This Master’s thesis explores the intersection of powers that create (in)secure female migration to Lebanon. It contributes to a growing literature corpus about the lives of women, originating from South/ South-East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, who migrate to Lebanon to work in the domestic work sector. Ongoing exploitations of migrant domestic workers (MDWs) under Lebanon’s migration regime, the kafala system, have been documented in detail. Yet, the question about which overlapping powers actually shape the migratory experience of MDWs calls for closer inspection – especially in light of previous unidirectional analyses that seem to obscure the intersectional experiences of migrant women. By uncovering intersecting systems of domination and subordination, this analysis aims to deconstruct oppressive powers and to answer the research question about which powers create (in)secure female migration to Lebanon. This objective is approached through ethnographic-qualitative methods of semi-structured interviewing and participant observation during a seven-week field research in Lebanon. Data contributed by research participants, i.e. MDWs themselves and individuals that have experience in supporting them, are analyzed through an intersectional lens that acknowledges the multifacetedness of MDWs as social beings comprised of overlapping and intersecting dynamic facets. This analysis argues for multiple levels and layers that create an enmeshed web of interacting categories, processes and systems that render female migration insecure. Detected underlying powers range from global forces over specific migration regulations to societal structures that are based on sexism, racism, cultural othering and class differences - amongst others. These forces are impossible to deconstruct in isolation because they function through each other. Their multilevel intersections lead to power imbalances between worker and employer, isolation and invisibility of the former on several levels as well as the commodification, dehumanization and mobility limitations of MDWs. Yet, female labor migrants counter these intersecting powers through creative and dynamic acts of resistance and self-empowerment and, thus, prove that the dismantling of overlapping oppressions calls for intersecting multilevel deconstructions.

abstract: Approximately 89 million Americans will be age 65 and older by 2050 in the United States. This older adult population is especially vulnerable to loneliness as a result of numerous age-related risk factors including loss of social support and declining health. In addition to these common risk factors, refugee older adults may face increased loneliness as a consequence of war-related trauma, loss, and marginalized cultural values in their host country. Despite their heightened vulnerabilities to loneliness, the experiences of refugee older adults remain understudied. This is the first study aimed at understanding the loneliness experiences of community-dwelling Hmong older adults, an ethnic group resettled in the United States as refugees over 40 years ago. A constructivist grounded theory method guided by an intersectionality framework was used to address three aims: 1) to understand the concept of loneliness among community-dwelling Hmong older adults, 2) to explore the premigration, displacement, and postmigration experiences of loneliness among community-dwelling Hmong older adults, and 3) to examine how community-dwelling Hmong older adults cope with loneliness. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 17 Hmong older adults age 65 and older residing in Sacramento and Fresno, California. Analysis of the data was an iterative process between coding the data, generating focused codes, and connecting the categories to establish a conceptual pattern. Participants conceptualized loneliness as a negative experience represented through physical and emotional expressions and intensity, which were influenced by an intersectional identity. Factors that influenced their experiences of loneliness in the premigration, displacement, and postmigration phase were discussed as trust, loss, aging-related issues, isolation, sense of community, access to cultural community, instability, violence, and cultural adjustments. Their narratives offered several coping mechanisms including religious and spiritual beliefs, social support, wandering, activity engagement, and control and avoidance. These findings informed a conceptual model of loneliness that incorporated an intersectional identity, influencing factors, and coping mechanisms. Overall, the results provide nuanced cultural meanings and insight into the loneliness experiences of Hmong older adults. Implications for social work research, practice, and policy suggests the need for greater culturally- and linguistically-competent services informed by Hmong older adults. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Social Work 2019

