• Marginalization and Environmental Risk: Women’s Roles in Making Plastic Woven Bags in Indonesia

  Damayanti, Salsabila; Mas’udah, Siti; Ashfaq, Asia; Sudarso; Herdiyanti; Indra, Citra Asmara; Prastiwi, Merlia Indah (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  The plastic woven bag has become a symbolic representation of Indonesian women’s identity since the trend increased in 2021. The plastic woven bag represents femininity and the image of women as a result of socio-cultural construction. The activity of weaving paradoxically puts women in both a central and a marginal role. The weaving industry is characterized by an increasing number of platforms for women to generate income and improve their economic welfare. Nevertheless, women are still faced with patriarchal domination, because the demands of their domestic role limit their ability to move freely in public space. Therefore, their status as homeworkers has subordinated women to the status of marginal breadwinners in the economic system. This research aims to reveal the marginalization of women in plastic woven bag SMEs (small and medium enterprises). This research also aims to analyze the environmental risks that are faced by women, families, and society due to the use of synthetic chemicals in the production of woven plastic bags. This research used the perspective of eco-feminism, Bourdieu’s (1977) concept of habitus, and Ulrich Beck’s concept of a risk society (2012) as analytical tools. This research used qualitative research methods, and it was conducted at SMEs (small and medium enterprises) that produce plastic woven bags in Sambirejo Village, Madiun Regency, East Java, Indonesia. The subjects in this research were women who run SMEs. This research found that the marginalization experienced by plastic woven bag craftswomen was divided into two domains— the public (Woven House) and the domestic (household). Women still perceive the practice of marginalization as normal because of their pessimistic attitude and the Javanese philosophy of “nerimo ing pandum” (accepting one’s lot in life as a gift of God). This study also concludes that environmental risks include the absence of waste management and the emergence of respiratory diseases suffered by some craftswomen. Therefore, it is necessary to have government policies and environmentalists’ input to overcome the health problems experienced by craftswomen of these plastic woven bags.
• Gender-Based Cyber Violence: Forms, Impacts, and Strategies to Protect Women Victims

  Mas’udah, Siti; Razali, Asbah; Amala Sholicha, Sughmita Maslacha; Febrianto, Priyono Tri; Susanti, Emy; Sutinah; Budirahayu, Tuti (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  The rapid advancement of information and communication technology affects many aspects of women’s lives. One aspect is social media which provides freedom of expression. However, women are vulnerable to becoming victims of online crime. This study sought to reveal the forms of gender-based cyber violence experienced by Indonesian women, its impact on victims, and strategies for protecting victims of gender-based cyber violence (GBCV). This study employed qualitative research methods. Informants in this study were 98 women students who experienced gender-based cyber violence. This study found various forms of GBCV experienced by victims, including being sent pornographic videos or links, invited to chat or video chat sex, invited to engage in online prostitution (Open Booking Online), forced to engage in pornographic content, asked to post a picture of the body, and threatened that a personal video will be shared to the public. Gender-based cyber violence is often accompanied by violence that victims directly experience in the real world, since most of the perpetrators are ex-boyfriends or current boyfriends. This study found that, in addition to experiencing GBCV, victims also experienced physical and/or verbal sexual violence or harassment including whistling, groping, teasing, non-consensual caressing or hugging, rape and forced sex, hearing comments about their appearance, being sent photos of sexual body parts via social media, being told jokes with sexual overtones, engaging in video chat sex, being abused while sleeping, threatened with death, cursed at, videotaped having sex, and forced to drink alcohol. Gender-based cyber violence has a negative impact with varying degrees of severity. For this reason, efforts involving various parties are needed to eliminate GBCV and all forms of gender-based violence. The handling and prevention efforts carried out by various state institutions in Indonesia also need to be supported by other parties, for example, NGOs, schools, communities, and families. The study concludes by discussing various models of protection strategies for victims of GBCV.
• Thriving through Time: Resilience and Empowerment for Aging Women in Rural Indonesia

