Womens Studies International Forum最新文献

Sexism in contemporary art

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-22 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103069

Buse Çam , Suzan Ceylan-Batur

引用次数: 0

Women's bodies as a global political arena: The abortion rights controversy in the U.S. and Italy, and the compulsory hijab debate in Iran

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-18 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103058

Francesca Calamita

{"title":"Women's bodies as a global political arena: The abortion rights controversy in the U.S. and Italy, and the compulsory hijab debate in Iran","authors":"Francesca Calamita","doi":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Why is a woman's choice about her body often disregarded in both Western and non-Western countries? In June 2022, Roe v. Wade, was overturned in the U.S. In September 2022, Mahsa Amini died after being arrested by the Iranian police for not wearing the hijab correctly. Recently the number of gynecologists who refuse to perform abortions on moral grounds reached its highest peak in Italy.</div><div>Abortion rights and the hijab controversy might seem two very different issues, and conventionally they are not addressed together by academic literature on transnational womanhood. Yet they are underpinned by similar concerns about women's bodily autonomy. This article focuses on present-day abortion rights in the U.S. and Italy and the headscarf debate in Iran; it investigates how policing women's bodies in both Western and non-Western contexts is influenced by social norms and traditions, including religious orientations and culturally accepted misogynistic practices aimed at controlling the female part of the population. By comparing three different cultural contexts and framing the discussion in Western and non-Western feminist readings of women's bodies, it demonstrates that abortion bans and compulsory veiling imposed by local and national governments represent legislative efforts to enforce patriarchal norms in the broader global context.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47940,"journal":{"name":"Womens Studies International Forum","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 103058"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143429236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The vulnerability of migrant women working in agriculture in Spain: A qualitative study from the perspective of social and health professionals

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-11 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103065

Mariana Loezar-Hernández , Agustin González-Rodríguez , Heidy Natalia Urrego-Parra , María del Mar Jiménez-Lasserrotte , María del Mar Pastor-Bravo , Erica Briones-Vozmediano

{"title":"The vulnerability of migrant women working in agriculture in Spain: A qualitative study from the perspective of social and health professionals","authors":"Mariana Loezar-Hernández , Agustin González-Rodríguez , Heidy Natalia Urrego-Parra , María del Mar Jiménez-Lasserrotte , María del Mar Pastor-Bravo , Erica Briones-Vozmediano","doi":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103065","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103065","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Workers from developing countries migrate to Spain to meet the need for low-skilled labour in the agricultural sector. This study aims to explore health and social professionals' discourses on the agricultural work of migrant women in Spain from a gender perspective. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using 87 semi-structured interviews with 92 professionals from non-governmental organizations, health, and social services between January and October 2021. Thematic analysis was used with Atlas.ti web software. Two main themes emerged: 1) Feminised tasks in agriculture and 2) Harassment towards women. Participants highlighted specific work types and conditions, harassment, sexual harassment, partner influence, and the health consequences of these inequalities on women. Seasonal migrant women face challenges due to their migration status, precarious working conditions, and gender vulnerability. Labour and sexual harassment, and lack of support networks and resources perpetuate their exclusion, affecting their physical and mental health. Public policies are needed to guarantee these women's labour rights and comprehensive care from health and social professionals with an intersectional perspective.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47940,"journal":{"name":"Womens Studies International Forum","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 103065"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143388211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Lived experiences of urban working mothers during pandemic: A matricentric exploration in the Indian context

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-11 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103067

Sanjukta Bhaumik, Sudhansubala Sahu

{"title":"Lived experiences of urban working mothers during pandemic: A matricentric exploration in the Indian context","authors":"Sanjukta Bhaumik, Sudhansubala Sahu","doi":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103067","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103067","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In India, entrenched patriarchal norms dictate gender roles, perpetuating men-headed families and patrilineal traditions deeply ingrained in its culture. Within this framework, working mothers daily confront gender biases despite society undervaluing their crucial roles in caregiving and the economy. The Covid-19 pandemic intensified these challenges, as working mothers faced heightened expectations to excel in both professional and maternal roles. With inadequate support and intensified caregiving demands, their physical and mental well-being significantly suffered. This article explores the complex realities experienced by Indian working mothers during the pandemic. Viewing motherhood through a matricentric lens underscores its importance to society while highlighting the need to redistribute caregiving responsibilities beyond mothers alone. The researchers conducted a qualitative study, interviewing 30 Indian working mothers from various professional backgrounds using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed that despite seventy-seven years of independence, mothers in India continue to grapple with patriarchal oppression, inequality, and violence, underscoring the persistent challenges faced in navigating societal norms and expectations. By gaining insight into their experiences, policymakers can better grasp these burdens and implement measures to address associated physical and mental health concerns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47940,"journal":{"name":"Womens Studies International Forum","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 103067"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143388212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Understanding the power dynamics affecting black and minority ethnic females in leadership roles

