Coming from current scholarly debate and research about relationships between women, this study seeks to situate the current debate amongst larger examinations of gender relations in Victorian England as well as examine the importance of sister relationships to understanding female relationships and how these relations provide multiple ways of subverting the dominant culture of the Victorian age. After a review of several different nineteenth-century and Victorian writers, I have selected a small sample of poetry and prose with which to form an argument about the importance of sisterly relationships. This importance is two-fold: it allows women a space in which to define themselves without masculine interference and it allows women to subvert the patriarchy in ways which are much more socially acceptable than others. Relationships between women are discussed in the framework of a variety of scholarly debate and criticism which allows a more comprehensive understanding of the complexity of female relationships and their importance in the development of an emerging consciousness that would encourage women to agitate for women's rights.

This exploration involves the influence of a system of patriarchy on both women and men in an inclusive way within business context. The work attempts to move away from dualisms that stereotypically define gender according to patriarchy. The challenge of this work is to find ways of describing women and men that is less defined by gender and more about our similarities as human beings. It has been suggested in the research that the business environment is still a male dominated environment. It is therefore the intention of this work to encourage ways of defining ourselves that one person does not hold benefit one over another in an abusive way. As the system of patriarchy has been endorsed by the church, the research considers how the pastoral therapist may be relevant to the business environment. / Practical Theology / M. Th - Specialising in Pastoral Therapy

This thesis operates, unashamedly, from the premise that every act of criticism involves a self-reflexive gesture of one's own concerns and ideological imprintings. For this reason Chapter One establishes the writer's own involvement - both autobiographical and theoretical - in notions of male rage and the 'working through' of these concerns. Chapter Two conducts an overview of male rage and the extant systemic literature on the subject. It sets out the various positions on the subject and posits the importance of gender (over generation) in the praxis of therapy. Furthermore, it explores the possibility that the male is equally, but differently, troubled by the hegemonic forces of patriarchy as is the woman. Without diminishing the legitimacy of the woman's experience in the face of male rage, the argument is forwarded that the male is caught in a similar struggle but without the feminine articulatory resources. This chapter details the lack of male power in the face of his supposed muscular omnipotence. Seminal analytic approaches to the question of gender are raised in Chapter Three. Working through Freud, Klein, Lacan and Masters and Johnson an attempt is made to plot the 'evolution' of the feminine and the masculine. Central to this debate is the bi-polarization of gender relations within the same sex (biology/construction) and without (phallic/vaginal, clitoral, passive/active). What emerges is that femininity is bi-focal and that the woman has more resources at her disposal that hitherto acknowledged. While the woman is always double - as both clitoral and vaginal, as lover and mother- it appears that male sexuality is far more precarious than generally perceived. It is this dis-ease on the part of the male that translates itself into envy and, with it, the need to denigrate and belittle woman as the object of that envy. In Chapter 4 an attempt is made to overlap the seemingly divergent fields of analytic and systemic methodologies via the involvement of the therapist in the eco-system of analysis. The substantial role of the therapist -- and the coercive forces placed on him/her by the couple -- is used to modify Elkaim's model and to introduce the need for a telling of the particular stories that concentrate on the unique narratives of the warring couple rather than the patriarchal regime under which these stories are constrained. Before encountering these narratives an essay is made at establishing a methodology of sorts. Newton's scientific formulations are used in order to question the binary opposition that has been, historically, established between quantitative (male) and qualitative (female) methodologies. In the process of questioning this binary opposition it becomes clear that any form of objectifying approach constitutes a refuge from the messiness that is intrinsic to the therapeutic process. The experimental methodology that is posited is precisely one that engages in the narratives of male violence - four extracts are considered, each exposing different articulations of male violence. The question of female subjectivity (and the attendant power of the sorority) is returned to in light of these stories. Central to this section is the notion that male subjectivity is far more convoluted - perhaps more that the feminine counterpart - than initially conceived. The original identification with the (m)other forever displaces him in that the later identification with the father remains distant and contrived. For the purposes of maintaining the dialogic nature of this work, a feminist appraisal of the rage narratives concludes the thesis. Don Quixote is used, by way of an Epilogue, to offer three representations of male subjectivity and to look towards alternative subject positions for the male under patriarchy. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The exposition of patriarchy and feminism in this thesis points toward the difficulty women experienced in the past, and in many cases still do, in their pursuit for equality in a male dominated society. Without feminists’ consciousness raising concerning women’s oppression, women might still be under patriarchal domination, oppression, and marginalisation; in fact, many still are. As a result, many women today can reject the views that men are superior, stronger, and more rational than they are, and that God created men to dominate on male-female relations. In their struggle against patriarchy, some feminists however, began to transform Biblical images and language for God, with the result that masculine images of God were simply replaced with feminine images, presenting God as androgynous and not as a Deity who transcends sexuality. God’s identity thus, in my opinion, became obscured. In this thesis I argue that both patriarchy and feminism have contributed to our experiencing difficulties when we try to identity with a loving and caring God as portrayed in Scripture. Daly’s outrage and anger against men and the Christian faith, as well as her decision to turn away from Christianity on the basis of its patriarchy, I judge to be, for various reasons given in this thesis, a negative influence in this debate. She is undoubtedly one of the most radical feminists of the past decades and her slogan “since God is male, the male is God” implies that in order for women to become liberated they require the emasculation of God. Daly’s line of reasoning is that Christianity is a male structure with a Scripture that is irredeemably patriarchal. Her belief that Christians are fixated upon the person of Jesus, a male, and that, therefore, women have to overcome this idolatry needs serious questioning. Her radical views have created disunity and separatism between women who are striving to answer life-changing questions / Philosophy & Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of Communication, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 40-42).

