http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/women Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:01:56 -0400 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:01:56 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1962/#itsnotmyperiod-hashtag-activisms-challenge-to-narratives-of-menstrual-stigma By Jessie J. Liu - Perceptions of menstruation as a taboo subject have historically characterized Western and non-Western societies alike and persist today, both perpetuating harmful cultural understandings of women’s abilities and normalizing institutional practices that exacerbate gender disparities. With the advent of viral social media movements or “hashtag activism,” however, challenges to these oppressive, misogynistic mainstream narratives have become increasingly powerful. Centered on menstrual activism and dismantling menstrual stigma, #ItsNotMyPeriod is one such movement. This paper argues... Thu, 22 Sep 2022 11:02 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1962/#itsnotmyperiod-hashtag-activisms-challenge-to-narratives-of-menstrual-stigma http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1826/resurrecting-the-bog-queen-exploring-the-gender-politics-of-irelands-bogs-in-postcolonial-and-nationalist-literature By Rosie Ryan - Bogs are one of Ireland’s most notable and mysterious landscapes. As explored in the work of Seamus Heaney, the bog’s capacity to preserve memory across generations makes it a melancholic terrain that is uniquely suited to explorations of Ireland’s national identity, particularly as Ireland emerged out of the grip of British colonialism. This paper draws upon postcolonial, feminist, and literary theory to explore why the bog has become such a provocative terrain for the exploration of Irish identity and Irish femininity. Beginning with the writings of colonial administrators,... Mon, 26 Oct 2020 10:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1826/resurrecting-the-bog-queen-exploring-the-gender-politics-of-irelands-bogs-in-postcolonial-and-nationalist-literature http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1820/flipping-the-cultural-script-papaya-soap-and-skin-color-stratification-in-the-philippines By Aimiel Trisha W. Casillan - Centuries of subjugation under Spanish and American colonial rule have embedded an idealistic view of white beauty in the minds of Filipinos. It continues to be deeply rooted in Philippine culture due to the constant exposure of Filipina bodies to the advertisements of the massive skin lightening industry. Papaya soap, one of the many objects produced by the industry, has perpetuated social stratification in the Philippines. In the following critique, I explore the origins of papaya soap while using a feminist consumerist lens to reveal how it has been marketed to promote a colonial mindset of... Wed, 21 Oct 2020 09:14 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1820/flipping-the-cultural-script-papaya-soap-and-skin-color-stratification-in-the-philippines http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1815/racialized-discourse-and-economies-of-female-saracen-bodies-in-the-sultan-of-babylon By Claire Crow - The politics of trade relations between Europe and the East emerge in uncanny fashions in the fifteenth-century Middle English (ME) Charlemagne romance The Sowdone of Babylone (The Sowdone). While no diplomatic transactions between Saracens and Europeans take place, peculiar, hyper-exoticized goods at times do fall into the possession of Charlemagne's men, such as Saracen princess Floripas' magic girdle that nourishes the Twelve Peers in captivity or Ferumbras' healing balm that Oliver throws into the river mid-battle.[1] What Geraldine Heng refers to as the "mercantile imaginary" in the Middle... Mon, 12 Oct 2020 07:47 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1815/racialized-discourse-and-economies-of-female-saracen-bodies-in-the-sultan-of-babylon http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1810/the-sanctity-and-disgust-of-the-female-body-in-rosemarys-baby By Leina Hsu - This paper explores the woman’s body as a site of sanctity and disgust in the film Rosemary’s Baby. The character of Rosemary Woodhouse is depicted as a pure, virtuous, and feminine figure. She is positioned against other corrupted, sinful women, which reinforces a binary of womanhood. When Rosemary is sexually violated, her sanctity is vandalized. Her subsequent pregnancy introduces a new dimension to the binary: that between sacred motherhood and “disgusting” pregnancy experiences. Rosemary struggles to reconcile her ideals of purity with the horrific transformation her... Mon, 05 Oct 2020 04:50 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1810/the-sanctity-and-disgust-of-the-female-body-in-rosemarys-baby http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1785/womens-erotic-consumption-articulating-the-sexual-self-under-late-capitalism By Ella Agoos - From a very young age, women are taught to suppress their sexuality. Sex, we are told, is deeply personal; a private act that must be sequestered within the four walls of a bedroom and never see the light of day. However, as we grow up we are steeped in a culture of sex that permeates Western society. Gyrating hips in music videos, subtle and not-so-subtle innuendos peppered throughout song lyrics, hardcore internet pornography available at the click of a mouse, sexy fembots complete with large titanium breasts as the faces of vodka advertising campaigns– sexual imagery of women and