  Setijaningrum, Erna; Triana, Rochyati Wahyuni; Kassim, Asiyah (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  Recent research exploring aging women’s realities in rural areas has revealed how gender norms, ageism, and isolation intertwine, impacting women’s lives, health, and access to services. As disadvantages and exclusion increase with age, women encounter shrinking opportunities, reinforced stereotypes, and marginalization. Especially in remote Indonesian villages, aging women lack access to healthcare, income support, and basic services compared to urban counterparts. Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 35 aging rural women in Blitar Regency, East Java Province, Indonesia, this phenomenological study provides insights into the marginalization and deficient public services these women face, including worsening isolation, health issues, and instability. We found that elderly women’s immersion in domestic duties makes them unaware of and unable to access important public services, such as healthcare and transportation, that could improve their situation. Though they are resilient in continuing unpaid work as their health worsens, the lack of personal time and energy due to these demanding home duties prevents access to services, including proper healthcare facilities and transportation to hospitals. Limited rural transportation and public transit further isolate immobile elderly women, constraining their access to urban health facilities and forcing reliance on family and neighbors to navigate the difficulties of getting healthcare. Though facing challenges accessing services, the women are still able to find empowerment through social groups and small-scale work that gives them pleasure. They prioritize wellness and contentment over formal employment, exhibiting resilience in self-empowering ways that enable them to address challenges. While their gender and age may reduce their dignity and agency, aging rural women can find self-empowerment by relying on each other and doing small acts of self-determination in their work. This essay explores diversities at the intersection of race, class, sexuality, and ability, thus providing nuance to inform those working in the realm of rural public services.
• Organizational Capacity and Women’s Empowerment: A Case Study of Women Farmers’ Groups in Sustainable Food Garden Programs in Indonesia

  Asmorowati, Sulikah; Dwipoyono, Medy Kresno; Sukmawati, Nadia; Dwintania, Feny; Mohamed Harith, Nor Hafizah Hj; Supeno, Eko; Tegas Supramudyo, Gitadi (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  Efforts for empowering women have been a priority agenda in development because women make crucial contributions to society. One of the significant issues that women are well positioned to address is the stunting or impaired development of children due to poor nutrition. As this issue is a threat for national development in Indonesia, the central government has initiatives to tackle stunting, and one of these is the Sustainable Food Garden, or Pekarangan Pangan Lestari (P2L). The innovative program is designed to prevent stunting by empowering women, which also contributes to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This research is focused on the implementation of the P2L initiative in Jombang Regency in East Java, Indonesia. More specifically, it explores how the program capacity, especially at the organizational level, plays a significant role in the implementation of P2L through women’s involvement in Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT) or the Women Farmers’ Group. The fieldwork research was performed in four KWTs villages in Kesamben District, one of the focal locations for addressing stunting and food insecurity in Jombang. By using qualitative research methods involving interviews, observation, and analysis of relevant documents, this study finds that within the implementation of the P2L program in Jombang Regency, the program capacity, especially at the organizational level has been fulfilled well. Such program capacity, which includes political capacity, analytical capacity, and operational capacity, has led stakeholders’ commitment to fulfill the program’s goals and objective, and above all to empower women. In this, Women Farmers’ Groups (KWTs) have also contributed to improving nutrition, decreasing the prevalence of stunting in Jombang Regency, and supporting economic growth for women and families, and thus the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Social Media as a Coping Strategy for Indonesian Migrant Mothers in Hong Kong to Maintain Mothering Roles

  Wahyudi, Irfan; Allmark, Panizza (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  In Hong Kong, Indonesian migrant domestic workers (IMDWs) are forced to leave behind young children in their home country. Often spending the majority of their time in their employer’s households, they must manage their limited personal time to maintain connections with their families back home. Many women IMDWs try to overcome distance limitations by performing transnational mothering using any available media to reach their children and to manage and witness their development. By using communication tools such as Internet-mediated calls for distance nurturing, they are able to keep up with their children’s lives and monitor day-to-day developments. This research examines the role of communication technologies with an emphasis on the use of social media by women IMDWs in maintaining connections with their families back home. It examines the role social media plays in caregiving for women IMDWs, for whom the family and children’s wellbeing back home are one of their most important concerns. This research incorporates netnography, which aims to understand online social interactions. The research was conducted from 2013 to 2019 physically in Hong Kong and through virtual channels. The findings indicate how social media is used as an emotional outlet by women IMDWs in Hong Kong, and how emotional care can be maintained to empower the migrant mothers. Social media and information and communication technology (ICT) have greatly improved channels of communication for IMDWs and created a new space of intimacy. Yet social media also has the possibility of creating tensions and anxiety for IMDWs.
• Editors' Introduction: Indonesian Social and Economic Change: 8th International Conference on Contemporary Social and Political Affairs on Society in Transition

