establish male-dominated aspects of gender. Additionally, the influence of these factors can be easily commented upon by effective social practices at distinct stages. The study makes use of Norman Fairclough's “Critical Discourse Analysis” model and Teun A. van Dijk's “Socio-Cognitive Approach” to analyze twenty-one spoken texts given by Oprah Winfrey, UN representatives, and “#MeToo activists”. The results support each of the frameworks and show the importance of cultural, systemic, and societal activities by highlighting the role of social cognition and intertextuality as basic discourse items.

Finding him: a symbolic interactionist perspective of romantic and queer love

ABSTRACT While being firmly rooted in and committed to the Western context, within which this piece is located, the discussions are not generalized since the aim of this paper is to offer a critical and theoretical appraisal of romantic and queer love. The theoretical lens applied here is symbolic interactionism. The examples of gay love that are examined include the following: gay open relationships; queer monogamy; and gay love in gay friendships. The added dimensions of sexuality and gender are noticeable when making links between gender and sexual relations.

Forbidden, yet common: Female genital cutting among the Oromo in central Ethiopia.

This article answers the question 'why female genital cutting (FGC) has remained common among the Oromo in central Ethiopia when it is legally forbidden.' Primary data for this article were generated through key informant interviews and focus group discussions, while secondary data were gathered from online and archives in the research site. Our findings indicate that the government tries to use legislative and health approaches in its efforts to terminate FGC. However, it has survived over time because of the strong resistance that the community in the research area wages against the intervention efforts. The very reason behind the resistance to end FGC is a patriarchal value that shapes gender relations, women's sexuality, and behaviors. The community gives precedence to the socio-cultural values of FGC over its criminalization and the stated negative health effects. Paradoxically, women are at the forefront in promoting FGC, for they believe that FGC shapes the sexual behavior of the girls and defines the gender identity of their daughters. The women take the prime responsibility to raise and mold the girls into ideal female behavior.

Normal human left ventricular mass, volume, and gender relationship by coronary computerized tomography angiography

Objectives: There is a need to know the indexed heart values of people in each geographic region. The objective of this study is to establish normal reference values for the left ventricle. Material and Methods: Of the 450 caucasian adult patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) from June 2021 to March 2023, 310 meeting the appropriate criteria were selected for our retrospective study. The indication for CCTA triggered by a 384-detector retrospective electrocardiogram was screening for coronary artery disease (CAD) in people over 40 years of age. Patients with known CAD, heart failure, congenital heart disease, heart transplant, known allergies to X-ray contrast, or prior cardiac surgery were excluded from the study. We determined normal reference ranges for end-diastolic myocardial mass (EDMM), end-diastolic volume (EDV), and cursor volume (CV) using indexed body surface area (BSA). Results: BSA indexed values are EDMM = 76 and 60g/m2, EDV = 65 and 61 mL/m2, CV = 46 and 42 mL/m2, heat index = 178 and 160 cm, weight = 89 and 81 kg, age = 55 and 57 years, and heart rate = 60 and 63 for men and women, respectively; 95% confidence interval. Conclusion: All parameters were different between males and females. In this cross-sectional general population study, men had significantly more indexed left ventricular mass than women (P < 0.01), with no significant differences between men and women in all other parameters (P > 0.05). These values indicate ethnic diversity.

Real Marriages, Fake Marriages, and Marriages for Fun

Abstract This essay addresses the topic of “true marriage” by referring especially to a historiographical tradition that in Italy has examined the impact of the norms of the Council of Trent on the sacrament, measuring the effectiveness of their application in the early modern age. After a survey of the studies that, over the course of the 20th century, have observed the nuptial institution from the perspective of social, legal, and cultural history, a series of cases preserved in the Archives of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith are analyzed. These include a register dedicated to “matrimonia ficta” (fake marriages) involving a diverse set of situations, documented between the late sixteenth and the late eighteenth centuries, in which a wedding-like ritual was enacted, sometimes with both parties being aware of the fictitious nature of the ceremony but more often with one being kept in the dark, to achieve a union that appeared to be a marriage, at once bypassing and moving within the rules. Two cases from the fonds of the Inquisition of Siena complete the body of documents analyzed, paying particular attention to the meaning assigned “from below” to gestures (such as ring exchange or kissing) and to gender relations in the ritual performance.

‘Sweden has changed me’: a qualitative study exploring the sexual health needs and associated mental health aspects of young male former unaccompanied minors, asylum seekers and refugees in Region Stockholm, Sweden

ObjectivesSexual health needs of young refugees and asylum-seeking men are seldom explored or addressed, adversely affecting their mental and physical well-being. By interviewing young male former unaccompanied minors, refugees and...

Holistic Hermeneutics of Qur’anic Verses: Reinterpreting for Achieving Gender Equality in Contemporary Islamic Society

Background and Objectives: This study addresses the patriarchal bias prevalent in traditional Qur’anic exegesis, which often privileges male perspectives and neglects women’s experiences. Such interpretations can lead to gender injustices justified by certain verses. The primary objective is to explore Amina Wadud’s holistic hermeneutic approach, which aims to affirm gender equality in Qur’anic interpretation. Methodology: Employing a qualitative literature-based approach, this research integrates thematic (maudu’i) exegesis, philological analysis, and a women’s perspective. Additionally, the study draws on Hans-Georg Gadamer’s hermeneutic concepts of prejudice, fusion of horizons, and dialogue, thereby enriching a holistic framework for Qur’anic interpretation. Main Findings: The findings indicate that the Qur’an fundamentally supports gender equality. Both men and women share equal rights, obligations, and potentials—whether in worship, social roles, or broader achievements. When examined holistically, verses addressing inheritance, human origins, and gender relations emphasize justice and balance rather than legitimizing any form of gender dominance. Contributions: This research contributes by proposing a more responsive interpretive method that engages contemporary issues of gender equality. The holistic hermeneutic approach encourages re-examining verses often misunderstood in traditional commentary. Consequently, it provides a valuable resource for Islamic education, social policy, and women’s empowerment initiatives. Conclusion: This study concludes that the Qur’an does not endorse patriarchy or matriarchy but rather underscores justice and equality. While the findings remain mostly theoretical, this approach opens avenues for further research on policy implementation and inclusive, gender-just education systems.