- ABSTRACT - THE LADIES AND THE WOMEN An Exploration into Faulkner’s Rhetoric of Female Hood Caroline V. Jauch, B.A in French and English languages and literatures, Université de Genève, Switzerland With his novels, Faulkner takes us on a journey to the South. He invites us into his character’s surroundings, homes, landscape, smells and especially into their hearts and minds. His portrayals of the white and black people that populate the South, his acute sense of observation regarding their external and internal dialogue, as well as his unique narrative style, all contribute to making him into a reliable witness of the deep issues that plagued America then and are still hurting the nation today as social, racial and gender based challenges daily defy the collective consciousness, raising issues of equality pertaining specifically to blacks and women. In my opinion, Faulkner was a visionary, sensing already, in the years he writes his novels that much of America’s problem was, is, and would for a long time to come, be racism. Yet, one other important aspect of Faulkner’s writing that is pertinent in his characterization of the oppressed is his portrayal of the different female characters that populate his novels. The reason this is coming up in parallel with the issue of race is because the fight for gender and race equality have similar characteristics and that the struggle women endure every day for equal treatment is in many ways similar to the pains, stereotyping and stigmatization that black people go through for the same goal. This fact was already addressed by Simone de Beauvoir in her famous work The Second Sex where she claims that the obstacles women faced regarding their emancipation were in many ways similar to those black people faced for the same goal. Keeping this in mind, the idea in this research is to observe Faulkner’s heroines from the specific angle where their stories intersect with black people’s narratives of oppression. Not to prove De Beauvoir (or anyone) right, but because it is an angle from which not much criticism has stemmed so far and I believe that, especially in Faulkner’s oeuvre, there are a lot of meeting points regarding the problems that these two oppressed groups face. In his depictions of women, Faulkner avoids categorizing: no two characters are alike or stigmatized in any way. His female characters are sincere, honest and pathetic yet they all escape stereotyping. This does not mean that critics have not tried to organize Faulkner’s women and ladies into specific archetypes. There has been much criticism and analysis of Faulkner over the years, and it is interesting to observe the evolution of such discourse as it plays out against the backdrop of the different political and moral fluctuations of time. A lot has been said about Faulkner: He has been hailed as a misogynist, and even as a white supremacist, by literary critics that mainly identified with his characters’ views and one must be discriminating while engaging with such material. Yet, the feminist literary criticism on his characterization of women is quite homogenous, suggesting that his portrayal of the female sex is consistent and definitely deserving of an analysis, as the amount of criticism on the subject has already proved. In this research, I will engage with feminist theory and criticism as well as with critical race feminism, including the concept of “intersectionality” as coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw and I will separate the “ladies” from the “women” in an effort to give each the same amount of attention. As the scope of this work is limited, I will not be able to go in depth with as many characters as I would like. Therefore, my analysis will focus principally on Drusilla Hawk for the ladies, Dilsey Gibson for the women and Clytie Sutpen regarding the theme of family dynamics. These characters will be looked at in context and along with the other characters that appear in their respective novels and who, through their interactions with them, help define their discourses. I will address more generally other characters such as Caddy Compson, Temple Drake, Eula Varner and Granny Millard and include as many others as I can in my discussion as far as they are relevant to my arguments. This thesis will start with an overview of Faulkner criticism in context, which will lead me into a discussion on feminism and race. I will then develop a chapter on the ladies, a chapter on the women and a chapter on family dynamics in Faulkner’s work. Hoping to offer the rounded argument that, by his intricate portrayals of the different victories and defeats the females evolving in his novels go through, with his southern belles inching their way out of their hoop skirts and his earth-women poetically assimilated to the elements, Faulkner was actually giving women a voice.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / While much has been written about the work of school counselors in urban schools, there remains a void of information about the unique experiences of Black female school counselors, particularly in relation to their work with Black adolescent girls in the urban middle school space. This qualitative study seeks to illuminate these experiences via the contributions of four Black female school counselors who have worked in this capacity serving Black girls. Three points of inquiry or Research Questions served as guideposts for this study: (1) What are the personal and professional experiences of Black female school counselors in their work with Black adolescent girls in urban middle schools?, (2) What are Black female school counselors’ perspectives on the ways in which they are supported or not supported in working with Black adolescent girls? and, (3) In what ways (if any) does the concept of “mothering” show up in the relationships and counseling practices involving Black female school counselors and Black adolescent girls in urban middle schools? Thus far, it appears that Black women’s voices and perspectives have been devalued and ignored in research relating to school counseling. To adequately represent the perspectives and experiences of Black women as a marginalized group, I employed a critical hermeneutic phenomenological methodology, along with a Black feminist framework. I engaged the participants in two semi-structured interviews, along with asking them to construct a reflective vision board, serving as a mosaic of their lifeworlds as school counselors working with Black adolescent girls. These actions, along with a review of literature on the schooling experiences of Black adolescent girls in urban schools enabled me to acquire data leading to seven overarching themes relating to the following: relationships and connections based on culture and conversation, the need for support from decision-makers on programming, the physical and emotional investment in the work, mentoring, and the marginalization of Black women in school spaces. Lastly, I present conclusions and implications for school systems, school administrators, and professional school counselor organizations to aid in establishing effective practices in serving Black female students and enhancing the overall school counseling profession.