  Saud, Muhammad; Wahyudi, Irfan; Allmark, Panizza; Mas’udah, Siti (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)
• Consumptive Behavior of Urban Adolescent Girls in Using Skincare Products

  Sutinah; Putri, Nabila (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  Adolescence is a time when an individual enters a new chapter of life, marked by physical and emotional changes, new lifestyle, and consumption needs. For instance, adolescent girls begin to take care of their facial skin, resulting in teenagers becoming consumers of skincare products. Easy access to many over-the-counter (OTC) skincare products, available without a doctor’s prescription, makes many teenage girls less wise in determining which skincare products they truly need. The present study examines consumptive behavior and the formation of a lifestyle for adolescent girls in Jakarta, Indonesia in consuming facial care products. Using qualitative research methods, researchers conducted in-depth interviews with high school girls who use facial skin care products. The study found that adolescent girls’ satisfaction with skin care products varies depending on their background. Girls tended to buy facial skin care products because they were influenced by what people in their surroundings say, rather than because they needed to. The use of these products could enhance prestige, indicating certain social values such as status or class. Jean Baudrillard’s (1991) theories about the hyperreal and postmodern consumer society were used to analyze the results. The research concluded that: 1) The number of new skin care products made adolescent girls increasingly likely to consume these products, and their desires were recast as “needs” due to their expectations; 2) Information technology and social media, mass media, ease of access to products, and the influence of the adolescent community in the city of Jakarta made adolescent girls consume skin care products excessively in pursuit of being beautiful; and 3) Adolescent girls who used skin care products were categorized into three groups regarding their choices, namely irrational teenagers, potentially rational teenagers, and rational teenagers.
• Vulnerability of Poor Women to Social Disasters during the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Budirahayu, Tuti; Susanti, Emy; Mas’udah, Siti (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  This study describes the vulnerability of poor women when confronted with the shock of a social disaster in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite increasing vulnerabilities, poor women managed the uncertain situation by utilizing their survival skills. This study was conducted in the middle of 2020 in 22 districts of East Java Province with 457 married women from low- income families serving as respondents. Data were descriptively analyzed and presented in the form of diagrams and narratives. According to the findings of this study, women’s vulnerability in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic is caused by a decrease in family income and an imbalance in the domestic roles of men and women at home. Using resilience theory, this study explores how women’s adaptability can help them survive in an uncertain situation. However, it was inappropriate for the government to leave these women in a subsistence economic situation; the government did not adequately support poor women through targeted and equitable social assistance programs. Following this social disaster, the role of well-targeted social assistance needs to be addressed to promote gender equality and contribute to the 2030 goals of the MDGs, which include poverty alleviation and the eradication of inequality.
• Exploitation of Child Domestic Workers in Ngenger Culture of Javanese Society in Indonesia

  Sri Haryono, Tri Joko; Kinasih, Sri Endah; Mas’udah, Siti (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  This study explains a Javanese cultural practice called ngenger—when girls volunteer to be domestic servants in exchange for educational benefits—as a form of exploitation of labor. The purpose of this study is to understand this Javanese tradition from the perspective of Gender Anthropology. This research is a descriptive study using a qualitative method. The location of the study was in Surabaya and the city of Malang, East Java, and was conducted by collecting data in the form of observations and in-depth interviews. The informants for this study were girls who are domestic workers, parents of the child domestic workers, and the recipient parents of these child domestic workers. This study shows that ngenger girls employed as domestic workers are exploited since they lose almost all of their rights. The ways in which ngenger girls are exploited include having low wages, lacking bargaining power, being forced to be obedient, lacking the courage to claim their rights, not daring to complain to anyone, and continuing to serve the recipients. The condition where the ngenger girls do not have bargaining position over the recipients of their labor is precisely what makes this practice a form of exploitation. The relationship between girls and the recipient families is a patron-client relationship. The patron client relation should be a reciprocal relationship that is mutually beneficial. A recipient patron of a ngenger girl has the responsibility to fulfill the needs of the girl as a client, and, in return, the client must give her loyalty to her patron. Patron-client relations are economic relations where profits must be achieved, which makes exploitation possible. In fact, ngenger girls do not get the fulfillment of basic needs, protection, and good education, but they still continue to be loyal to the recipient parents. This circumstance is what makes the relationship in ngenger culture an unfair and exploitative relationship.
• Women’s Role in Improving the Welfare of Traditional Indonesian Fishing Families