their... Tue, 14 Jul 2020 08:41 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1785/womens-erotic-consumption-articulating-the-sexual-self-under-late-capitalism http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1777/why-are-south-asian-immigrant-women-vulnerable-to-domestic-violence By Humza Husain - South Asian women in particular are not only vulnerable to domestic violence, but exceptionally vulnerable to underreporting of domestic violence. The problem compounds itself by making it difficult not only to quantify the issue, but also harder to understand its roots. This paper studies this phenomenon by analyzing the potential causes for both domestic violence as well as underreporting, through understanding what systemic, legislative, and cultural issues specifically plague South Asian women in the United States. Stark cultural differences between eastern and western values and culture,... Fri, 20 Dec 2019 09:25 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1777/why-are-south-asian-immigrant-women-vulnerable-to-domestic-violence http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1770/why-are-women-more-religious-than-men By Mie A. Jensen - Scholars have since the 1980s tried to explain why women are more religious than men, but contradictory evidence complicates a precise answer (Pew Research Center 2016:54), so this essay evaluates some theories to explain women’s increased religiousity. It first critically analyses Woodhead’s (2007) theory of double deprivation. Next, I evaluate gendered religiosity in relation to Judaism. I explain how motherhood makes women more religious due to their socialisation. Then, I show how practices related to behaviour affirm women’s religious role in the family. Finally, I examine... Fri, 04 Oct 2019 08:33 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1770/why-are-women-more-religious-than-men http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1765/the-status-of-women-in-late-antiquity-examining-the-sociopolitical-climate-societal-values-and-gender-roles By Taylor A. Marcusson - The status of women and their role in Late Antiquity has been a topic of inquiry among historians. It is a particularly challenging study to achieve a degree of certainty because of the biases present in historical evidence. This paper shall explore the position of women in Late Antiquity as defined by the 4th to late 6th centuries by examining how the complicated sociopolitical context, values of the Late Roman Empire as seen through written works, and roles in various spheres that women occupied worked together. This study does not seek to evaluate the prominence of women in Late Antiquity;... Wed, 02 Oct 2019 09:20 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1765/the-status-of-women-in-late-antiquity-examining-the-sociopolitical-climate-societal-values-and-gender-roles http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1760/discourse-public-space-and-the-politics-of-korean-comfort-women-implications-for-east-asian-relations By Ann W. Kim - The issue of “comfort women,” sex slaves utilized by the Japanese army during World War II, is treated in this paper as a collective memory in the consciousness of South Koreans. Differing narratives of this historical event, and the emphasis placed on it, serves as the underlying basis for increased present tensions between the governments of South Korea and Japan. To understand the complexity of these painful experiences as a collective memory requires a discussion on the impact of colonization as well as contemporary problems regarding a whitewashing of history and the utilization... Wed, 20 Feb 2019 08:23 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1760/discourse-public-space-and-the-politics-of-korean-comfort-women-implications-for-east-asian-relations http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1757/gender-based-violence-in-refugee-camps-understanding-and-addressing-the-role-of-gender-in-the-experiences-of-refugees By Mie A. Jensen - The discussion of 'women's rights' is often subsumed into the broader consideration of 'human rights,' but when it comes to understanding the experiences of the world's most vulnerable people — refugees — the issue of gender cannot be ignored. The experiences of refugees depend on one’s gender, where women are significantly disadvantaged. Globally, 80% of the refugee and internally displaced people are children and women, which leaves them in a vulnerable position (Qayum, Mohmand and Arooj 2012:63); this includes vulnerability to physical attacks, sexual assaults, and transactional... Tue, 05 Feb 2019 09:10 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1757/gender-based-violence-in-refugee-camps-understanding-and-addressing-the-role-of-gender-in-the-experiences-of-refugees http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1752/women-and-globalization-the-impact-of-increased-womens-economic-rights-on-globalization By Liam F. Kerr - Globalization is generally studied as a process that extensively impacts nations and peoples across every aspect of society. Empirical and theoretical research largely focuses on this effect, seeking to discover the impact of an increasingly globalized world on the rights and circumstances of historically disadvantaged peoples, particularly women. While research suggests a mixed verdict on the positive and negative results of globalization for women, there is generally a paucity of research on whether an increase in women’s economic rights might enhance globalization, measured