Abstract  The novel Tengo miedo torero (2010) by the Chilean Pedro Lemebel, is characterized by presenting certain patterns. The first one is the presence and complexities that non-binary people experience, and the second is the political economic social context, determined by a dictatorship. The purpose of this work is to make a qualitative analysis of the novel, applying two theories: The Queer theory and the Marxist literary criticism. The reason why these two theories were chosen is that they represent the fundamental patterns of this novel clearly and assertively. As for queer theory, feminist theorists such as Simone de Beauvoir, Monique Wittig, Judith Butler and Beatriz Preciado are the outstanding ones. They visualize the studies of gender, homosexual identity and the presence of the femininity in the novel. Regarding Marxist literary criticism, authors such as Terry Eagleton, Andrew Heywood introduce themes, such as class struggle, inequality, revolution and politic ideologies. All these terminologies and concepts result in an intertwining between the socioeconomic conditions and the non-binary sexuality, marked by oppression. / Sumario  La novela Tengo miedo torero (2010) del chileno Pedro Lemebel, se caracteriza por presentar ciertos patrones que son: primeramente, la presencia y complejidades que vivencian las personas no binarias, y la segunda es el contexto político económico social, determinados por una dictadura. El propósito de este trabajo, es hacer análisis cualitativo de la novela, aplicando dos teorías, la teoría Queer y la crítica literaria marxista. La razón por la que se eligieron estas dos teorías es, porque, representan de forma clara y asertiva, los patrones fundamentales de esta novela. De la teoría queer, teóricas feministas como Simone de Beauvoir, Monique wittig, Judith Butler y Beatriz Preciado son las sobresalientes, que visualizan los estudios de género, la identidad homosexual y la presencia de lo femenino en la novela. En cuanto, a la crítica literaria marxista, autores como Terry Eagleton, Andrew Heywood, introducen temáticas, como, la lucha de clases, la desigualdad, la revolución e ideologías políticas. Todas estas terminologías y conceptos, dan como resultado, el entrelazamiento de la condición socioeconómica con la sexualidad no binaria, marcada por la opresión.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the reactions and expressions towards the governmental regulations amongst  Swedes in Spain during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a qualitative online ethnographic case study where a online forum is analysed through a content analysis. The data has been understood through intersectionality theory, biopolitics as outlined by Michel Foucault and Sara Ahmed’s work on the cultural politics of emotions. The analysis identified various themes and as well as emotions circulating around these. Swedes in Spain are expressing their frustration and critique towards illogical and counterproductive regulations as well as showing irritation directed to their freedom of movement being taken away. Frustration and uncertainty are circulating in the discussions. Sociocultural categories such as class, nationality, gender and age as well as how they intensifie each other appear. The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting people in various ways, and the intersectional lens makes it possible to analyse how people depending on their privileges (or lack of) are able to cope with the regulations. This research shows on the importance of an feminist intersectional lens when evaluating the effects of the regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic in each country.

Homeplace of Hands: Fractal Performativity of Vulnerable Resistance is a feminist autoethnography of possibility that puts on display two new concepts I’ve named fractal performativity and vulnerable resistance. Fractal performativity as a way of seeing is an integrative performance methodology that utilizes fractal geometry and performative autoethnography and brings together performance studies, feminist theory, multiethnic literature, personal story and poetry to communicate vulnerable resistance as a strategy for social transformation and selfhood. Vulnerable resistance as a way of being embodies a praxis of homeplace enacted through five modes I’ve identified as nurturance, sustenance, maintenance, performance, and alliance, expressed through the daily work of the hand as a metaphor, tool, and fractal. Deploying fractal performativity as an integrative method and conceptual framework, I design the fractal hand as a template that embodies intersecting identities and holds my stories as I cultivate homeplace and enact vulnerable resistance through the five modes. For scholar-artist- activists working on the margins, this integrative strategy offers hope to keep coming back day after day, and a template for cultivating homeplace of vulnerable resistance.

As part of the effort to better understand the experiences of students with disabilities, this study examines accessibility in Human Geography departments. Human Geography is known for its excursions and field studies, which brings the question of how they adapt their situations for disabled students. Also, how Human Geography departments identify disability and prevent discrimination. The study involves interviewing teachers at three departments of Human Geography at three different universities, those are Stockholm, Uppsala, and Mid Sweden University. To ask the question of how they adapt their education for disabled students. The findings suggest that Human Geography departments fail to mainstream special education and that they lack institutional support in making education inclusive and accessible for disabled students. Furthermore, there is a communication gap between students and the departments, and guidelines are not helpful or non-existing in defining how to make education for disabled students more accessible and adaptable. They identify disability by certificates and prevent discrimination by communicating with the disabled students.