  Suyanto, Bagong; Sugihartati, Rahma; Mas’udah, Siti; Singgih, Doddy Sumbodo; Sudarso; Savira, Pingkan Sekar (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  Among traditional fishing families in coastal village areas in Indonesia, women play a strategic role in improving the business they are engaged in and their families’ welfare. This study aimed to examine the role and involvement of women in the empowerment and improvement of the welfare of poor, traditional fishing families in coastal areas. This study employed a quantitative research method with a descriptive research type. In addition to collecting data from the results of a survey of 500 respondents, this study also collected qualitative data from the results of in-depth interviews with 25 informants. Women in traditional fishing families play a significant role in supporting the family’s financial stability by doing side jobs within or outside the fisheries sector. They have become more empowered, seeking various types of work to support the family’s economy. Unfortunately, they do not have long-term goals for the work in which they are involved. Most women in traditional fishing families face obstacles such as capital acquisition, marketing issues, and a strong patriarchal culture that has hampered their work opportunities and developing businesses.
• Career Women’s Experiences of Marital Discord and Domestic Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

  Mas’udah, Siti; Megasari, Lutfi Apreliana; Doran, Evan; Rustinsyah; Saud, Muhammad; Suyanto, Bagong; Setijaningrum, Erna (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  Domestic violence is a serious social problem, and the number of domestic violence cases are increasing each year in Indonesia. This study aims to explore marital discord and types and triggers of domestic violence experienced by career women who worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). In this qualitative research, the researchers interviewed professional working women who experienced domestic violence perpetrated by their husbands in East Java. This study shows that marital discord escalated into domestic violence due to complications experienced when they were staying at home because of the lockdown. Daily engagement between husbands and wives had an impact on the rise in frequency and intensity of violence. Economic problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the occurrence of violence. In a family with an unemployed husband, the nature and forms of violence varied, including physical, economic, verbal, and psychological violence, all of which add to women’s suffering. Therefore, social support mechanisms from families and communities as well as policy strategies are necessary to address domestic violence.
• The Involvement of Terengganu Malay Women in the Copra Industry, 1900-1941

  Abd Wahab, Norazilawati; Ramli, Zuliskandar; Firdaus Abdullah, Mohd; Shamsul Bahri, Nur Alia; Zawawi, Mohamad Muhaymein Ahmed; Ibrahim, Abdullah; Sulaiman, Ruhaizan; Mohamed, Nurshuhada (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-07-18)

  The purpose of this study is to investigate the position of women in Terengganu’s copra industry between 1900 and 1941. Coconut is one of the major crops traditionally farmed in Terengganu, and during this time period, excess coconuts were dried, smoked, and grated to become copra. In Terengganu, the copra sector was intimately linked to women, who were innovators creating a variety of coconut-based food and non-food products, including soap, cooking oil, traditional desserts, and more. Nevertheless, prior studies have mostly disregarded the creative role that women played in Terengganu’s copra sector during this time. Studies on women from Terengganu have instead concentrated on handicrafts, rice farming, commerce, and fishing. This historical study highlights women’s creative innovation and also examines the importance of copra as a crucial export commodity of the state. In addition to secondary sources, primary sources for this project included archival files from the State Secretary of Terengganu, CO 840/1 (Terengganu Administrative Reports, 1910-1930), CO. 840/2 (Terengganu Administrative Reports, 1931-1940), the National Archives of Malaysia, and the National Archives of Kew Garden in London. The results show that in the early 20th century, Malay women made noteworthy contributions to Terengganu’s copra sector. As a result, the Terengganu government acknowledged the production of copra as a vital export during this period.
• Assessment of the Economic Empowerment of Women before and after Establishment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

  Itohan Oseghale, Agatha; John Jirgi, Abigail; Dabaniyu Ibrahim, Faith; Ogaji, Abu; Olanike Ojo, Alaba; Usman Bako, Ramatu; Sallawu, Halima (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-05-23)

