Women in the Context of International Refugee Law Abstract The refugee definition enshrined in Article 1(A)(2) of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees does not mention gender or sex as a potentially relevant factor when establishing the refugee status. However, with the human rights evolution at the end of the 20th century, it became imperative that the definition is interpreted in a way which will provide protection to women facing either gender-specific persecution (persecution in specific forms only applicable to women for the reason of their sex), or gender-related persecution (persecution for the reason of being a woman). The thesis explores the interpretation of the notion of gender-specific persecution and discusses several examples of this form of persecution: forced marriage, female genital mutilation and sexual violence. Then it considers the Convention grounds for persecution (i.e. particular social group, political opinion, religion, race and nationality) and a variety of possible arguments for a gender- sensitive interpretation of these grounds for the purpose of encompassing cases of women facing persecution because of their opposition, whether explicit or tacit, to patriarchal traditional societies based on inequality between sexes manifesting for example in resistance to female...

Observa-se na presente dissertação um conflito social perene nas sociedades: o choque entre discurso legitimado pelo campo jurídico de gênero e o discurso cotidiano de gênero. A partir da experiência etnográfica no grupo de Assessoria Jurídica Universitária G8- Generalizando (SAJU/UFRGS), vivencia-se o contexto em que há uma intersecção jurídica e de gênero, na qual seus significados modificam-se no tempo. Para contextualizar a existência do campo de pesquisa observam-se significados de gênero na história da legislação brasileira (como o Estatuto da Mulher Casada e a Lei Maria da Penha). Da mesma forma, precedentes de tribunais demonstram significados de interpretação das leis (misturam-se a linguagem do direito e a do cotidiano), ressignificando o direito legitimado pelo campo. Por fim, apresentase a vivência no campo de pesquisa, buscando relatar o que acontece com alguns problemas de gênero e jurídicos que chegam ao G8-Generalizando. Busca-se apontar os diferentes significados das conflitualidades de gênero dentro e nas margens do campo jurídico. / The present dissertation observes an enduring social conflict in today society: the clash between the legal understanding of gender and the average person concept of gender. From the ethnographic experience in the group of University Counsel G8-Generalizando (Assessoria Jurídica Universitária G8-Generalizando – SAJU/UFRGS) the context in which there is a legal and gender discourse, in which their meanings change in time. The present dissertation also studies the history of the research field that observes the understanding of gender in the history of Brazilian legislation (such as the Statue of Married Women and the Maria da Penha Statute). The work also presents the courts understanding of laws that interprets gender issues and shows the daily clash of law and everyday meaning of gender. Finally, the dissertation shows the experience in the case-by-case research, seeking to demonstrate what happens to legal issues concerning gender that are represented by G8- Generalizando. That way the thesis demonstrates the different meanings of gender on different levels of society and the problem that it brings to the legal system.

Observa-se na presente dissertação um conflito social perene nas sociedades: o choque entre discurso legitimado pelo campo jurídico de gênero e o discurso cotidiano de gênero. A partir da experiência etnográfica no grupo de Assessoria Jurídica Universitária G8- Generalizando (SAJU/UFRGS), vivencia-se o contexto em que há uma intersecção jurídica e de gênero, na qual seus significados modificam-se no tempo. Para contextualizar a existência do campo de pesquisa observam-se significados de gênero na história da legislação brasileira (como o Estatuto da Mulher Casada e a Lei Maria da Penha). Da mesma forma, precedentes de tribunais demonstram significados de interpretação das leis (misturam-se a linguagem do direito e a do cotidiano), ressignificando o direito legitimado pelo campo. Por fim, apresentase a vivência no campo de pesquisa, buscando relatar o que acontece com alguns problemas de gênero e jurídicos que chegam ao G8-Generalizando. Busca-se apontar os diferentes significados das conflitualidades de gênero dentro e nas margens do campo jurídico. / The present dissertation observes an enduring social conflict in today society: the clash between the legal understanding of gender and the average person concept of gender. From the ethnographic experience in the group of University Counsel G8-Generalizando (Assessoria Jurídica Universitária G8-Generalizando – SAJU/UFRGS) the context in which there is a legal and gender discourse, in which their meanings change in time. The present dissertation also studies the history of the research field that observes the understanding of gender in the history of Brazilian legislation (such as the Statue of Married Women and the Maria da Penha Statute). The work also presents the courts understanding of laws that interprets gender issues and shows the daily clash of law and everyday meaning of gender. Finally, the dissertation shows the experience in the case-by-case research, seeking to demonstrate what happens to legal issues concerning gender that are represented by G8- Generalizando. That way the thesis demonstrates the different meanings of gender on different levels of society and the problem that it brings to the legal system.

Observa-se na presente dissertação um conflito social perene nas sociedades: o choque entre discurso legitimado pelo campo jurídico de gênero e o discurso cotidiano de gênero. A partir da experiência etnográfica no grupo de Assessoria Jurídica Universitária G8- Generalizando (SAJU/UFRGS), vivencia-se o contexto em que há uma intersecção jurídica e de gênero, na qual seus significados modificam-se no tempo. Para contextualizar a existência do campo de pesquisa observam-se significados de gênero na história da legislação brasileira (como o Estatuto da Mulher Casada e a Lei Maria da Penha). Da mesma forma, precedentes de tribunais demonstram significados de interpretação das leis (misturam-se a linguagem do direito e a do cotidiano), ressignificando o direito legitimado pelo campo. Por fim, apresentase a vivência no campo de pesquisa, buscando relatar o que acontece com alguns problemas de gênero e jurídicos que chegam ao G8-Generalizando. Busca-se apontar os diferentes significados das conflitualidades de gênero dentro e nas margens do campo jurídico. / The present dissertation observes an enduring social conflict in today society: the clash between the legal understanding of gender and the average person concept of gender. From the ethnographic experience in the group of University Counsel G8-Generalizando (Assessoria Jurídica Universitária G8-Generalizando – SAJU/UFRGS) the context in which there is a legal and gender discourse, in which their meanings change in time. The present dissertation also studies the history of the research field that observes the understanding of gender in the history of Brazilian legislation (such as the Statue of Married Women and the Maria da Penha Statute). The work also presents the courts understanding of laws that interprets gender issues and shows the daily clash of law and everyday meaning of gender. Finally, the dissertation shows the experience in the case-by-case research, seeking to demonstrate what happens to legal issues concerning gender that are represented by G8- Generalizando. That way the thesis demonstrates the different meanings of gender on different levels of society and the problem that it brings to the legal system.

Master of Arts / Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work / Gerad Middendorf / This study examines the issue of gender bias and other gendering processes within the profession of law in Kansas. Although women have made great strides toward equality within the law profession, there are still glaring disparities between men’s and women’s occupational attainment. Women enter law school at similar rates as men do; however, they are not similarly represented in the legal profession upon graduation, or throughout their careers. Utilizing a theory of gendered organizations, this study seeks to investigate what impact, if any, certain sociodemographic factors, sector of law, mentorship, and perceptions of discrimination, have on women’s levels of job satisfaction. To accomplish this goal, this study makes connections between previous research conducted by the Kansas Bar Association, and more recent survey data modeled after the original KBA research. Underlying structures and ingrained interactions are examined quantitatively, to gain a better understanding of the gendered processes that women experience within the profession of law in Kansas.