by global... Tue, 15 Jan 2019 09:57 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1752/women-and-globalization-the-impact-of-increased-womens-economic-rights-on-globalization http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1702/domestic-violence-and-the-indian-womens-movement-a-short-history By Kaamila Patherya - The Indian women’s movement, from the 1920s until the 1970s, was heavily influenced and directed by the external economic and political forces of the nation, to the effect that women’s issues were effectively sidelined, never occupying central concern in the minds of people. The period from the 1920s until Independence saw the imbuement of the women’s movement with nationalist politics, its contours shaped by the on-going struggle for freedom from British imperialism. This period, from the 1920s to the 1970s, was characterized by the inception of various local women’s associations... Wed, 08 Nov 2017 10:33 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1702/domestic-violence-and-the-indian-womens-movement-a-short-history http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1655/the-modern-and-the-traditional-african-women-and-colonial-morality By Rabah Omer - Modernity and tradition are used as contradictory and exclusive concepts where the former indicates progress and the latter indicates a past without contemporary legitimacy. Modernity characteristically denotes a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, one marked by the transition from feudalism and agrarian structure to capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its institutions with their systems of surveillance (Barker 2005, 444). Conceptually, however, modernity refers to the modern era. For a while in the eighteenth century, culture was... Wed, 18 Oct 2017 09:27 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1655/the-modern-and-the-traditional-african-women-and-colonial-morality http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1539/gender-equality-in-international-institutions-progress-and-challenges-in-moving-toward-gender-parity By Lyndsay B. Thompson - The International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda, for the first time in international law, recognized sexual violence in conflict as crimes against humanity and grave breaches of international law. Subsequently, the International Criminal Court was created with a gender-mainstreamed focus on international issues, and UN Resolutions required states to make gender parity in representation and gender equality national goals. However, when faced with changes in formal rules, institutions often react to reinforce old traditional gender norms... Sat, 18 Feb 2017 09:01 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1539/gender-equality-in-international-institutions-progress-and-challenges-in-moving-toward-gender-parity http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1508/juxtaposing-sexist-and-feminist-understandings-of-pro-life-an-analysis-of-reproductive-rights-rhetoric By Caroline B. Connor - Near the end of 2015, in the midst of recent presidential and congressional debates, House Republicans proposed a bill to defund Planned Parenthood, blocking all of the organization’s federal funding, after the release of videos discussing Planned Parenthood allegedly selling fetal tissue. Sources suggest that after the release in these videos, there was also a rise in death threats against abortion providers, which has been primarily linked to the rhetoric revolving around the fetal tissue controversy (Alter). After a shooting in a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic in November of 2015... Fri, 16 Dec 2016 04:24 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1508/juxtaposing-sexist-and-feminist-understandings-of-pro-life-an-analysis-of-reproductive-rights-rhetoric http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1511/the-role-of-female-quotas-and-female-activism-in-passing-gender-based-violence-legislation-in-sub-saharan-africa-south-africa-as-a-case-study By Gina Starfield - In the 1900s, gender-based violence was commonplace throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Surveys conducted in the region revealed that over 40% of Ugandan, Zambian, and Kenyan women, and 60% of Tanzanian women experienced regular physical abuse.2 Over 80% of married Nigerian women reported being verbally or physically abused by their husbands.3 In most countries, however, state assistance and legal protections were non-existent or nascent and very limited. In South Africa, for example, an abused woman could only seek state assistance through a "peace order." She could submit a complaint of abuse to... Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1511/the-role-of-female-quotas-and-female-activism-in-passing-gender-based-violence-legislation-in-sub-saharan-africa-south-africa-as-a-case-study http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1464/fetal-homicide-laws-the-policing-of-womens-bodies By Chancey B. Herbolsheimer - According to English common law, the destruction of a fetus was not considered homicide. Relying on the “born alive rule,” feticide was not equated with murder unless the fetus was born alive and survived independently of the mother before dying of prenatal injuries.[1] Although misdemeanor liability could be imposed in circumstances in which a defendant’s actions caused the death of the fetus, jurists refused to impose murder charges unless the fetus survived long enough for the cause of death to be clear.