  Gender forms an integral element of every aspect of the economic, social, and private lives of individuals and societies. Growth and development can only be achieved if all resources and talents are harnessed; however, all over the globe, there are laws and regulations which can restrict or encourage women’s economic opportunities. This study analyzed the before and after trends in women’s economic empowerment among the members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) union. The study utilized the Women, Business, and the Law Index Score from 1970 to 2021 for the 15 member countries of ECOWAS which was sourced from the World Bank’s Gender data. The Index was used as a proxy for the economic empowerment of women. Secondary data were downloaded and the mean, maximum, and minimum scores were generated for the selected variables and presented using line and bar charts. The Index was supplemented with qualitative assessments of the de facto status of women. The results showed that most of the ECOWAS member states adopted numerous commitments to gender rights post-ECOWAS. Specifically, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde made serious advancement post-ECOWAS, moving from an average score of 48 and 37 to 65 and 66 respectively while Nigeria and Gambia had the least advancement between the pre-and post-ECOWAS eras in the area of women’s empowerment. Overall, ECOWAS countries did not thrive well in parenthood (mean score = 42.9) as only 6 countries adopted commitments for empowering women after having children. The study recommended that policies such as job-protected pay and leave of adequate length should be put in place to increase women’s economic empowerment. In addition, member states should enact and enforce comprehensive equal pay legislation to ensure that men and women receive equal pay for equal work.
• The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Interpersonal Relationships: A Cross-Sectional Study in Trinidad

  Marson, Bernadette (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-05-23)

  Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a pervasive social problem that can have long-term effects on women’s relationships because it makes them vulnerable to revictimization. Girls are more vulnerable than boys to be victims of CSA, and those abused by someone they trust are at higher risk of experiencing increased trauma and interpersonal problems. This quantitative research study investigated the association between CSA and interpersonal relationships. Participants completed anonymous surveys exploring these two variables. Results showed that among other vulnerabilities, women who reported sexual abuse within the family reported overall greater interpersonal problems compared with non-abused participants. Given the prevalence of intrafamilial and other types of CSA and its impact on interpersonal relationships, providing an environment where girls are safe from abuse is important. Research, education, policy, and educational programs can help prevent CSA and its consequences.
• Hashtag Counterpublics: #LifeinLeggings as Feminist Disruption to Mainstream Public Media Discourses

  Haynes, Alicia (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-05-23)

  This essay explores the disruptive impact that the hashtag #LifeinLeggings, founded by the Caribbean Alliance against Gender-Based Violence, had upon mainstream media, highlighting its role in reshaping public discourse from feminist counterpublics. It examines how women, through the sharing and documentation of their stories, unsettle mass media spaces to initiate crucial conversations about their mundane experiences with sexism and misogyny. Through a critical technocultural discourse analysis, I interrogate the disparities in discourse and representation of the movement in online newspapers at the start of the movement. The article contrasts the silence of local media in Barbados, with more detailed reporting found in regional and international outlets, highlighting the varied recognition of women’s issues. Finally, the essay emphasizes the transnational reach and unifying power of digital activism, illustrating its effectiveness in mobilizing women’s voices across geopolitical borders and advancing feminist agendas.
• Rights of Women Laborers in the Indian Legal System: A Critical Analysis

  Kaur, Kirandeep (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-05-23)

  Women laborers form an important part of the labor workforce in India; however, not all are recognized, not many are protected, and very few are treated equally to men. The Equal Remuneration Act of 1976 clearly states that persons doing “same work or work of a similar nature” are not to be discriminated against on the ground of gender. The Factories Act of 1948 has special provisions for women workers pertaining to washrooms, changing rooms, creches, and work hours. The Maternity Benefit Act of 1961 entitles a woman, inter alia, to twenty-six weeks of paid maternity relief. The protection given to women under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013 is also of vital importance for women workers in India. The laws prima-facie seem to be protecting the rights of women workers, but a deeper analysis of their effectiveness is required to take the concerns of women into account. It is to be noted that one of the areas of concern is the amount of unpaid labor put in by women in Indian households and home industries, which remains unrecognized. This paper offers a feminist analysis of labor legislation affecting women laborers in India from the perspective of women and their rights. Also analyzed are the various schemes of the Government of India pertaining to welfare and empowerment of women, various international instruments, and international labor standards. The research methodology used is a combination of analytical and critical research. Pay parity and equality in opportunity, recruitment, promotion, transfer, and facilities at the workplace are a few pertinent steps towards the amelioration of the conditions of women laborers in the country. The ultimate goal is to address the issues which need to be resolved for women workers to exercise their rights at par with the other labor categories. These issues are significant and have far-reaching implications. This research has found that the Indian legal framework with respect to protection of rights of women laborers is quite progressive and in tandem with the changing needs and requirements of the time. However, the implementation of these schemes in true letter and spirit is the real challenge that lies ahead.
• Feminism in Practice: Learning from the Barefoot “Solar Mamas”

