Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-11, Section: A, page: 4340. Adviser: Gillian Stevens. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-164) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

<p> Black people's denial of bondage and colonial domination set the tone and frame for much of contemporary resistance to community and state violence. Like then, as it is today many individuals and groups are focused on dismantling the aspects of the system that oppress them. In Oakland Black women are working amongst themselves and in coalitions to dismantle the prison industrial complex, community violence, and other manifestations of institutionalized oppression. These women show a deep commitment to reversing the legitimatized abuse of state power and high instances of community and state violence in Black urban lives. </p><p> Violence, like any other disease, has the potential to seep into the cracks of every community and in the lives of every individual that it touches. Like a virus, violence travels through the various arteries of a family network or city streets and finds one more person to potentially infect with disengagement, a lack of self worth and the perpetuation of violation that plagues the community. In Oakland, the roots of violence are tied to historical realities, social inequity and structural barriers to opportunity that have left low-income communities and communities of color disproportionately experiencing and witnessing high rates of violence. </p><p> Because of this Black women in Oakland are familiar to instances of high murder rates, mass incarceration and racial profiling. In a qualitative research project I (1) explore the impact of state and community violence in the lives of Black women in Oakland; (2) examine the potential social and political conditions that contribute to the perpetuation of these experiences and (3) provide recommendations for community and systems change.</p>

<p> Women have a low level of representation in the construction industry, even though they are nearly half of the U.S. workforce. This study sought to understand the motivation processes and successful work outcome strategies of woman leaders in construction, many of whom created a niche and advanced in the workforce. The specific research question was: What may be learned from a study of the motivational processes and successful work outcome strategies used by successful woman leaders in the construction industry in a Northwestern U.S. city? Limited information exists in the literature on woman leaders in the construction industry as it relates to motivation processes and successful work outcome strategies. No peer-reviewed articles located discussed the effectiveness of motivational practices and success strategies. The literature review focused upon the theory of purposeful work behavior. A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted to interview 15 woman leaders in construction. The results reveal that woman leaders in construction are strong and resilient, need strong support systems, and still face many roadblocks. Recommendation for future research include a replication of the study in the fields of medicine, aerospace, banking, finance, and maritime. The information gathered in this study will aid future researchers and spur further research in the field of women in construction.</p>