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-11 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103066

Yasmeen Hussain, Kellyanne Findlay

{"title":"Understanding the power dynamics affecting black and minority ethnic females in leadership roles","authors":"Yasmeen Hussain, Kellyanne Findlay","doi":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103066","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103066","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With businesses, institutions and governments focusing on improving diversity in leadership this qualitative investigation draws on the experiences of black and minority ethnic (BME) females of East Asian and South Asian heritage, in leadership roles, across four professional sectors. In the UK, black and minority ethnic (BME) and black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) are umbrella terms used to describe non-White ethnicities. The women have experienced unequal power relationships in professional spaces, because of their gender, ethnicity, and actual and perceived faith, and where there are similar social identities. The aim of the study is understanding the power relations that influence their career and shape their approach to leadership and how they cope, negotiate, or assimilate these experiences into their professional and personal lives. The themes that emerged from the study include concurrent racial, religious and gender-based power dynamics, social dominance and status, bias and stereotypes challenging the acceptance and legitimacy of the leaders, encountered from both in-group and out-group members; self-debilitating behaviors because of stereotype threat and imbalanced power, and the self-group distancing behavior of BME colleagues. The study offers an account of minority ethnic women in roles associated with positional power, formal authority and inferred influence, and how they are affected by those who offer or reserve approval, recognition, and support of their leadership.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47940,"journal":{"name":"Womens Studies International Forum","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 103066"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143378005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A postcolonial feminist representation of motherhood in recent Bollywood sports movies

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-11 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103062

Sushree Routray, Rashmi Gaur

{"title":"A postcolonial feminist representation of motherhood in recent Bollywood sports movies","authors":"Sushree Routray, Rashmi Gaur","doi":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103062","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103062","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Contemporary Bollywood sports dramas grapple with the tension between cultural expectations of motherhood and the aspirations of women sportspersons. These narratives challenge biological determinism and societal pressures defining a ‘good’ mother as they strive to carve their individual identities. Amidst neoliberal expectations of intensive motherhood and helicopter parenting, these athletes navigate maternal guilt and ambivalence as they attempt comebacks, often burdened by anxieties about their children. Shaped by a confluence of cultural stereotypes, mythical narratives, and gendered nationalist discourses, maternal figures in Indian society are often reified, obscuring the complexities of their gendered being within a society steeped in patriarchy. Exemplary sports films such as <em>Mary Kom</em> (2014), <em>Saand Ki Aankh</em> (2019), and <em>Panga</em> (2020) represent the lived experiences of women athletes navigating a conflicting landscape where marriage and motherhood are often perceived as the ultimate biological destiny for women. The clash between the roles of mother and athlete unfolds as a narrative tension, where traditional femininity embodies passivity and dependence, while sport champions autonomy and assertiveness, inevitably leading to what Helen Lenskyj terms ‘role conflict’. Caught between selflessness and selfishness, anxiety and ambivalence, these women athletes refuse to conform to the male gaze, rejecting patriarchal expectations of self-sacrificing mothers, dutiful daughters, and unconditionally supportive wives. This paper employs a postcolonial feminist narrative to examine Bollywood films, revealing how seemingly individual choices by sportswomen are situated within broader social hierarchies and power structures. By examining the impact of family support and marital connections on athletes' subjective experiences, this study also questions the gendered narratives of postcolonial sports movies, unravelling their capacity to surpass conventional prejudices against women sportspersons in India.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47940,"journal":{"name":"Womens Studies International Forum","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 103062"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143388214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Philosophy of clothing. Fashion as a social vector: Unraveling the influence of digital times

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103063

Alfonso Vázquez-Atochero , Azahara Romero-Sanz

{"title":"Philosophy of clothing. Fashion as a social vector: Unraveling the influence of digital times","authors":"Alfonso Vázquez-Atochero , Azahara Romero-Sanz","doi":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103063","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103063","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fashion serves as a powerful agent of socialization, reflecting individual identities while situating them within broader social hierarchies. In today's digital landscape, the interplay between fashion and mass media is magnified by platforms like Instagram, where influencers emerge as key opinion leaders shaping consumer behavior and cultural trends. This article presents findings from a three-year ethnographic study that investigates the role of influencers in redefining fashion consumption and community-building on Instagram. The research combines questionnaires, interviews, contextual analysis, and participant observation, supported by a comprehensive review of sociological and cultural frameworks, including foundational theories by Simmel, Baudrillard, Bourdieu, and Barthes. Central to this study is a case analysis rooted in the firsthand experiences of one of the authors, offering an insider's perspective into the dynamics of influence within this digital space. The findings reveal how influencers create a unique nexus between personal branding, community engagement, and brand perception. By examining the interdependence of fashion, social media, and individual agency, this study highlights the ways in which influencers construct authenticity, foster trust, and mediate the relationship between brands and consumers. Furthermore, it explores the implications of these dynamics for the evolving structures of consumer culture and the need for brands to adapt to this decentralized, community-driven model. This article contributes to ongoing discussions about the transformative role of influencers in shaping contemporary fashion narratives within a globalized digital economy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47940,"journal":{"name":"Womens Studies International Forum","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 103063"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143348906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Does women's education improve the sex ratio at birth? Gender, agency and sex-selective abortion in South and East Asia: a critical literature review

