Women's Struggle Research Articles

Understanding the Role of Community Training Centers on Skill-Based Entrepreneurial Training Among Women in Kashmir

Despite global efforts for women's inclusion in the workforce, challenges persist, especially in conflict-affected areas where socio-political, economic, and cultural norms further impede their economic participation. We situate our work in Kashmir, India, a region with a long history of socio-political unrest. We conducted 15 semi-structured interviews with women from a non-government organization operating community training centers in Kashmir. These training centers have been established, focusing on skill development to encourage women to venture into entrepreneurship. Our findings reveal socio-political and cultural factors influence women's struggles. We emphasize the vital role of these centers and the role of technology in these centers. Finally, we offer socio-technical design recommendations to support women's skill-building and entrepreneurship.

Female Body as a Site of Revenge Understanding the Predicament of Deshpande’s “A Liberated Woman” at the Intersection of Class and Gender

Shashi Deshpande, an acclaimed Indian writer, is famous for tapping into the vocabularies and perceptions made available by the growth of the middle class in India. Throughout the years, Deshpande has emphasised the struggles of middle-class women at the intersection of Capitalism and patriarchy. Capitalist patriarchy represents ‘the dialectical relation between capitalist class structure and hierarchical sexual structure’ and can be considered the real cause of women’s oppression in contemporary times. (Eisenstein, Capitalist Patriarchy 5). Deshpande’s “A Liberated Woman” establishes an innate relationship between an educated middle-class working woman’s “inner” life and social praxis. The text explores the protagonist’s struggle to gain autonomy within the institution of marriage and motherhood and further attempts to analyze how the so-called transgression of middle-class women into the public space disturbs the harmony of family life and supposed marital bliss. Even after being subject to sadism, Deshpande’s woman refuses to acknowledge the gravity and intricacies of the sexual assault as she tries to mystify the concrete bruises visible on her body. The present paper attempts to understand Deshpande’s unnamed protagonist’s predicament at the intersection of class and gender by drawing insights from the discourse concerning Capitalist patriarchy and the idea of intersectionality. It highlights how the plight of Deshpande’s woman can only be understood holistically when analyzed through an intersectional lens that considers her position vis-à-vis the economic, sociocultural, legal, and political domains in India. It further endeavors to disentangle how the female body of the unnamed protagonist of Deshpande’s oeuvre acts as a ‘site’ of control and domination by undertaking a close textual analysis of the text.

2024 US Presidential Election: Reproductive Rights in Focus

More than a quarter of a century has passed since the member parliaments of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) adopted the Universal Declaration of Democracy in 1997 (Cairo, Egypt). The document was designed as an international standard to assist governments, parliaments, and citizens in overcoming the many challenges to democracy worldwide. Amid ongoing debates about democracy, there are voices in various countries suggesting that the declaration is losing its relevance due to the perceived devaluation of democracy itself. However, supporters of a different point of view emphasize its other features, such as its stability and flexibility, and high adaptability to modern challenges, as well as its continued usefulness in driving positive changes in people's lives. The American public's views on specific policies regarding abortion reflect broader perspectives on what lies behind the façade of a medical procedure. Abortion is not primarily a medical issue, although the procedure itself is inherently medical. It extends far beyond the medical realm. Indeed, the struggle of American women for their rights, particularly reproductive rights, spans multiple generations, tracing a long historical trajectory. In the first quarter of the 21st century, when American respondents were asked about the significance of abortion, the majority emphasized its philosophical and political dimensions. Specifically, 81% viewed it as a matter of individual rights and freedoms, situating it within the broader context of human and reproductive rights. Many perceived abortion as a health issue (68%) and moral issue (62%). Notably, this group of respondents includes Democrats, independents, and Republicans. Fewer respondents viewed abortion as a religious issue (41%), although most Republicans (55%) saw it in that light. The question remains: Is American model of democracy up to the task of mitigating the reproductive rights emergency in the United States?

מאבק הפועלות בענפי הסלילה והבניין, 1940-1920 : השתייכות, התבדלות ובניית הכוח

In the 1920s and 1930s, women in the urban Yishuv fought for their inclusion in the paving and construction industries. This was one of the most prominent struggles of women, which pitted them against market forces, conservative attitudes, and the efforts to preserve male dominance that had pushed women to the margins. Their goal was to integrate within the centers of economic activity and social mobility. The successes and failures of this struggle, presented here for the first time, are a significant part of the history of the gender struggle narrative, the paving and construction industries in Israel, and urban labor during the Mandate period. An examination of the five main strategies in the struggle reveals two primary axes. The first operated according to the logic dictated by capitalist market principles, including several classic strategies used by minorities in the labor market. These were based on leveraging the advantages of social and economic inferiority, and efforts focused primarily on integration into the workforce and its governing institutions. The second operated according to the political logic of power-building and was based on an analysis of power structures within the Zionist labor movement, and the replication of separatist methods of operation. The women's labor movement as a whole and each individual female worker on her own navigated their way through the limited space between belonging to the general labor force and gender-based differentiation. In this article, I will show that the processes of integration into the labor movement actually solidified women's marginal status in the labor market, while differentiation processes strengthened their political standing and improved their conditions within it.

