Groups Of Minority Women Research Articles

이슬람교 종교 복식과 중국 서북지역 소수민족 여성 복식의 조형적 유사성 연구

The purpose of this study was to investigate the religious clothing worn by women in four minority groups in northwestern China and analyze the forms, colors, and patterns in order to reveal the relationship between them. The research methods combined literature review and case studies. Four minorities(Hui, Weiwuer(Uygur), Kazakh and Dongxiang) were selected to undergo case study through frequency analysis using 420 pieces of women’s garments and accessories. The result showed that Islamic garment elements have a strong relationship with morphological closure and symbolism of colors and patterns. First, it was revealed that women of minorities adhering to Islam often wear clothes with several layers and drapery-type headdresses, showing a strong relationship with the closed Islamic religious garments. Second, the colors black, white, green and blue which are often found on typical Islamic garments, frequently appeared on clothing worn by the four groups of minority women, as well as red and yellow which are, preferred Chinese colors. Third, Islamic plants, geometric and abstract designs, and letter pattern for symbols of rebirth, life, hope and sun, were frequently found in the clothing worn by the four groups of minority women. The significance of this study is that it addresses religious meanings and symbolism hidden in the layers of garments by analyzing clothing worn by women in minority groups in northwestern China and comparing the garments to Islamic religious garments.

Remembering across the border: Postsocialist nostalgia among Turkish immigrants from Bulgaria

ABSTRACT“Postsocialist nostalgia” among Turkish immigrant women from Bulgaria is not just strategic performance to negotiate the challenges that face working women in Turkey but is also cross‐cultural analysis based on the migrants’ experiences of distinct gender regimes on the two sides of the border. I explore why the competition between established residents and newcomers over scarce resources becomes, in this instance, the ground for negotiation over proper gender roles. I also suggest that the migrants’ appeal to the communist legacy posits an alternative to either “normalizing” or “Orwellizing” communism and that it offers a more nuanced understanding of the norms and practices of gender and labor under communism, as experienced by this particular group of minority women.

The contribution of emotional characteristics to breast cancer screening among women from six ethnic groups

Background. This study was designed to determine which of several emotional propensities were associated with the frequency of mammograms and clinical breast exams among six groups of minority women. Three emotion-related variables that have been identified in the previous literature as influencing screening were examined: Repression, cancer worry, and embarrassment. However, these variables have never been examined within the same study, nor where relevant background variables are controlled. Methods. 1364 African American, US-born white, English-speaking Carribean, Haitian, Dominican, and Eastern European women were recruited via stratified-cluster sampling. Participants provided demographics and measures of beliefs and knowledge. Results. As expected, self-regulation and cancer worry were both positively associated with mammogram and clinical breast exam frequency, while embarrassment regarding having a mammogram was negatively associated with screening. These results held even after controlling for demographic variables and the presence or absence of physician recommendation. Screening rates for African American women equaled or exceeded the rates for European Americans. Other minority subpopulations had even lower screening rates, including women from the English-speaking Caribbean and Haitians. Conclusions. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for screening intervention, models of health behavior, and the need for more precise operationalizations of ethnicity in screening research.

A Rehabilitation Perspective on HIV Disease and AIDS Among Minority Women

Women with HIV/AIOS have specific needs that require specialized approaches to address the effects of this disease on them. Minority women with HIV/AIOS, however, have to deal with the triple challenge of race, class, and gender in addition to HIV/AIOS. The paper examines two groups of minority women, African American and Hispanic women, and discusses factors that place these women at high risk for HIV/AIOS. The interaction of race, class, and gender, and how it relates to the prevalence of high rates of HIV/AIOS in minority women is explored. Medical, economic and vocational issues of minority women living with this disease are discussed, and suggestions for rehabilitation of theses women are made.

Spirituality and Women's Midlife Development

This qualitative study describes midlife spiritual practices of 2 groups of minority women, 1 lesbian/bisexual group and 1 Black group. Each group attended 3 focus group meetings in New York City. Grounded theory was used for data analysis. Implications for counselors working with middle-aged women were discussed. ********** Existing literature on women's midlife development reflects substantial shifts in psychosocial paradigms. Three shifts are explored in this introduction: increased human life expectancy, emergence of gender-specific research, and focus on spirituality. In context of new paradigms for understanding women's midlife development, I then describe my prior research (Howell, 2001; Howell & Beth, 2002), which was used as baseline for current research. INCREASED LIFE EXPECTANCY OF HUMANS A rapidly changing figure, life expectancy now exceeds 80 years. Midlife has, therefore, become gateway to old age. As result, various definitions of midlife exist. Mansfield, Theisen, and Boyer (1992) used parameters of 35 and 55. Lacy (1986) and Levinson (1978, 1996) defined midlife as ages 40 to 60, and Borysenko (1996) used ages 42 to 62 to define midlife. In contrast, some researchers did not tie midlife to age at all. Rubin (1979) and England and Finch (1991), for instance, said that midlife began when women's children left home. Most recently, I (Howell, 2001) interviewed women from ages 35 to 60 and found that participants who were below age of 40 did not identify with what was being shared by older members of focus groups. In addition, members of groups strongly believed that midlife starred as late as 45 or 50 for most women. They did not argue with upper limit of 60. As life expectancy increased, attitudes about midlife occurrences such as menopause also changed. Sheehy's (1991) seminal book called menopause silent passage. With tone of dread and frustration, one section was titled, the need to know and fear of knowing. Another was titled the perimenopause panic. In contrast, 10 years later Northrup (2001) reflected more positive attitudes in her book, The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Healing During Change. Likewise, Voda (1997) challenged popular conceptualization of menopause as disease requiring treatment, conceptualizing it instead as normal transition. The paradigm of women's midlife experience has shifted from senescence (de Beauvoir, 1989; Sheehy, 1991) to one of vitality; enthusiasm, and wisdom (Borysenko, 1996; Northrup, 2001; Voda, 1997). GENDER-SPECIFIC RESEARCH As result of work of Miller (1976) and Gilligan (1982), theorists challenged popular practice of applying classic androgynous psychological theories such as Erikson's (1978) to both men and women. Subsequently, two theorists (Borysenko, 1996; Levinson, 1996) created comprehensive developmental models for women. Other theorists (Doress & Siegal, 1987; Love, 1998; Northrup, 2001; Rubin, 1979; Sheehy, 1991; Voda, 1997) conducted research that focused on uniquely female experiences. SPIRITUALITY The third major shift in psychosocial paradigm for understanding midlife involved spirituality; Jungian practitioners Brewi and Brennan (1999) described psychological challenge of midlife as a call back to wholeness (p. 11). They described classical Jungian process of exploring shadow, or to contact and integrate neglected aspects of personal unconscious (p. 59). Another Jungian, Hollis (1996), described midlife process as one of re-imagin[ing] ourselves in order to live in present (p. 142). In final chapter of their book, Brewi and Brennan discussed importance of religion in process of exploring unconscious. Hollis said that, during midlife, he drew from Bible and the wisdom of great writers (p. 136). …

Panel 3: Speaker 2

Panel 3: Speaker 2