[2] Prior to 20th century legislation, U.S. law mirrored this common law... Fri, 21 Oct 2016 09:33 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1464/fetal-homicide-laws-the-policing-of-womens-bodies http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1456/awareness-of-emirati-womens-economic-roles-before-the-oil-boom-changing-perceptions-of-gender-roles By Rana AlMutawa - In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states in general, women played an important economic role in the pre-oil era (before the 1960s) in addition to their “traditional” domestic role. Fatima Al-Sayegh states that women’s economic roles in the UAE were particularly significant between 1900 and 1930 (Al-Sayegh 2001). Today, however, the dominant perception of Arab Gulf women before the oil is relegated to the domestic sphere. The common belief is that it is only recently that Gulf women started playing economic and leadership roles. This perception... Sun, 09 Oct 2016 08:42 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1456/awareness-of-emirati-womens-economic-roles-before-the-oil-boom-changing-perceptions-of-gender-roles http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1424/accessibility-of-abortion-in-canada-geography-as-a-barrier-to-access-in-ontario-and-quebec By Daniela Bernal Kotlier - In Canada, a point of national pride has often been our publicly funded health care system. Its pillars of universality, accessibility and comprehensiveness exemplify the Canadian identity as being inclusive and progressive. However, it is important to look beyond the big picture and delve into how our health care system actually measures up to these standards in the lives of Canadians. Canada is often seen as a global leader in gender equality and sexual and reproductive rights (Action Canada for Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights [ACSHR], 2015a); we are one of the few countries in the world... Thu, 16 Jun 2016 08:06 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1424/accessibility-of-abortion-in-canada-geography-as-a-barrier-to-access-in-ontario-and-quebec http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1412/womens-motivations-and-roles-in-islamist-organizations By Audrey Cleaver-Bartholomew - It is a common misperception that Islamist organizations are men’s groups. Some, like the Muslim Brotherhood, even involve specifically gendered names, or include other references to “brothers” and “brotherhood.” Beyond exclusive language, Islamist organizations most frequently recruit among young men and feature gender-segregated spaces with all-male leadership. In the West, Islamists are widely regarded as misogynists and little distinction is made between mainstream organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood and violently oppressive organizations like the Taliban... Tue, 31 May 2016 08:04 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1412/womens-motivations-and-roles-in-islamist-organizations http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1447/gendered-literacies-a-qualitative-study-of-literacy-practices-in-an-all-female-obgyn-clinic By Ira Memaj - In this ethnographic case study, field observations were conducted of an all-female obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) clinic located in Livonia, Michigan. While interacting with professionals as a student volunteer at the clinic, I took the role of a hidden participant observer and examined the behaviors of these female doctors and compared my observations to those of expected gendered roles. Writing from a New Literacy Studies (NLS) perspective and drawing from the works of sociologists James Gee and Brian Street, this paper provides possible evidence for social theories of literacy that emphasize... Tue, 31 May 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1447/gendered-literacies-a-qualitative-study-of-literacy-practices-in-an-all-female-obgyn-clinic http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1369/women-in-meiji-japan-exploring-the-underclass-of-japanese-industrialization By Saarang Narayan - The state was not the only capitalist in Japan. A new class of capitalist families emerged—the Zaibatsu (=‘financial clique’). They ran most of the banks and owned most of the prefectures’ factories. In most cases, the Zaibatsu families were present inside the Meiji administration as bureaucrats and officials and even as the governors of many prefectures. Many of the erstwhile merchant houses like the Mitsui and the Sumitomo took up their new identities very well, as they had been well experienced in trade and capital handling. Others like the Mitsubishi came up as novel... Wed, 24 Feb 2016 03:14 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1369/women-in-meiji-japan-exploring-the-underclass-of-japanese-industrialization http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1359/psychological-effects-of-fitness-advertising-on-female-collegiate-athletes By Jenny Gallagher - In recent decades, research has focused on the powerful effects of advertising on negative body image. While researchers have studied how the general female population reacts to various advertising techniques, little research has been published on how female collegiate athletes are affected by fitness advertisements. This study examined how these athletes respond to fitness advertisements and which tactics generate positive responses. Based on a focus group conducted with female Division I athletes, the study found that resonating fitness