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Religion, culture and gender : a study of women's search for gender equality in SwazilandZigira, Christopher Amherst Byuma 11 1900 (has links)
Although Swazi women's contribution to national development has been phenomenal, they like
any other women in patriarchal societies confront an overbearing situation in which they have
been regarded and treated as minors, both in the family and most spheres of public life. This has
largely been due to the social construction of gender. Traditional gender-based attitudes, deeply
ingrained in the people's mind set, not infrequently, have limited women's access to and control
of various aspects of public life, and impinge on their rights, most especially the rights to selfdetermination
and equal participation in the decision making process. Coupled with religion
which influences "the deepest level of what it means to be human" (King, 1994:4) and zealous
cultural conservatism, the Swazi women, with a few notable exceptions, experience an asymmetry
of power due to the pervasive nature of gender. Nonetheless, the history of Swaziland bears testimony, however muted, to a legacy ofwomen's struggles to overcome gendered conditions
imposed upon them either by taking full advantage of their spiritual endowment and charisma to
overcome attitudinal barriers or by organising themselves into groups to work for the social
transformation of their conditions and status.
This study examines the Swazi women's search for gender equality. It discusses the social and
cultural context of gender in Swaziland, the various moments in the Swazi women's quest for
equality and its manifestations, and the push and pull effect of religion and culture. Particular
attention is given to four organisations, namely Lutsango lwakaNgwane (loosely referred to as
women's regiments), the Council of Swaziland Churches, the Women's Resource Centre (Umtapo
waBomake) and Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA). The study shows that
Swazi women have, across a passage of time, adopted different strategies, including ritual,
economic empowerment and creation of new knowledge through promotion of gender awareness
and social advocacy either in a womanist approach that accepts women's embeddedness in Swazi
culture or in the liberal feminist tradition that espouses women's individual rights. However, the
study shows that the women's movement has yet to reach the critical mass level so as to influence
public policy and come to terms with the deconstruction of the dominant gender ideology. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)
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Religion, culture and gender : a study of women's search for gender equality in SwazilandZigira, Christopher Amherst Byuma 11 1900 (has links)
Although Swazi women's contribution to national development has been phenomenal, they like
any other women in patriarchal societies confront an overbearing situation in which they have
been regarded and treated as minors, both in the family and most spheres of public life. This has
largely been due to the social construction of gender. Traditional gender-based attitudes, deeply
ingrained in the people's mind set, not infrequently, have limited women's access to and control
of various aspects of public life, and impinge on their rights, most especially the rights to selfdetermination
and equal participation in the decision making process. Coupled with religion
which influences "the deepest level of what it means to be human" (King, 1994:4) and zealous
cultural conservatism, the Swazi women, with a few notable exceptions, experience an asymmetry
of power due to the pervasive nature of gender. Nonetheless, the history of Swaziland bears testimony, however muted, to a legacy ofwomen's struggles to overcome gendered conditions
imposed upon them either by taking full advantage of their spiritual endowment and charisma to
overcome attitudinal barriers or by organising themselves into groups to work for the social
transformation of their conditions and status.
This study examines the Swazi women's search for gender equality. It discusses the social and
cultural context of gender in Swaziland, the various moments in the Swazi women's quest for
equality and its manifestations, and the push and pull effect of religion and culture. Particular
attention is given to four organisations, namely Lutsango lwakaNgwane (loosely referred to as
women's regiments), the Council of Swaziland Churches, the Women's Resource Centre (Umtapo
waBomake) and Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA). The study shows that
Swazi women have, across a passage of time, adopted different strategies, including ritual,
economic empowerment and creation of new knowledge through promotion of gender awareness
and social advocacy either in a womanist approach that accepts women's embeddedness in Swazi
culture or in the liberal feminist tradition that espouses women's individual rights. However, the
study shows that the women's movement has yet to reach the critical mass level so as to influence
public policy and come to terms with the deconstruction of the dominant gender ideology. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)
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Hearing all the drums: towards a more inclusive congregationMongwe, Justice Mavanyisi 28 February 2007 (has links)
HEARING ALL THE DRUMS: TOWARDS A MORE INCLUSIVE CONGREGATION is about
increasing the participation of women in positions of both leadership and church
ministry praxis within the Seventh Day Adventist church in South Africa. Women have
been excluded in the office of elder, and have been generally excluded from preaching
during the worship hour.
