abstract: In this study, the researcher develops a documentary-driven methodology to understand the ways four women in the United States use their involvement in the belly dance phenomenon to shape their ongoing individual identity development. The filmmaking process itself and its efficacy as a process to promote self-understanding and identity growth among the participating belly dancers, are also investigated phenomenologically. Methodological steps taken in the documentary-driven methodology include: initial filmed interviews, co-produced filmed dance performances, editorial interviews to review footage with each dancer, documentary film production, dancer-led focus groups to screen the film, and exit interviews with each dancer. The project generates new understandings about the ways women use belly dance to shape their individual identities to include: finding community with other women in private women's spaces, embodying the music through the dance movements, and finding liberation from their everyday "selves" through costume and performance. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Anthropology 2012

The primary aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of using a participatory research approach as a method for determining information needs. Participatory research is a qualitative research methodology that challenges the principles and practices of objective, detached, quantitative research approaches in the social sciences. Three main trends converged to contribute to the emergence of the practice of participatory research namely: dissatisfaction in the development arena with the planning of projects without the involvement of the people themselves; the work of adult educators from which evolved a methodology in which learners gained control over their own learning processes; and the disenchantment of social scientists with traditional positivist research methods that distance researchers from the realities and social environment of the subjects of their research. Dissatisfaction with the use of quantitative methods and techniques, similar to that in the social sciences, occurred in information needs research, which resulted in a call for the development of an alternative set of premises and assumptions. This effected a move away from a view of information use from a system-oriented perspective, towards the use of qualitative methods focusing on the users themselves in determining their information needs. Both Coloureds and women in South Africa have been exposed to hardship and discrimination over many years. A literature review indicated that the planned participatory research project with Coloured women from Eersterust would be feasible. It became apparent that no studies on the information needs of Coloureds in South Africa had been done, and very little research was done dealing with the information needs of women. The literature on participatory research furthermore clearly indicated that the concept had become familiar in a diversity of settings and disciplines outside that of development. For the purposes of this study with women, it was also of significant interest to note the many similarities between participatory research and feminist research. With the practical implementation of the project, the pre-requisites and underlying principles of participatory research were strictly adhered to. Information needs that were identified during the course of the project were compared to needs identified in other similar South African studies. The active involvement of the women in the research project resulted in the identification of reliable and relevant information needs. These results can serve as an example for the increasing use of qualitative techniques in determining information needs, and affirm that participatory research methods can be a valuable alternative in the area of information needs research. / Dissertation (MIS (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Information Science / unrestricted

This study explores the experiences of infertile married African women in South Africa. The study explores the women’s emotional experiences, their experiences of their relationships and the possible ways in which their culture may have influenced their experiences. The literature review gives an overview of female infertility, motherhood and feminism- from its conception to its current status in South Africa. The study is carried out in a clinical setting where the participants are already attending an infertility clinic for treatment. Six black women participate in this study and they are all married and experiencing primary infertility. This study does not include women experiencing secondary infertility because although they may presently be infertile, they have previously experienced one or more successful pregnancies. Therefore, primary infertility is chosen as the focus of this study because unlike secondary infertile women, primary infertile women have never experienced pregnancy and childbirth and thus their infertility is more noticeable and severe. The study is qualitative in nature and it is conducted within a feminist social constructionist research paradigm. This research paradigm is deemed to be more relevant in researching an issue pertaining to women, because feminist research enables social scientists to explore women’s social history, women’s perception of their own situation, their own subordination and their own resistance (Mies, 1993). Through social constructionism, the women are each able to make meaning out of their experiences and to include the influences of their culture, gender and social context in the construction of their experiences. Furthermore, since feminist research perspectives have supported the process of telling sensitive human stories as research, a narrative approach is employed in gathering information regarding the women’s experiences of being infertile. Thus, through telling their own self-narratives, the women are able to relate their experiences as well as the events that took place in their lives regarding their infertility. Structural narrative analysis as well as content narrative analysis are employed in the analysis of the women’s narratives. What emerges from their stories is the hope and the subsequent disappointment that follows from their countless visits and consultations with different health professionals, both western and traditional, as they search for pregnancy. It also emerges that in addition to their personal experiences, these women’s marital and familial relationships, as well as their extended social relationships, also contribute to the emotional distress that they experience as a result of their infertility. Although most of the women mainly report negative experiences, there are also some who report positive experiences and some form of support in their lives. It is hoped that the results obtained from this study will enable psychologists to intervene effectively and to work collaboratively with other health professionals towards delivering services aimed at assisting infertile African women medically, socially and psychologically. / Dissertation (MA (Clinical Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