SPIRITUAL HYBRIDITY IN ANA CASTILLO'S FEMALE CHARACTERS: A STUDY OF SO FAR FROM GOD AND THE MIXQUIAHUALA LETTERS

This paper explores the spiritual hybridity in Ana Castillo's novels "So Far From God" and "The Mixquiahuala Letters," focusing on the unique spiritual journeys of Mexican-American women. Castillo's storytelling delves into the complexities of spiritual identities, blending Catholicism with indigenous beliefs, curanderismo, and feminist ideologies. The paper examines how Castillo's female characters navigate the intersection of these diverse belief systems, challenging the traditional patriarchal structures within the Chicano community and the Catholic Church. Highlighting the criticism of the Catholic Church by Chicana activists, the paper discusses how Castillo's characters retain their Catholic faith while becoming politically conscious feminists. This synthesis challenges the binary view of being either a feminist or a Catholic, emphasizing the coexistence of feminist perspectives with traditional beliefs. In "So Far From God," Castillo portrays characters like Sofi, Esperanza, and Caridad, who embody spiritual syncretism as resistance, empowerment, and healing. This blend of traditions offers resilience against societal norms and historical wounds. Similarly, "The Mixquiahuala Letters" reveals the intertwined nature of feminism and spirituality through the correspondence between Teresa and Alicia, where their feminist spirituality acts as both a personal empowerment tool and a means of political resistance. The paper concludes that Castillo's portrayal of spiritual hybridity in these novels is central to the self-discovery, assertion, and communal union of her female characters. Their spirituality, a mix of endurance, survival, and empowerment, challenges stereotypes and patriarchal assumptions in Chicano communities. Castillo's narrative underscores the importance of spiritual hybridity in cultural and political resistance, offering a transformative perspective on the lives and struggles of Mexican-American women.

A Study on the Changes of Princess Images in Disney Animated Films

Abstract: There have been three feminist revolutions in history, and these movements have made great contributions to women's struggle for their own liberation and gender equality. From a feminist perspective, this article summarizes and analyzes the phased characteristics of the princess image in Disney animated films from 1937 to 2016, summarizing the development and evolution of the princess image in Disney films under the feminist wave in different periods, and finds that there is a certain connection between the two, which includes both the construction of social history and ideological order and the challenge to the social reality order. In general, the image of the princess seems to show obvious progressive characteristics, but there are different aspects and degrees of gender discrimination against the image of women in each stage. However, the different voices constructed by Disney in the film and the strategic adjustments made can still be regarded as a recognition of the power of feminism by the times and society.

Enhancing Women's Leadership and Agency in the Context of University Spinouts and Businesses

This paper is reporting the preliminary results of a case study at Coventry University. Using innovative methodologies, we map needs of women in academia who intend to start a university spinout/business and develop a supportive tool in line with the co-creational approach of Living Labs. Data collected at our creative workshop reveals how women struggle in a toxic masculine environment, in which they both identify external and internal barriers and difficulties in defining ‘business success’. Our suggestion to support them is to invest in Living Lab based networking opportunities, role models, and to develop a tool that models the business journey.

The Arab Woman In Israel In A Tight Spot: Academia And Career Versus Marriage And Family

This study concentrates on the impact that marriage has on the personal development of Israeli Arab women in the field of higher education and employment. These women are a minority within a minority as they belong to Israel’s Arab ethnic community but are also a gender-segregated minority within their patriarchal society. Whereas other studies touch on the overall struggle of Arab women to reach personal fulfillment despite intense family life, the focus of this study is specifically the marriage itself as a watershed in the young Arab Israeli woman’s life. To fully understand the challenges constructed by marriage, 25 Israeli Arab women were interviewed in-depth on a university campus. The findings indicate the negative effect that traditional marriage has on these women’s personal futures. The study concludes on the optimistic note that the interviews also revealed a deep awareness among young Arab women of their personal rights and liberties.