The research process followed a participatory way of doing research, while using
theories on social construction and post-modernist epistemological approach. The
theologies that inform this work are contextual in nature and include African and
Feminist theologies. In the pursuit for change, however, care is maintained to use
inclusive practices that attempt to avoid polarising the congregation and their
concomitant theologies. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)
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An assessment of the influence of religion on gender equality and women empowerment : the case of Mulanje District MalawiKajawo, Caroline Takondwa 05 August 2013 (has links)
Qualitative and quantitative research designs were employed to assess the influence of religion on gender equality and women empowerment in Mulanje district in Malawi. Qualitative data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires through interview with 18 key informants who were sampled by judgmental sampling and 4 FGDs with men and women belonging to different religions who were sampled by stratified random sampling. Quantitative data was collected using a self administered questionnaire to 130 participants sampled by stratified random sampling. Quantitative data was analyzed by using SPSS computer program version 16.0 in order to reach to a valid conclusion. The analysis of the data involved descriptive statistics. For qualitative data, themes were induced from the interview with key informants and FGD. Findings have revealed positive religious teachings and beliefs that have empowered women and promoted equality between men and women. Nevertheless, the study has also revealed that discriminatory religious teachings and attitudes are a reality in religious institutions and these have influenced not only the way women are treated in religious institutions but also the way women look at themselves. In light of the findings, recommendations have been made to the government of Malawi, religious institutions, religious leaders and CSOs to take appropriate actions to promote gender equality and women empowerment in Mulanje district. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)
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The utility of the Zimbabwean Domestic Violence Act : Christian and Muslim women's experiencesChireshe, Excellent 11 1900 (has links)
The study investigated Zimbabwean Christian and Muslim women who had experienced domestic violence with a view to finding out the extent to which these women used provisions of the Domestic Violence Act of 2006. The study was conducted in urban Masvingo and its surroundings. The methodology applied to the empirical investigation was qualitative and was informed by the phenomenological, feminist and pragmatic theoretical frameworks.
Data was collected, by means of in-depth semi-structured interviews, from 30 participants, 22 Christian and 8 Muslim, who were selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques. In investigating the women’s experiences, some questions guided the study. These include: Where and to what extent does a select group of Christian and Muslim women who fall victim to domestic violence normally seek help? How do religious and cultural beliefs and practices influence the response to domestic violence by the abused as well as those to whom they report? To what extent do religious communities prevent selected victims of domestic violence from seeking legal assistance?
Data was analysed by coding responses according to themes. The study revealed that the participants perceived domestic violence as having diverse causes and most of them saw their religion as crucial in addressing their plight. It emerged that a majority of the participants sought help from their religious communities as well as relatives and friends. Mixed responses emanated from these sources of help. The most common response, based largely on religious and cultural beliefs, was to encourage participants to avoid reporting to authorities. It also emerged that most of the participants were not willing to seek help from the police, courts or legal practitioners to seek redress because of the advice they received as well as their own internalised beliefs. Religious, social, and economic factors prevented most participants from appealing to provisions of the Domestic Violence Act.It was concluded that the Zimbabwean Domestic Violence Act had limited usefulness for participants because of religious, social and economic factors. It was recommended that if relevant stakeholders could jointly work together, domestic violence would be alleviated. Recommendations for further research were also made. / Religious Studies & Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)
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"Stealing the story, salvaging the she" : feminist revisionist fiction and the bibleGoosen, Adri 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MA (English))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis analyses six novels by different women writers, each of which rewrites an originally
androcentric biblical story from a female perspective. These novels are The Red Tent by Anita
Diamant, The Garden by Elsie Aidinoff, Leaving Eden by Ann Chamberlin, The Moon under her