Women comprise half of the world's population but less than half of the paid workforce, less than half of organized workers, and far less than half of union leadership positions. Women benefit from union membership by enjoying a smaller gender wage gap than women without union representation. Unionized teachers enjoy higher salaries and better working conditions than those who are not union members. Despite the advantages of being in a union, women are under-represented in union membership and, more importantly, leadership positions. Considering these disparities, I conceptualized this critical study to describe and better understand how women's participation in union activities is meaningful to them. My ultimate goal was to find ways in which more union women could be encouraged to take leadership roles in the workers' rights movement. The primary purpose of this research is to identify factors that explain the dearth of women's participation in their labor union. Gender disparity in union leadership is, in part, a reflection of gender disparity in the workforce. Women make up less than half of the paid workforce but occupy the majority of the contingent workforce, which enterprise-based unions in Japan have been reluctant to organize (Weathers, 2012). Furthermore, a lack of female role models in union leadership might also contribute to gender disparity in unions' leaderships. From this, I suggest changes that potentially allow more women to participate and eventually lead in their unions. The theoretical justification of the methodology used in this study is to show the utility of communities of practice theory and intersectionality in this type of research. Because I examined participation, I used communities of practice as the primary theoretical framework, and because the participants were all women, intersectional feminism served as the secondary theoretical framework. Furthermore, I review conceptual research on communities of practice, women, and labor and review empirical research on labor, communities of practice, and women in the labor movement. For the methodology, I applied a qualitative critical case study approach to this investigation of a labor union in western Japan that primarily organizes foreign language teachers. This study is a collection of case studies of female non-Japanese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers from inner circle countries. I investigated how these women participated in their labor union in western Japan and how their participation was meaningful to them. I was a participant observer, and the three core participants were all American. I am Canadian. At the time of this study, all four of us were union leaders. Data sources included interviews, a focus group discussion, artifacts, and the research journals that I kept over the years. The findings echoed aspects of communities of practice theory as well as intersectionality. Communities of practice theory highlighted the transformational nature of participating in a community. Furthermore, the importance of trust in the community was made clear. I considered the participants’ identities from the perspective of intersectionality. Considering differing emphases on these aspects of identity led me to realize that increasing solidarity between women working for workers’ rights and women working for women’s rights might lead to the growth of both movements. I drew the main conclusion from considering differing emphases on aspects of research participants’ identities. As has been well documented in research literature, women in the workers’ rights movement and women in the women’s rights movement place an emphasis on different aspects of their identities (Dye, 1975; hooks, 2012; Milkman, 2016). Therefore, what is lacking is a sense of solidarity, the fundamental principle of the workers’ rights movement, between these two groups of women. The original contribution to knowledge of this dissertation is an enhanced understanding of how both the workers’ rights movement and the women’s rights movement are held back by this lack of solidarity among women. / Teaching & Learning

In this qualitative study, I interviewed 13 women from two separate conservative Baptist congregations in Central Florida, one English-speaking and the other Hispanic. The purpose of this research was to explore the ways in which conservative Baptist women develop their identity as women, the gender ideologies they espouse, their experiences in ministry, and the possibility that they can achieve gender consciousness without aligning with feminist principles. In addition, my research employs an intersectional perspective to demonstrate differences in the experiences of white women and women of color in the church. This study consisted of semi-structured interviews with women from both the Hispanic and the predominantly white congregations over the course of a month. According to my findings, strict complementarianism, the belief that men and women have entirely separate but complementary roles, was only observed among a small number of women. The majority demonstrated egalitarian tendencies with a combination of complementarian and evangelical pragmatist ideology. The latter was especially observable in spiritual practices and decision-making in marriage. For most of the women, their ideations of gender, marital, and parental expectations were not reflected in their actual practices. In terms of intersectionality and the experiences of women of color, the majority of women from the Hispanic congregation and white women from the English-speaking congregation determined that racial conflict did not take place within their church. On the other hand, Black women within the predominantly white congregation and two women who belonged to ethnic minorities within the Hispanic church did report friction, lack of community support, and discriminatory behavior towards them. These were not aspects of white women's experiences in ministry. This study is significant because, in addition to highlighting the gender ideologies upheld by conservative Baptist women, it also describes the ways in which they negotiate the scriptures to perform womanhood and expounds on the idea that conservative women can also find gender consciousness despite rejecting feminism. However, solidarity and inclusion were not found by women of all races and ethnicities. This research views these experiences and ideas of womanhood through an intersectional lens. As a result, it explains how race, ethnicity, and nationality can also frame ideas of womanhood and affect gender consciousness among women in conservative Baptist congregations where one race or ethnic group predominates.