Reimagining Saraswati Nagpal’s Sita : A Critical Study

In a contemporary context, feminist dignity and nature have evolved into a positive discourse, often laden with the complexities of negative and nihilistic connotations. Gender roles, shaped by culturally influenced stereotypes, construct the structural framework for women and men. Gender-role education, in turn, shapes a child’s self-concept. The efforts of graphic novels in challenging the ancient stereotypes of traditional female roles are evident in various retellings of classical epics such as The Ramayana and The Mahabharata. Saraswati Nagpal’s Sita: Daughter of the Earth shifts the narrative perspective from Rama's Ramayana to Sita's Ramayana. Narrated by the destined princess Sita, the story presents a powerful depiction of women navigating a patriarchal culture. Sita’s portrayal as an ideal woman blurs the boundaries between religion and mythology, offering a nuanced exploration of her struggles. Introducing Sita’s plight to young readers does not dilute the broader struggles of women; instead, it underscores women’s roles and serves as a moral instruction. This paper adopts a feminist lens to examine women’s struggles for survival and identity, as reflected in Sita: Daughter of the Earth. It also highlights the importance of fostering children’s understanding of gender stereotypes, paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive perspective.

RESILIENCE AND LIBERATION: ANALYZING WOMEN'S RESISTANCE IN NO FOURTH RIVER THROUGH THE LENS OF LIBERAL FEMINISM

This study is aimed at analyzing the gender issues presented in a literary work by Christine Clayfield. This study explores the manifestations and impacts of women's resistance in the novel No Fourth River through the lens of liberal feminism, primarily drawing on Naomi Wolf's concept of power feminism. The analysis is centered on the main character, Christine, and her relentless struggle against patriarchal oppression. Critical forms of resistance, including desire, courage, independence, firmness, and hard work, are identified and explored in detail. Christine's journey reveals how these attributes enable her to confront and overcome systemic injustices. The findings underscore the importance of resilience and agency in women's liberation, empowering us to understand that these are the keys to significant personal and social changes, such as increased self-confidence, elevated social status, financial independence, and the fulfillment of love. This study contributes to the broader discourse on gender equality in literary studies, offering valuable insights into the ongoing struggle for women's rights and empowerment. By contextualizing Christine's resistance within the framework of liberal feminism, the research motivates us to continue the fight for gender equality, empowering us with the knowledge of the keys to personal and social changes.

Improving Pelvic Floor Muscle Training with AI: A Novel Quality Assessment System for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.

The first line of treatment for urinary incontinence is pelvic floor muscle (PFM) training, aimed at reducing leakage episodes by strengthening these muscles. However, many women struggle with performing correct PFM contractions or have misconceptions about their contractions. To address this issue, we present a novel PFM contraction quality assessment system. This system combines a PFM contraction detector with a maximal PFM contraction performance classifier. The contraction detector first identifies whether or not a PFM contraction was performed. Then, the contraction classifier autonomously quantifies the quality of maximal PFM contractions across different features, which are also combined into an overall rating. Both algorithms are based on artificial intelligence (AI) methods. The detector relies on a convolutional neural network, while the contraction classifier uses a custom feature extractor followed by a random forest classifier to predict the strength rating based on the modified Oxford scale. The AI algorithms were trained and tested using datasets measured by vaginal dynamometry, combined in some cases with digital assessment results from expert physiotherapists. The contraction detector was trained on one dataset and then tested on two datasets measured with different dynamometers, achieving 97% accuracy on the first dataset and 100% accuracy on the second. For the contraction performance classifier, the results demonstrate that important clinical features can be extracted automatically with an acceptable error. Furthermore, the contraction classifier is able to predict the strength rating within a ±1 scale point with 97% accuracy. These results demonstrate the system's potential to enhance PFM training and rehabilitation by enabling women to monitor and improve their PFM contractions autonomously.

Conflicts and Restrictions: Flora Nwapa's Visionary Exposé of Women's Struggles in Nigerian Marital Contexts

This paper investigates acclaimed Nigerian Author Flora Nwapa's nuanced literary portrayals of the challenges Nigerian women face within marital roles and relationships. Through textual analysis of characters and events across Nwapa's novels, short stories and folklore centered on women's experiences, the study illuminates critical perspectives on issues of patriarchy, lack of autonomy, rigid gender roles, and socioeconomic restrictions undermining women’s agency and fulfillment. Core themes highlighted in Nwapa's subtle social commentary include anguish over infertility, hardships from prolonged spousal absence, emotional tolls of polygamy, lack of personal choice in partners, limited educational and career opportunities, economic dependence, and domestic violence. Her visionary work gives voice to Nigerian women’s aspirations while exposing oppressive structures. Findings substantiate how Nwapa’s rich depictions of women navigating complex marital terrain reveal an array of postcolonial and patriarchal impediments to female empowerment. Her literary portrayal of restrictions, conflicts and oppression compels critical examination of norms inhibiting women’s advancement. By confronting gender-based inequities and envisioning transformative possibilities, Nwapa leads African women writers in catalyzing legal and sociocultural reforms to promote women’s full flourishing.