Feet by Clysta Kinstler, The Wild Girl by Michelle Roberts and Wisdom’s Daughter by India
Edghill. By classifying these novels as feminist revisionist fiction, this study considers how they
both subvert and revise the biblical narratives they are based on in order to offer readers new and
gynocentric alternatives. With the intention of establishing the significance of such an endeavor, the
study therefore employs the findings of feminist critique and theology to expose how the Bible, as a
sexist text, has inspired, directly or indirectly, many of the patriarchal values that govern Western
society and religion. Having established how biblical narratives have promoted and justified visions
of women as marginal, subordinate and outside the realm of the sacred, we move on to explore how
feminist rewritings of such narratives might function to challenge and transform androcentric
ideology, patriarchal myth and phallocentric theology. The aim is to show that the new and
different stories constructed within these revisionist novels re-conceptualise and re-imagine women,
their place in society and their relation to the divine. Thus, as the title suggests, this thesis
ultimately considers how women writers ‘steal’ the original biblical stories and transform them in
ways that prove liberating for women. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis analiseer ses romans deur verskillende vroue skrywers - romans wat die oorspronklik
androsentriese bybelse stories herskryf vanuit ’n vroulike perspektief. Die romans sluit in The Red
Tent deur Anita Diamant, The Garden deur Elsie Aidinoff, Leaving Eden deur Ann Chamberlin,
The Moon under her Feet deur Clysta Kinstler, The Wild Girl deur Michelle Roberts en Wisdom’s
Daughter deur India Edghill. Deur hierdie romans te klassifiseer as feministiese revisionistiese
fiksie, oorweeg hierdie studie hoe hulle die bybelse verhale waarop hulle gebaseer is, beide
ondermyn en hersien om sodoende lesers nuwe en ginosentriese alternatiewe te bied. Met die
voorneme om die betekenisvolheid van so ’n poging vas te stel, wend hierdie tesis dus die
bevindings van feministiese kritiek en -teologie aan om bloot te lê hoe die Bybel, as ‘n seksistiese
teks, baie van die patriargale waardes van die Westerse samelewing en godsdiens, direk of indirek,
geïnspireer het. Nadat vasgestel is hoe bybelse verhale sienings van vroue as marginaal,
ondergeskik en buite die sfeer van heiligheid bevorder en regverdig, beweeg die tesis aan om te
ondersoek hoe feministiese herskrywings van sulke verhale, androsentriese ideologie, patriargale
mite en fallosentriese teologie uitdaag en herskep. Die doelwit is om te wys dat die nuwe en
anderste stories saamgestel in hierdie revisionistiese romans, vroue, hul plek in die samelewing en
hul betrekking tot die goddelike, kan heroorweeg en herdink. Dus, soos die titel voorstel, oorweeg
hierdie tesis primêr hoe vroue skrywers die oorspronklike bybelse stories ‘steel’ en herskep op
maniere wat bevrydend vir vrouens blyk te wees.
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Hearing all the drums: towards a more inclusive congregationMongwe, Justice Mavanyisi 28 February 2007 (has links)
HEARING ALL THE DRUMS: TOWARDS A MORE INCLUSIVE CONGREGATION is about
increasing the participation of women in positions of both leadership and church
ministry praxis within the Seventh Day Adventist church in South Africa. Women have
been excluded in the office of elder, and have been generally excluded from preaching
during the worship hour.
The research process followed a participatory way of doing research, while using
theories on social construction and post-modernist epistemological approach. The
theologies that inform this work are contextual in nature and include African and
Feminist theologies. In the pursuit for change, however, care is maintained to use
inclusive practices that attempt to avoid polarising the congregation and their
concomitant theologies. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)
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The utility of the Zimbabwean Domestic Violence Act : Christian and Muslim women's experiencesChireshe, Excellent 11 1900 (has links)
The study investigated Zimbabwean Christian and Muslim women who had experienced domestic violence with a view to finding out the extent to which these women used provisions of the Domestic Violence Act of 2006. The study was conducted in urban Masvingo and its surroundings. The methodology applied to the empirical investigation was qualitative and was informed by the phenomenological, feminist and pragmatic theoretical frameworks.
Data was collected, by means of in-depth semi-structured interviews, from 30 participants, 22 Christian and 8 Muslim, who were selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques. In investigating the women’s experiences, some questions guided the study. These include: Where and to what extent does a select group of Christian and Muslim women who fall victim to domestic violence normally seek help? How do religious and cultural beliefs and practices influence the response to domestic violence by the abused as well as those to whom they report? To what extent do religious communities prevent selected victims of domestic violence from seeking legal assistance?