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-04 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2024.103050

Rosie Peppin Vaughan

{"title":"Does women's education improve the sex ratio at birth? Gender, agency and sex-selective abortion in South and East Asia: a critical literature review","authors":"Rosie Peppin Vaughan","doi":"10.1016/j.wsif.2024.103050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wsif.2024.103050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasingly skewed sex ratio at birth, a result of son preference and sex-selective abortions, is a pressing concern in development. It appears that many aspects of development (such as economic growth, technological development, and women's increasing economic independence and voice) are occurring alongside a growing number of ‘missing’ girls and women, with various adverse social and economic consequences.</div><div>A perplexing dimension is that women's education apparently has no clear relationship to the sex ratio at birth, and in some contexts appears to increase the propensity for sex selection. However, so far, studies have tended to use basic measures such as level or years of education, which do not explain whether and how educational experience affects traditional patriarchal norms and the relative value afforded to boys and girls. Drawing on a capabilities perspective on education, this article argues for a more nuanced concept of agency (which incorporates social structures and norms), and the need to integrate critical perspectives on the relationship between education, agency and empowerment. Finally, it makes a case for innovative measures of gender and education, which would allow comprehensive empirical exploration of how different forms of education affect women's capabilities and agency in relation to sex selection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47940,"journal":{"name":"Womens Studies International Forum","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 103050"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143177619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Energy injustice or gender injustice?

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-03 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103060

Emrah Akyuz

{"title":"Energy injustice or gender injustice?","authors":"Emrah Akyuz","doi":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103060","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103060","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coal provides about 30 % of Turkey's energy needs. It is widely acknowledged that coal presents significant environmental and public health hazards. However, little is known about how women and men who use natural gas in Turkey are affected by the environmental risks associated with coal. The primary objective of this research is to ascertain the impact of coal-related environmental hazards on natural gas consumers in Turkey, as well as the gender-based distribution of these risks. To achieve this aim, 44 natural gas users in Istanbul's Mustafa Kemal Neighborhood, where both coal and natural gas use are prevalent, participated in semi-structured interviews. Four main conclusions were reached: first, coal use triggers distributional injustice; second, patriarchal social structure results in women being more greatly affected by coal-related environmental problems; third, women are more greatly affected by coal-related environmental problems in poor families; and fourth, coal-related environmental problems affect women in families with high religious values to a greater extent. This study concludes that gender inequality in coal-related environmental problems triggers distributive energy injustice between genders. The subsequent policy suggestions were proposed to prevent energy inequality: providing free healthcare to women without income, terminating free coal distribution as a form of social assistance, boosting women's engagement in the workforce, and recognizing the gender aspect of energy policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47940,"journal":{"name":"Womens Studies International Forum","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 103060"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143177618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The intersection of rurality and climate resilience: Insights from women in rural Pakistan

IF 1.5 3区社会学

Womens Studies International Forum Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103064

Falak Shad Memon , Fahad Bin Abdullah , Rizwan Iqbal , Imtiaz Husain , Sumera Memon

{"title":"The intersection of rurality and climate resilience: Insights from women in rural Pakistan","authors":"Falak Shad Memon , Fahad Bin Abdullah , Rizwan Iqbal , Imtiaz Husain , Sumera Memon","doi":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103064","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wsif.2025.103064","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the adaptive capacity and comprehension of climate change adaptation among women in rural and urban areas of Pakistan, with a particular focus on their involvement in sustainability practices. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 400 women through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The findings reveal that while women in both settings exhibit an awareness of climate change adaptation, their understanding of sustainable development principles remains limited. Rural women, in particular, face unique challenges stemming from insufficient governmental initiatives and inadequate knowledge dissemination, which impede their effective participation in sustainability efforts. The study highlights the necessity of targeted educational programs and policy interventions to enhance understanding and promote the implementation of sustainable development, especially in rural contexts. These results indicate that empowering rural women through improved education and robust governmental support has the potential to significantly bolster climate resilience and foster sustainable practices across Pakistan.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47940,"journal":{"name":"Womens Studies International Forum","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 103064"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143177607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0