Voices of women affected by trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation (THBSE) are often marginalized and they are not usually included in the design and implementation of anti-trafficking campaigns. Although these campaigns present themselves as Communication for Social Change, the final result often betrays the principles of this form of communication. This thesis aims to tackle that gap, in partnership with the Serbian NGO Atina and their Youth Advocacy Group. The objective is to understand what is the perspective of women affected by THBSE in regards to institutional imagery of anti-trafficking campaigns and its persuasive potential for social change. The methodology was informed by a feminist participatory approach which included a) a focus group where participants were shown examples of anti-trafficking imagery, b) a workshop where participants designed their own campaign, and c) two expert interviews. After analyzing a sample of 21 images of anti-trafficking campaigns from 12 countries (Serbia, USA, Canada, France, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Brazil, Luxembourg, Colombia, Ukraine and Israel), this thesis finds that anti-trafficking campaigns tend to fail at their potential for social change. This is due to misrepresentations that ignore the complexity of THBSE as a system of exploitation and by perpetuating harmful stereotypes about what a victim should or should not look like, thereby contributing to the silencing and marginalization of victims. Anti-trafficking campaigns also tend to rely on awareness-raising rather than promoting social change. This thesis also presents what a campaign designed by women affected by sexual exploitation would look like, which focused on systemic change rather than individualized narratives. Based on the research, it was also possible to propose guidelines for participatory approaches to communication against THBSE.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of rape in the world. Experiencing rape frequently proposes substantial consequences on survivors’ physical, psychological and social wellbeing, which accentuates the importance of providing survivors with help, support, and protection. However, the scarce studies examining survivors’ experiences with the support system indicate many flaws within the system, sometimes even resulting in further harm. This failure of governmental support systems stimulated an increasing manifestation of NGOs as providers of survivor support. It is consequently crucial to understand and evaluate the success of these services to fully understand the quality of available support. The objective of this study was to investigate women rape survivors’ post rape experiences and their journey and subsequent experiences with the counselling provided to them by the Cape Town based NGO Rape Crisis. Fifteen adult rape survivors were recruited via opportunity sampling and asked to participate in one hour long unstructured interviews. In line with the research topic and the research questions, an intersectional feminist paradigm was chosen for the theoretical framework and thematic narrative analysis was applied as the analytic approach. The analysis showed four themes relating to rape survivors’ narratives on post-rape challenges, namely; the silence and stigma that victimises survivors, the psychological effects of rape, help seeking as a last resort, and demystifying counselling. Additionally, five themes around survivors’ experiences of Rape Crisis counselling were established, namely; the value of a professional safe space, building a counsellor relationship, talking and listening, a collaborative effort to finding oneself, and sharing collective stories of pain. The findings highlight the need for more outreach and education efforts around rape, as well the importance for professional yet not too clinical psychological support which incorporates empowerment principles and focuses on help to self-help.