Wait, What? What's Going On?- Pregnancy Experiences of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Mothers Who Do Not Sign.

Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) women experience higher rates of reproductive healthcare barriers and adverse birth outcomes compared to their hearing peers. This study explores the pregnancy experiences of DHH women who do not sign to better understand their barriers and facilitators to optimal perinatal health care. Qualitative study using thematic analysis. Semi-structured, individual remote, or in-person interviews in the United States. Twenty-two DHH English speakers (non-signers) who gave birth in the United States within the past 5 years. Semi-structured interviews explored how DHH women experienced pregnancy and birth, including access to perinatal information and resources, relationships with healthcare providers, communication access, and their involvement with the healthcare system throughout pregnancy. A thematic analysis was conducted. The barriers and facilitators related to a positive perinatal care experience among DHH women. Five key themes emerged. For barriers, healthcare communication breakdowns and loss of patient autonomy highlighted DHH women's struggle with perinatal health care. In contrast, DHH participants outlined the importance of accessible health communication practices and accommodations, use of patient advocacy or self-advocacy, and assistive technologies for DHH parents for more positive perinatal care experiences. Perinatal healthcare providers and staff should routinely inquire about ways to ensure an inclusive and accessible healthcare experience for their DHH patients and provide communication accommodations for optimal care. Additionally, healthcare providers should be more aware of the unique parenting needs and resources of their DHH patients.

THE PORTRAYAL OF BLACK FEMINISM IN GARY GRAY'S SET IT OFF THROUGH CRITICAL RACE THEORY

Stories in films are based on social realities in people's lives, embedding messages behind them. Each film is packed with unique characters, events and issues reflecting aspects of life from a particular perspective. One of which is the principles of black feminism in the main characters and to analyze how economic and racial factors influence the character's decision to confront existing injustices depicted in Gary Grey’s Set It Off (1996). The method used is a qualitative research method. Data collection is conducted to sort and understand the research topic by using data from scenes, dialogues, words, and phrases obtained from the film. The main theories used in this research are the Critical Race theory by Kimberlé Crenshaw and the Feminist Economics theory by Marilyn Waring. The findings reveal that the film encompasses principles of black feminism such as racial discrimination, sexism and social class which are portrayed by each main character in the film. This article also depicts the influence of economic and racial factors on the character's decisions in confronting existing injustices. Analyzing this film aims to trigger and enrich the analysis of how films depict the struggle of black women with various problems, especially racial and economic issues.

Women Friendship in the novel Sula

This article examines the historical and cultural experiences of African-American women through the lens of Black feminist thought, with a focus on Toni Morrison's novel Sula (1973). The research question guiding this study is: How does Sula reflect the complexities of friendship, autonomy, and the quest for empowerment among Black women within a racist and patriarchal society? The study employs a literary analysis method, drawing on the historical context of Black American women’s oppression and the emergence of Black feminist ideology as theorized by scholars like Patricia Hill Collins. Findings reveal that Sula intricately portrays the deep bond between the two protagonists, Sula Peace and Nel Wright, against the backdrop of systemic oppression. Their friendship symbolizes the broader struggle of African-American women to navigate personal autonomy within a community shaped by the legacy of slavery. Sula’s defiance of societal norms, particularly in her relationships with men, highlights the challenges Black women face in seeking empowerment and identity in a society that marginalizes them. This study concludes that Sula not only captures the historical context of Black women's experiences but also serves as a significant contribution to the discourse on Black feminist thought, emphasizing the importance of friendship, autonomy, and resistance in the fight for liberation.