  Parvin Shaikh, Neda (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-05-23)

  The Barefoot College (India) is an NGO working in the fields of education, skills development, health, drinking water, and solar power mainly to train older, rural women who are determined to challenge restrictive gender roles in their respective communities. Since its inception, the NGO has trained over 2,000 rural women as solar engineers across 93 countries worldwide and has brought electricity to over 18,000 homes. Barefoot trainers employ non- normative methods of sharing knowledge such as color coding, sign language, and practical experience. This paper conducts a critical assessment of the Barefoot College Solar Electrification Programme to explore how it empowers illiterate and semi-literate women from remote rural areas around the world to become solar engineers (or “Solar Mamas”). It utilizes qualitative research methods to analyze this women’s empowerment project as a landmark practical application of decolonial feminist theory. The paper contends that the Barefoot approach both challenges and conforms to the Women in Development and Gender and Development approaches of the past. The research is grounded methodologically in feminist praxis and also borrows from the conceptual frameworks of Feminist Political Ecology and Women and the Politics of Place. Stories and personal experiences from Solar Mamas have been highlighted to understand the real world impact of the program. The main findings indicate that the Barefoot College’s innovative approach to empower marginalized communities and educate older women is achieved through decentralizing control and demystifying technology.
• “Everyone Here Is Smarter than Me”: Imposter Phenomenon among Indian Women Returning to Technology Careers after a Career Break

  Singh, Swati; Vanka, Sita (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-05-23)

  Research on the imposter phenomenon (IP) is burgeoning. Most research, however, has studied the role of personality factors, attitudinal disposition, and individual beliefs as a determinant of IP. Surprisingly, the role of context has not been explored enough. Recent research indicates that context can trigger the experience of the imposter phenomenon. This study confirms these results and calls for contextualizing IP from a systemic or organizational perspective rather than as a personal challenge. In this study, we argue that women returning to careers in the technology fields after a career break may experience IP due to contextual and situational factors. To this end, we explore the experiences of IP among reentry women (who returned to the same career after a break) through a qualitative study. Analysis of data collected through interviews of women re-entering technology careers (N=31) yielded four major themes: dynamism, mandatory teamwork, situations that demanded initiative-taking, and information sharing and the need to ask for help. The themes indicated that IP is not only determined by personality and attitudes, but can also be triggered by situations like a team-driven work context. We discuss the findings of the study in relation to existing literature and present theoretical and policy implications.
• Dalit Feminist Literature from South India: New Models and Perspectives

  Moni, Sujatha; George, Miruna (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-05-23)

  Twenty-first century Indian literature has been enriched overall by Dalit feminist literature written originally in regional languages and available in English translation. What are the contributions of South Indian Dalit women’s writings to literature and to feminism? How is the representation of women in South Indian Dalit literature redefining the images of women in contemporary literature? These questions are answered through an analysis of Bama’s Karukku, select short stories by Gogu Shyamala and Joopaka Subhadra, and select poems by Swaroopa Rani, Sukirtharani, and Vijila Chirappad. Using Dalit feminist theory, we examine how the texts analyzed here represent the standpoints of women living through the reality of intersectional oppressions. Borrowing the metaphor of the sharp double-edged palm frond invoked in the title of Bama’s Karukku, we argue that the sufferings endured by Dalit women on one hand, and their strength and resistance on the other, transcend simplistic narratives of heroes and victims. By showing remarkable courage, persistence, and clever use of traditions in the face of patriarchal caste oppression, the characters encountered in these texts are contributing to new models and images of women. This argument is established through an examination of two recurrent themes in these writings: Dalit women’s response to sexual violence and their defiance of traditional gender norms.
• Introduction: Selected Papers from the 9th World Conference on Women’s Studies, Bangkok, Thailand, 2023

  Haynes, Alicia; Noureen, Asma; Johnson, Marlene (Virtual Commons - Bridgewater State University, 2024-05-23)

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