advertisements must be realistic and tell a relatable story... Thu, 18 Feb 2016 04:32 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1359/psychological-effects-of-fitness-advertising-on-female-collegiate-athletes http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1352/the-development-of-modern-feminist-thought-a-summary By Saarang Narayan - This paper looks to trace three broad themes in the scholarship of feminism: the conceptualization of women as a socio-political category, the various ideas of women’s oppression, and the idea of emancipation. In particular, the work of four influential scholars—Mary Wollstonecraft, Friedrich Engels, Emma Goldman and Simone de Beauvoir—is used to provide a brief summary of the subject and its development. Each provides foundational ideas in the scholarship of feminism, in addition to representing the shifting discourse in the two major waves of feminism in modern history. Excerpts... Wed, 10 Feb 2016 09:20 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1352/the-development-of-modern-feminist-thought-a-summary http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1324/addressing-the-gender-wage-gap-in-the-united-states-shortcomings-of-federal-legislation By Nikita Mehandru - The most commonly cited statistic for the gender wage gap in the United States is that women earn seventy-eight cents to every dollar men earn. A great deal of contention however, surrounds the interpretation of this measure as well as others seeking to quantify the gender wage gap. While the number solely represents full-time men and women not necessarily performing the same work, it still captures an economic reality: gender discrimination in wages persists. Further, there are gender differences specific to occupation, number of hours worked, educational attainment, and work experience. Politicians... Tue, 05 Jan 2016 05:06 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1324/addressing-the-gender-wage-gap-in-the-united-states-shortcomings-of-federal-legislation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1236/why-are-gender-relations-important-to-include-in-the-study-of-politics-and-society By Michael Rose - Alternatively, gender refers to the manner in which individuals define themselves, based on a scale of feminine to masculine. The title ‘man’ has been socially constructed to describe the masculine end of the spectrum, just as the term ‘woman’ has been to describe the feminine. Throughout history, the two titles have been seen as tantamount to sex. From birth what is called a male is then dubbed a man (or boy) and what is called female is called a woman (or girl). Not only is the notion of gender enforced from birth, but the true gender of the child, which most likely is... Mon, 19 Oct 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1236/why-are-gender-relations-important-to-include-in-the-study-of-politics-and-society http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1235/how-important-are-masculinity-and-femininity-in-the-culture-of-militaries By Ciaran Kovach - This debate raises a further question: just how important a role does sexuality and gender play within modern military culture? In this essay, the roles of masculinity and femininity, particularly in the context of the modern US military culture, shall be examined through a series of issues in military culture related to gender. An issue that will see particular scrutiny is the role and impact of gender roles and gendered behaviour within militaries. The role of debates on biology and sexual orientation, as well as scrutiny from civilian society of military culture will also be used to explore... Mon, 19 Oct 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1235/how-important-are-masculinity-and-femininity-in-the-culture-of-militaries http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1237/sexual-relationships-shaped-by-the-political-agenda-a-case-study-of-chile By Holly Williams - It is a generally accepted fact that there are both public and private spheres of action, and that as set out in Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy.”1 One may then conclude that actions conducted in the private sphere, such as a sexual relationship between two consenting adults should not be interfered with by external actors like the state. Furthermore, it can be argued that the state and other external factors such as political agenda are exerting an influence over such private matters as... Mon, 19 Oct 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1237/sexual-relationships-shaped-by-the-political-agenda-a-case-study-of-chile http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1238/how-effective-are-gender-quotas-in-achieving-meaningful-change-for-women-a-case-study-of-argentina By Katharina J. Hopp - Interestingly, while “equality of presence” regarding the right to vote has been achieved in most countries, the same cannot be said for “equality of presence” regarding political representation.4 Until 2006, approximately 40 states had established gender quotas in elections to national parliaments and political parties in more than 50 countries had introduced party quotas.5 Despite the fact that the number of countries having some set of gender quotas is steadily rising, in 2011 on average women still accounted for only 19.5% of members of national parliaments worldwide... Mon, 19 Oct 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1238/how-effective-are-gender-quotas-in-achieving-meaningful-change-for-women-a-case-study-of-argentina