This exploration involves the influence of a system of patriarchy on both women and men in an inclusive way within business context. The work attempts to move away from dualisms that stereotypically define gender according to patriarchy. The challenge of this work is to find ways of describing women and men that is less defined by gender and more about our similarities as human beings. It has been suggested in the research that the business environment is still a male dominated environment. It is therefore the intention of this work to encourage ways of defining ourselves that one person does not hold benefit one over another in an abusive way. As the system of patriarchy has been endorsed by the church, the research considers how the pastoral therapist may be relevant to the business environment. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th - Specialising in Pastoral Therapy

The exposition of patriarchy and feminism in this thesis points toward the difficulty women experienced in the past, and in many cases still do, in their pursuit for equality in a male dominated society. Without feminists’ consciousness raising concerning women’s oppression, women might still be under patriarchal domination, oppression, and marginalisation; in fact, many still are. As a result, many women today can reject the views that men are superior, stronger, and more rational than they are, and that God created men to dominate on male-female relations. In their struggle against patriarchy, some feminists however, began to transform Biblical images and language for God, with the result that masculine images of God were simply replaced with feminine images, presenting God as androgynous and not as a Deity who transcends sexuality. God’s identity thus, in my opinion, became obscured. In this thesis I argue that both patriarchy and feminism have contributed to our experiencing difficulties when we try to identity with a loving and caring God as portrayed in Scripture. Daly’s outrage and anger against men and the Christian faith, as well as her decision to turn away from Christianity on the basis of its patriarchy, I judge to be, for various reasons given in this thesis, a negative influence in this debate. She is undoubtedly one of the most radical feminists of the past decades and her slogan “since God is male, the male is God” implies that in order for women to become liberated they require the emasculation of God. Daly’s line of reasoning is that Christianity is a male structure with a Scripture that is irredeemably patriarchal. Her belief that Christians are fixated upon the person of Jesus, a male, and that, therefore, women have to overcome this idolatry needs serious questioning. Her radical views have created disunity and separatism between women who are striving to answer life-changing questions / Philosophy and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

This thesis operates, unashamedly, from the premise that every act of criticism involves a self-reflexive gesture of one's own concerns and ideological imprintings. For this reason Chapter One establishes the writer's own involvement - both autobiographical and theoretical - in notions of male rage and the 'working through' of these concerns. Chapter Two conducts an overview of male rage and the extant systemic literature on the subject. It sets out the various positions on the subject and posits the importance of gender (over generation) in the praxis of therapy. Furthermore, it explores the possibility that the male is equally, but differently, troubled by the hegemonic forces of patriarchy as is the woman. Without diminishing the legitimacy of the woman's experience in the face of male rage, the argument is forwarded that the male is caught in a similar struggle but without the feminine articulatory resources. This chapter details the lack of male power in the face of his supposed muscular omnipotence. Seminal analytic approaches to the question of gender are raised in Chapter Three. Working through Freud, Klein, Lacan and Masters and Johnson an attempt is made to plot the 'evolution' of the feminine and the masculine. Central to this debate is the bi-polarization of gender relations within the same sex (biology/construction) and without (phallic/vaginal, clitoral, passive/active). What emerges is that femininity is bi-focal and that the woman has more resources at her disposal that hitherto acknowledged. While the woman is always double - as both clitoral and vaginal, as lover and mother- it appears that male sexuality is far more precarious than generally perceived. It is this dis-ease on the part of the male that translates itself into envy and, with it, the need to denigrate and belittle woman as the object of that envy. In Chapter 4 an attempt is made to overlap the seemingly divergent fields of analytic and systemic methodologies via the involvement of the therapist in the eco-system of analysis. The substantial role of the therapist -- and the coercive forces placed on him/her by the couple -- is used to modify Elkaim's model and to introduce the need for a telling of the particular stories that concentrate on the unique narratives of the warring couple rather than the patriarchal regime under which these stories are constrained. Before encountering these narratives an essay is made at establishing a methodology of sorts. Newton's scientific formulations are used in order to question the binary opposition that has been, historically, established between quantitative (male) and qualitative (female) methodologies. In the process of questioning this binary opposition it becomes clear that any form of objectifying approach constitutes a refuge from the messiness that is intrinsic to the therapeutic process. The experimental methodology that is posited is precisely one that engages in the narratives of male violence - four extracts are considered, each exposing different articulations of male violence. The question of female subjectivity (and the attendant power of the sorority) is returned to in light of these stories. Central to this section is the notion that male subjectivity is far more convoluted - perhaps more that the feminine counterpart - than initially conceived. The original identification with the (m)other forever displaces him in that the later identification with the father remains distant and contrived. For the purposes of maintaining the dialogic nature of this work, a feminist appraisal of the rage narratives concludes the thesis. Don Quixote is used, by way of an Epilogue, to offer three representations of male subjectivity and to look towards alternative subject positions for the male under patriarchy. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Joyce Baptist / The purpose of this study is to expand our understanding of alcohol dependency and its recovery in Northeast Brazil by exploring the lived experience of this disorder and its recovery process among couples whose husbands are seeking treatment for alcohol dependency. Culturally specific values such as patriarchy and gender roles were explored to gain insight into the recovery process. Findings from in-depth interviews conducted with couples and mental health professionals indicated that wives had a major role in the recovery process but were not included in the treatment process. Wives are expected to wait and temporarily “wear the pants” while husbands attend to their personal problems in treatment. Wives were viewed as a major support to husbands in treatment as well as the “stone in the middle of the road” that obstructed progress. The cultural values and gender norms appear to play a major role in how alcohol dependency is managed within the couple system and by mental health professionals. The use of metaphors to externalize problems and religious scripts helped couples cope. Clinical implications for systemic treatment and research implications are discussed.