A Feminist Approach to the Images of Women in <i>That Long Silence </i>and <i>Palace of Desire (Qasr Al-Shawq)</i>: A Comparative Study

This paper investigates the depiction of women in Shashi Deshpande's That Long Silence and Naguib Mahfouz's Palace of Desire (Qasr Al-Shawq) according to the feminist approach. The study seeks to compare and contrast the way these two novels, which are considered among reputable 20th century fiction, represent female characters and their struggles for asserting their individualities in two types of male-dominated societies. That is to say, Shashi Deshpande, the Indian authoress of That Long Silence fathoms the struggles of women in a traditional Indian society. In this novel, she mirrors the great challenges that women face in such a patriarchal system. Therefore, this research traces the heroines’ experience highlighting how the novelist has tackled misogynism and biased societal prospects. On the other hand, Mahfouz's Palace of Desire sheds light on the stereotyped images of women and feminists attempts to free women within the changing political and societal setting of Egypt then. Aida's personality represents the ambitious woman who reconciles with her desires and does her best to assert herself in a male-dominated society despite all the social constraints trying to limit her aspirations. In this comparative study between the two concerned novels, the researcher seeks to reveal the similarities and differences in the representations of women in two different cultural backgrounds. So, the paper examines how each of these two novelists criticizes the patriarchal structures and advocates feminism in his/ her society exposing the ways through which gender roles and societal norms are presented. The study shows a deep understanding of feminist literary criticism by highlighting the cultural influence of the two societies in which women’s sufferings are revealed. So, the findings of the research offer new insights into the gender roles, misogynism, stereotyped images of women, old traditions and patriarchal systems in literature.

Emotional Management Strategies and Care for Women Defenders of the Territory in Jalisco

The struggles of several women defending their territories and lives are marked by family tensions and reactions to the overload of care tasks and community rules according to their socially established roles. In this qualitative research, we analyze and discuss the cases of three women’s collectives from different suburban and rural communities in Jalisco. Information recollected through the new ethnography approach over six years was coded and analyzed with the Atlas ti program. Results: Women’s defense of their land involvement, organizing, and social mobilization actions move to an overload of care and raise adverse reactions in their community and families in response to what is seen as a transgression of women’s roles. This increases dominant demobilization emotions: fear, sadness, loneliness, guilt, and shame. Through emotional management strategies linked with alternative forms of appropriation of space, starting with their bodies and sharing emotions and actions with their companions, the women in these collectives produced emotions of resistance: pride, hope, friendship, and anger, which led to reconfiguring their identities, family relationships, and roles within other place domains: bodies, family, and community. Conclusions: Women defenders, as principal carers of life, have produced and inherited a set of strategies that configure a growing “politics of the ordinary. “These strategies, through emotional management, subvert dominant emotions, feelings, and acting rules, gradually questioning and reinventing their roles and human and nonhuman relations in their most immediate contexts.

The Silencing of Female Bodies during the Indian Partition and Female Agency in Postcolonial Pakistan: Analysis of Bapsi Sidhwa's Ice-Candy-Man

This research paper analyzes Bapsi Sidhwa's novel Ice-Candy-Man which explores the effect of the Indian Partition on female bodies. It focuses on how the Partition silenced female voices, how it altered female identities, and how women were left powerless in the face of the Partition. It also explores how Sidhwa uses the novel to evoke the struggles of women during this time and how these struggles continue to find resonance today. Additionally, it examines the different themes of oppression, violence, and discrimination that are highlighted in the novel. The study discusses how Sidhwa's novel serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of female representation and autonomy. It provides an insightful look into the effects of partition on postcolonial Pakistan. It explores the role of gender, national culture, and the power dynamics between different communities in India to provide a comprehensive understanding of how partition and its aftermath continue to shape the country. In particular, it examines how violence and communal violence have become entrenched in postcolonial Pakistan. The analysis of Ice-Candy Man provides a unique perspective on the impact of partition on gender and national identities and how these identities are used to perpetuate violence and inequality in Postcolonial Pakistan.

Kontribusi Pemikiran Tokoh Feminisme Islam

Women in Islamic studies have reached a very important position. Many gender activists have discussed this topic, especially regarding gender equality. Several prominent feminist figures in the struggle for women's rights and gender equality include Qasim Amin, Amina Wadud Muhsin, and Fatimah Mernissi. Each of them has their own views about women. This article was prepared with the aim of presenting several opinions from these feminist figures and then extracting them. The writing of this article applies library research methods by collecting library materials sourced from books, journals and online articles. Based on this study, the view is obtained that Islamic feminist thought is very influential in reconstructing the interpretation of the position of women in Islamic law. This is a form of confirmation that interpretation is a subjective matter that is greatly influenced by the interpreter. Muslim feminist thought is actually relevant to the current context where men and women have equal positions.

The Offering

Abstract: The story follows a woman who recounts her painful childhood, marked by abuse and her mother offering her to a dark creature. Now an adult, she must continue the tradition of offering her daughter to a dark force. Struggling with guilt and fear, she tries to escape the cycle of violence. The narrative explores legacy, the suffering it causes, and the woman's struggle for freedom and a normal life, while haunted by her past.