No description available.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Russian demographic statistics reflect the persistence of a dramatically wide gender gap in life expectancy and mortality over the last decades - about twice that found in the developed world. On average, men in Russia live 12 years less than Russian women, and 14.5 years less than men in Western Europe. This thesis provides an overview and synthesis of the most recently available literature that addresses the persistent gender gap in mortality and life expectancy in Russia. I reviewed the prevalent behavioral and social-structural drivers that explain the causes of higher male mortality in contemporary Russia. Especially, I looked at how the conceptualization of the male social role and related norms that shape masculine behavior contribute to high male mortality in Russia. The study reveals that men’s unhealthy, risky behavior and their higher vulnerability to stress are considered to be linked to their gendered social identity which is created and reproduced by the social-structural context of the Russia’s society.

The dissertation Magical Realism in Persian and Saudi Narrative Writing views as essential the assumption that the phenomenon of magical realism is not restricted solely to the cultures with colonial legacy, but is transferable to literary works created under systematic and systemic violence anywhere in the world. Previous research of the dissertation's author proved the existence of parallels in the dynamics of sociopolitical development of Iran and Saudi Arabia in the 20th century, foremost in the power relation of the states to their citizens and in the status of women in the society, while there was a strong tendency towards institutionalization of the traditional patriarchal, androcentric and misogynic societal paradigms since the second half of the 20th century. In the last thirty years, women have countered this situation through increased literary activity that has turned out to be an important means of self-fulfillment and emancipation. The fact that some of the most significant Iranian and Saudi women writers use magical realism directed the research to examination of this concept's relevance for the Persian and Saudi narrative writing, inquiry into the reflection of the gender issues and their comparison in both literatures. A detailed case study of two works, each from one country, led...