The present thesis explores the changing notions of home and family among women of the Greek speaking community in Finland. Through five semi- structured interviews I asked women to reflect on their current and previous thoughts on what constitutes home and family, seeking to identify the changes that have transpired over time and the factors that have contributed to these changes. This thesis employs strategies of intersectional feminist research and possesses an autoethnographic character, as I add to it elements from my own experience of migration. The thesis focuses on women who have moved from Greece to Finland during their adult lives and have lived in Finland for five years or longer. Drawing from the concepts of diaspora, mobility, and home, I investigate the participants’ lived experiences of migration, their ideas of family and the elements that constitute home for them. “Home” is characterized by ontological multiplicity, taking on as many different meanings as the definitions and forms of materiality people ascribe to it. The research shows that mobility has transformed the participants’ notions of home, which in most cases have been enriched, as nowadays the word home has taken new, additional meanings for them. The participants who have created their own families with children in Finland also appear to have changed notions of family. Furthermore, the experience of mobility generally proves to have improved the quality of family relationships with the participants’ families in Greece, sometimes in conjunction with other factors.

No description available.

Drawing from gender studies, cultural studies, and feminist technoscience literature, this dissertation employs an interdisciplinary approach to analyze the androcentric imaginaries through which humanoid sex robots ("sexbots") emerge. Specifically, I utilize sexbots to interrogate and reflect on issues such as consent, whiteness, and humanity. By situating sexbots as proxies for feminized and racialized humans, I argue that the production, portrayal, and proliferation of sexbots are reflections of how we treat marginalized people, reifying existing hierarchal power relations. This project begins by analyzing the creation and dissemination of sexbots by popular sex technology ("sextech") companies. Critically surveying published papers, interviews, and research from various sexbot texts, I attend to gendered and racialized discourses of sexbot consent and companionship in human-sexbot relationships. Next, I analyze the overwhelming presence of whiteness with/in sexbots, exploring how anti-Black racism manifests in sexbots, and underscoring how both the present and "future" of sextech remains rooted in the past. Then, I catalog and dissect the published materials and interviews of prominent sextech creators, critically juxtaposing the marketing discourses of sexbots and evincing how both the sextech elite and science journalists—specifically writers I refer to as "sexbot journalists"—influence, change, and inform the meanings of sexbots. Finally, I turn to robots and robot alternatives found in feminist speculative fiction, utilizing these stories as a way of looking elsewhere in order to theorize what is possible for sexbots as well as our (current and future) relationships to these emerging technologies. At its core, this dissertation is an invitation to question white heteropatriarchy mediated through the controversial existence of sexbots. While synthetic women are the ostensible "subjects" of investigation—as well as commodities exchanged by creators and subsequently praised by enthusiasts—it is the "real" feminized and racialized humans who lie at the heart of this project. Through a much-needed feminist intervention, this project offers an in-depth analysis of humanoid sex robots and what they reveal about violence and power in the world around us. / Doctor of Philosophy / Humanoid sex robots ("sexbots") have served as inspiration for countless inventors, scholars, and writers of science fact and fiction. Sexbots, as I intend to show, are also shaped by gendered and racialized imaginaries, leading to their condemnation by feminist and race-critical science and technology scholars. At the same time, sexbots are popularly advertised as suitable alternatives for human companionship, promoted as emerging technologies designed for users uninterested in, or unable to, have sexual relations with "real" or "organic" women. Interrogating the troubling imaginaries behind these synthetic women, I analyze the creation, production, and dissemination of sexbots by popular sex technology ("sextech") companies. Specifically, I use sexbots to explore urgent issues such as humanity, consent, and whiteness. Unable to consent to the acts they are programmed to perform, or combat the abuse directed toward them, sexbots are often associated with sexual and gender-based violence. By situating sexbots as proxies for feminized and racialized humans, this project argues that the production, portrayal, and proliferation of sexbots are reflections of how we treat marginalized people, reinforcing existing problems related to patriarchy, misogyny, and anti-Black racism. While this project is deeply interested in sexbots, its heart is intimately human. Ultimately, I use sexbots to critically reflect on issues of power and violence in our world, as well as to (re)imagine feminist relationships to these emerging technologies.

