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There is an abundance of literature that examines the comorbidity of domestic violence and trauma as well as domestic violence and alcohol and/or substance abuse in both community and incarcerated samples of women. There is a paucity of research dedicated to discovering if incarcerated women are significantly more likely to have this triad of domestic violence, trauma, and alcohol and/or substance abuse than their community cohorts. The present study examined this under-researched area by analyzing data from 147 women who participated in an extensive, ongoing research project. Women in this sample were from the United States, Russia, Colombia, Spain, Trinidad, and Greece. Results found that the incarcerated women were significantly more likely to suffer more severe domestic violence and were also more likely to abuse substances. No significant differences were found with respect to witnessing domestic violence or childhood sexual abuse, but both groups reported high rates. There were also no significant differences found between the groups on current symptoms of trauma, but both groups obtained scores that hovered just below the clinical cutoff. Although these variables were not statistically significant, they are diagnostic in that they describe experiences related to being a victim of domestic violence and are therefore, areas of potential intervention.

By focusing on the status and state of women as represented in selected supernatural fiction by Edith Wharton, we explore the socio-gender relationships, as well as the gender roles of women in general as they existed in the early part of the twentieth century. These associations are discussed, as is the influence Henry James may have had on Wharton’s writing style within the genre of the ghostly tale. The conclusions made within this study lead the reader of the tales to believe that Wharton expressed different feminist perspectives based on how she was developing as a person and as a writer. The resources and scholarship that are strictly allocated to Wharton’s ghost stories are not as vast as they may be for her other fiction; however, more attention is being given to these supernatural works, and this study reiterates the literature’s scholarly importance.

A father's abandonment of his minor daughter can leave an indelible impression on her psyche -- one that can forever affect her intimate romantic relationships. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore where women who were abandoned by their fathers prior to the age of 18 are today as adults in terms of their intimate romantic relationships and how they develop and engage in these relationships. The research questions examined how a daughter being abandoned by her father prior to the age of 18 relates to where she is today in her adult intimate romantic relationships and what meanings participants attach to relationships and relationship satisfaction as a result of their childhood experiences. Theories of social constructionism and psychosocial development grounded the study. After a review of the literature, data were collected through screening questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of 8 women. Each interview was transcribed and the data examined for themes. Key findings indicated that the effect of a daughter being abandoned by her father prior to the age of 18 affects her adult intimate romantic relationships. Results also indicated the psychosocial stage at which she was abandoned affected how she viewed men in her adult relationships as it effects whether she builds trust or mistrust, autonomy or shame and doubt, initiative or guilt, industry or inferiority, identity or role confusion. When the stage is not met, the basic virtue of each stage (hope, will, purpose, competency, fidelity) may be lacking or lost. Positive social change is implicated through this collection of qualitative data that can inform practitioners and researchers, foster therapeutic treatment, and help shed light on and ameliorate the effects of the phenomenon of paternal abandonment of daughters prior to the age of 18.

During the past 40 years, the U.S. homeschooling population rose exponentially. The results of homeschooling need to be studied further so that parents, legislators, and higher education leaders can make prudent and well-informed decisions regarding homeschooled students. No studies have been completed that focus on the unique experiences of homeschooled women as they transition to college in terms of academics, forming new relationships, and individuating from their families. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore academic and relational processes during the transition to college. In this qualitative dissertation based on constructivist design and in the conceptual framework of feminist essentialism, 11 female second- and third-year college students who were homeschooled for all of high school were chosen using criterion sampling. NVivo software was employed for data analysis using Moustakas' modification of the Van Kaam method of data analysis. Findings for this study were, a) homeschooled women felt substantially similar to traditionally schooled students in terms of academics and relationships, and b) homeschooled women felt as though they were raised in a different culture, but they felt equally or slightly more capable academically, more self-directed in their studies, and closer to their families than their traditionally schooled peers did. The results of this study may contribute to positive social change by helping parents, legislators, and college professionals empower homeschooled college women by altering curriculum, by developing supportive programs and policies to help homeschooled women transition to college, and by understanding how to tailor college programs and classes to maximally benefit homeschooled women.

This study examines the process of state gender policy reform. It seeks to explain legal changes in gender issues in Venezuela across time. The study entails observations of state policy changes in gender issues during specific periods of the Punto Fijo era (1958-1998) characterized as those of democratic consolidation and deconsolidation, and during the transition towards a new type of democracy, the Chávez era (1999-2007). The policies considered are the ones addressing women’s equality at home and at work, reproductive rights, women’s economic rights and political participation. The analysis shows that gender policy reform by the state depends on the degree of opening of the institutions and on the combination of certain configurations of state institutions and elite interests. In addition, women’s groups’ capacity to influence state gender policy change depends on their organizational capacity as well as the institutional opportunities provided by changes in state structures, elite interests, and allies of the movement.

Ben Jonson wrote Volpone when England's pamphlet wars and the rule of Queen Elizabeth I contributed to an environment in which the "woman question" was forefront in many minds. These social concerns echo in Volpone, resulting in a play that not only deals with vices and greed, but that also, to a limited degree, contributes to the querelle de femmes. The play's numerous animal metaphors create distinctions between characters; among other things, animalistic surnames represent the vices and complexities of humanity, and, more specifically, reverberate with judgments that seem to underscore the injustices of misogynistic pamphleteers. Moreover, Jonson's characters Bonario and Celia represent the ideal images of manhood and womanhood and are armed with various virtues that allow them to overcome trials. Ultimately, when read in the context of the Early Modern pamphlet wars, Volpone's animal metaphors form a conservative defense of women that condemns misogyny and advocates a partnership between virtuous men and women for the sake of moral social order.

My dissertation examines gender representation in both bureaucratic agencies and standing legislative committees focusing on Corrections and Human or Social Services in eleven southern states. By examining individual public officials in both regulatory and redistributive agencies and committees, I am able to determine if active representation of women’s issues is occurring and how this impacts the policy development and implementation of domestic violence programs. Theoretical models used in examining the linkage between passive and active representation often incorporate the values and actions of public officials. The ethic of care is a theoretical approach that argues that gender differences may arise in terms of moral evaluations, perceptions of responsibilities, and the development of relationships. Therefore, care is used as a value and action in this study for two reasons. First, women’s issues, such as domestic violence, require an ethic of care to be used in assisting vulnerable populations, as victims’ needs should be addressed with care and concern. Secondly, contemporary scholarship in governance argues that emotional labor is prevalent among public officials, which suggests that care can instrumentally improve governance. This study uses a mixed method approach. Quantitative analysis explains the linkage of passive and active representation in legislative bodies. Survey instruments completed by legislators provided information on policy preferences, emotional labor, legislative responsibilities and political environment. Qualitative methods are used to develop a case study examining the link in representation in three southern state bureaucratic agencies. Administrators from these agencies were interviewed to explore their responsibilities, their ability to use care or exert emotional labor and represent women’s issues. Due to the lack of passive representation, in terms of female representation in southern governments, active representation is not reached in many units studied. However, regulatory agencies exhibit signs of active representation and the use of care and emotions in serving vulnerable populations. This study contributes to our understanding of female representation in the south as well as the impact politics have on the policy process.

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