Data was analysed by coding responses according to themes. The study revealed that the participants perceived domestic violence as having diverse causes and most of them saw their religion as crucial in addressing their plight. It emerged that a majority of the participants sought help from their religious communities as well as relatives and friends. Mixed responses emanated from these sources of help. The most common response, based largely on religious and cultural beliefs, was to encourage participants to avoid reporting to authorities. It also emerged that most of the participants were not willing to seek help from the police, courts or legal practitioners to seek redress because of the advice they received as well as their own internalised beliefs. Religious, social, and economic factors prevented most participants from appealing to provisions of the Domestic Violence Act.It was concluded that the Zimbabwean Domestic Violence Act had limited usefulness for participants because of religious, social and economic factors. It was recommended that if relevant stakeholders could jointly work together, domestic violence would be alleviated. Recommendations for further research were also made. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)
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An assessment of the influence of religion on gender equality and women empowerment : the case of Mulanje District MalawiKajawo, Caroline Takondwa 11 1900 (has links)
Qualitative and quantitative research designs were employed to assess the influence of religion on gender equality and women empowerment in Mulanje district in Malawi. Qualitative data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires through interview with 18 key informants who were sampled by judgmental sampling and 4 FGDs with men and women belonging to different religions who were sampled by stratified random sampling. Quantitative data was collected using a self administered questionnaire to 130 participants sampled by stratified random sampling. Quantitative data was analyzed by using SPSS computer program version 16.0 in order to reach to a valid conclusion. The analysis of the data involved descriptive statistics. For qualitative data, themes were induced from the interview with key informants and FGD. Findings have revealed positive religious teachings and beliefs that have empowered women and promoted equality between men and women. Nevertheless, the study has also revealed that discriminatory religious teachings and attitudes are a reality in religious institutions and these have influenced not only the way women are treated in religious institutions but also the way women look at themselves. In light of the findings, recommendations have been made to the government of Malawi, religious institutions, religious leaders and CSOs to take appropriate actions to promote gender equality and women empowerment in Mulanje district. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)
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Theoretical Revelations and the Merging of Methods: Method and Theory in the Study of Medieval Japanese Buddhist Nuns and Material CultureThibaudeau, Kira January 2020 (has links)
This thesis develops a Theoretical framework to be applied to future research concerning medieval Japanese Buddhist nuns and their involvements with Buddhist material culture. My efforts at theory production serve as a preliminary attempt at laying a comprehensive Theoretical foundation for a fresh area of inquiry, namely merging the respective studies of Japanese Buddhist nuns with Buddhist material culture. This marks a promising area of study as a corrective to the enduring focus placed upon men by Religious Studies (RS) scholars. Indeed, RS has historically been, and largely continues to be, a field dominated by men. As such, RS research has concentrated upon the male population, both lay and monastic, and has only recently started shifting toward the question of where women were and what they were doing. Additionally, the study of Buddhist material culture is itself a relatively new field. Consequently, there are currently very few English publications exploring women’s involvement with this important aspect of Buddhism. As a means of contextualizing the Theoretical framework ultimately proposed, I first examine the states of the Buddhist Studies subfields of Buddhist nuns and of Buddhist material culture. I subsequently explore the states of theory production within RS and Medieval Japanese Buddhist Studies (MJBS), contending that a distinctive mode of theory (macro ‘capital-T’ Theoretical frameworks and micro ‘lowercase-t’ theoretical models, respectively) is found within each discipline. While I propose only a RS style macro Theoretical framework, I suggest that an ideal foundation for the study of nuns through the lens of material culture will take the form of a Theoretical complex comprised of both a Theoretical framework and a MJBS style theoretical model. Ultimately, I wish to begin the process of laying the groundwork for future research focusing on women and gender within the context of Buddhism and material culture. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA) / This thesis develops a Theoretical framework to be used in future research about medieval Japanese Buddhist nuns and their involvements with Buddhist material culture (paintings, statues, relics, and so on). This is a preliminary attempt at laying a Theoretical foundation for this fresh area of inquiry. In this endeavour, I am trying to respond to the enduring focus placed upon men by Religious Studies (RS) scholars, as the field has been and largely continues to be dominated by men. Consequently, there are very few English publications exploring Buddhist nuns and material culture, an important aspect of Buddhism. I examine the states of the studies of these topics, and explore two types of theory production distinct to RS and Medieval Japanese Buddhist Studies respectively. Ultimately, I wish to begin the process of laying the groundwork for future research on women and gender within the context of Buddhism and material culture.
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