Enforced disappearances has been used as a repressive strategy by numerous Latin American states against tens of thousands of presumed political opponents and adversaries, starting in the 1960’s in Guatemala. In contemporary Latin America, Mexico holds the record for disappearances, both politically and non-politically motivated, with more than 30 000 cases reported since the beginning of the drug war in 2006. In response to the silence and impunity from the state, family members have been forced to organize in order to advance in the search for their relatives and for justice. Most of these family members are women. The aim of this study is to analyze women’s experiences of organizing as relatives to the forcefully disappeared in Mexico to explore possible connections between organization and empowerment. Empowerment is here understood from a feminist perspective, as a transformative factor that gives women increased feelings of ‘power to’, ‘power with’ and ‘power within’. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five women organized in four different family members’ organizations in Mexico. The results were analyzed against a theoretical framework consisting of previous research and theories on women’s organizing in Latin America, focusing on strategic and practical gender interests and theories on women’s empowerment, from a feminist and sociologist perspective. The analysis revealed that through the process of organizing, women developed a critical consciousness and access to new skills and resources that resulted in the women becoming more active, political and empowered subjects. The results also showed that despite women’s reasons for organizing being originally practical, to find their loved ones, during the process of organization, these reasons became more strategic and political, as a result of the empowerment process. The study concludes that women’s collective action is a source of empowerment even within organizations that does not have this as an outspoken aim and that the collectives of family members have provided a space for women to become active, conscious and critical citizens.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Joice Meire Rodrigues.pdf: 3595835 bytes, checksum: ecee31ea850eadb8689e7a6fd40b966c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-12-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research is dedicated to discussing gender relations present in the daily ritual practices of the religious community called Vale do Amanhecer and its socio-cultural context, the main theoretical feminist scientific research. We believe that the feminist approach, while criticism of modernity, is meant to focus on these relationships, usually revealing issues and pointing out who oppresses marginalized and those who suffer oppression in a system based on gender inequality. The Vale do Amanhecer was created and consolidated from the foresight of its founder, Neiva Chaves Zelaya, Tia Neiva, and is characterized by syncretism of beliefs, symbols, structure, ritual practices and costumes used by his / her fans / them. Faced with this object of study, our proposal is associated with the effort to understand the roles played by men and women to demonstrate how biological determinant classifies people as sex or not able to perform certain functions in some ritualistic practices. Considering these aspects, we can say that this religious movement gives privileges to male roles, determines performance spaces for women and defines the ideal behavior for them and them, reinforcing present in androcentric society / Esta pesquisa se dedica a discutir as relações de gênero presentes nas práticas do cotidiano ritualístico da comunidade religiosa denominada Vale do Amanhecer e seu contexto sócio-cultural, tendo como principal referencial teórico a investigação científica feminista. Entendemos que a abordagem feminista, enquanto crítica à modernidade, tem o propósito de focar essas relações, revelando questões costumeiramente marginalizadas e apontando quem oprime e quem sofre opressão em um sistema baseado na desigualdade de gênero. O Vale do Amanhecer foi criado e consolidado a partir das clarividências de sua fundadora, Neiva Chaves Zelaya, a Tia Neiva, e destaca-se pelo sincretismo de crenças, símbolos, estrutura de práticas ritualísticas e indumentárias utilizadas por seus/suas adeptos/as. Diante deste objeto de estudo, nossa proposta se associa ao esforço de compreender os papéis desempenhados por homens e mulheres para demonstrar como o determinante biológico sexo classifica as pessoas como aptas ou não para o desempenho de determinadas funções em algumas práticas ritualísticas. Considerando tais aspectos, é possível afirmar que este movimento religioso dá privilégios às funções masculinas, determina espaços para atuação das mulheres e define ideais de comportamento para eles e elas, reforçando a cultura androcêntrica presente na sociedade