Gender and Class: Exploring the Intersections of Power and Inequality

A special issue of Societies (ISSN 2075-4698).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 4292

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2UP, UK
Interests: ending violence against women and girls; promoting social inclusion (including gender, disability and mental health); harmful cultural practices (including female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage and breast ironing)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will apply a transnational lens to unravelling how social norms that shape everyday life are formed through the intersection of multiple factors including: class, ethnicity, age, gender, and cultural and religious values and beliefs. Specifically, articles in this edition will explore how social and gendered norms, heavily shaped by these multitude of factors, translate into hierarchies of power that not only limit the life opportunities for women and girls but also cause them harm. The articles will all take a similar methodological approach but focus on starkly different political-economic contexts including contexts impacted by climate crises. In doing so, the edition will be able to argue that, whilst norms are shaped by different factors and to different degrees, they are fundamentally gendered to perpetrate the power of some and to marginalise others.

Examples of topics to be covered:

  • Drought and FGM/C in Kenya;
  • Gendered norms and the bodily autonomy of women and girls in Somaliland;
  • The intersections of poverty, caste, and power and the gendered dimensions of modern slavery in India;
  • The normalisation of sexual violence and HIV transmission in Zimbabwe;
  • The power of the state and the invisibility of migrant and refugee women in the UK.

Contributions should adhere to one of three categories of papers (article, conceptual paper, or review) of the journal and address the topic of the Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Tamsin Bradley
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • social norms
  • power
  • gender
  • intersectionality
  • violence

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 696 KiB  
Article
Empowerment and Sustainability: Investigating Barriers to Women’s Transition from Higher Education to Empowerment in Brazil
by Muhammad Qasim Rana, Angela Lee, José Fernando Rodrigues Bezerra and Guilherme Hissa Villas Boas
Societies 2024, 14(11), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14110234 - 12 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1076
Abstract
Gender equality continues to be a global issue, with significant disparities in attention and action between developed and developing nations. Women, in particular, face unique challenges when transitioning from higher education (HE) to empowerment compared to their male counterparts. In many developing countries, [...] Read more.
Gender equality continues to be a global issue, with significant disparities in attention and action between developed and developing nations. Women, in particular, face unique challenges when transitioning from higher education (HE) to empowerment compared to their male counterparts. In many developing countries, barriers to accessing formal education are prevalent, while, in others, despite access to education, women struggle to leverage their learning for societal advancement. This paper adopts the development theory approach by exploring the role of gender equality in fostering sustainable development, emphasizing how women’s empowerment is integral to overall societal progress. This study focuses on Brazil, where, despite high levels of female educational attainment, women still encounter substantial obstacles in transforming their education into meaningful societal empowerment. These challenges include restricted freedom and mobility, deeply ingrained gender norms, violence and harassment, cultural and societal expectations, economic limitations, and family obligations. Survey data were collated from 192 students, alumni, and staff at three academic higher education (HE) institutions in Brazil, utilizing a range of descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to uncover the most significant barriers. This study concludes with policy recommendations aimed at various stakeholders, including government bodies, employers, and other organizations, to support a smoother transition for women from higher education to empowerment. These recommendations include improving workplace policies, enhancing legal protections, and promoting gender equality in leadership roles, all of which are essential to narrowing the gender gap in Brazil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Class: Exploring the Intersections of Power and Inequality)
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22 pages, 3029 KiB  
Article
Class and Ethno-Gender Differences in Education and Labour Market Position—An Intersectional Analysis of Ethnic Integration in the UK
by Yaojun Li
Societies 2024, 14(11), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14110222 - 28 Oct 2024
Viewed by 654
Abstract
This paper analyses the socio-economic disadvantages of women from different ethnic minority heritages in the UK. Using data from the Labour Force Survey (2014–2023), which contains detailed information on parental class and respondents’ socio-economic conditions, we examine four domains of life chances which [...] Read more.
This paper analyses the socio-economic disadvantages of women from different ethnic minority heritages in the UK. Using data from the Labour Force Survey (2014–2023), which contains detailed information on parental class and respondents’ socio-economic conditions, we examine four domains of life chances which are crucial for ethnic integration: educational attainment at the degree level, risks of unemployment, access to professional-managerial (salariat) position and earning power. We proceeded with the gross differences and then examined the differences by ethno-gender status and parental class combinations, controlling for many confounding factors. We also examined the net ethno-gender differences over the life course and the trends of social fluidity over the period covered and across the ethno-gender groups. We found that women from all ethnic origins were doing well in education but faced multiple disadvantages in the labour market, especially in access to the salariat and in earning power. Women of Pakistani/Bangladeshi heritages faced pronounced unemployment risks, especially at the earlier life stages. There is a significant increase in fluidity over the period covered, but this is marked by considerable ethnic and class differences, with Black Caribbean, Black African, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women from more advantaged class origins being unable to secure advantaged class positions and those from working-class families unable to make long-range upward mobility as effectively as White men. Overall, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Black African and Black Caribbean women are found to be considerably disadvantaged, but there are also signs of social progress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Class: Exploring the Intersections of Power and Inequality)
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17 pages, 2629 KiB  
Article
Tea Shops in Myanmar: Micro-Institutional Functions for Rural Migrants and Women
by Zaw Lin and Joseph J. Molnar
Societies 2024, 14(8), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14080154 - 14 Aug 2024
Viewed by 988
Abstract
Lahpet-Ye-Hsain, commonly referred to as “tea shops” or teahouses, are versatile establishments that serve as both dining places and social gathering spots. These micro-institutions are fundamental to Myanmar society at the local level, playing a significant role in daily social interactions, economic [...] Read more.
Lahpet-Ye-Hsain, commonly referred to as “tea shops” or teahouses, are versatile establishments that serve as both dining places and social gathering spots. These micro-institutions are fundamental to Myanmar society at the local level, playing a significant role in daily social interactions, economic activities, and political discourse. Operated as private businesses and informal meeting spots, tea shops are primarily staffed by women who serve tea and food to a predominantly male clientele at various times of the day. The size of tea shops can vary, from small snack shops to larger establishments offering a wide range of menu options. In a typical small village tea shop, customers sit on footstools around small square tables, creating a space for sharing tea and food, and exchanging ideas, opinions, problems, hopes, and aspirations. Tea shops attract a diverse range of individuals, as they are known for their inclusive nature that welcomes people from all backgrounds and walks of life, although women are often on the periphery. Historically dominated by men, we suggest that empowering women’s involvement in tea shops could positively impact their agency in other aspects of life, especially during political change. These micro-institutions serve as the initial connection point for residents in the village or neighborhood, traditionally catering to men but now increasingly broadened to women, newcomers, and young individuals exploring new opportunities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Class: Exploring the Intersections of Power and Inequality)
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Review

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18 pages, 2368 KiB  
Review
Initiatives of Female Empowerment in Computing Implemented at the High School Level: A Systematic Mapping
by Ramayane Bonacin Braga, Mirelle Amaral de São Bernardo, Sara Luiz de Farias, Thalia Santos de Santana and Marcos de Moraes Sousa
Societies 2024, 14(9), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14090167 - 30 Aug 2024
Viewed by 877
Abstract
Gender disparities in technology are evident, and affirmative actions are necessary to increase female representation. This article is part of an umbrella project that systematically maps related studies and aims to understand the current literature on initiatives to attract girls to high school [...] Read more.
Gender disparities in technology are evident, and affirmative actions are necessary to increase female representation. This article is part of an umbrella project that systematically maps related studies and aims to understand the current literature on initiatives to attract girls to high school through female empowerment projects in computing. Through a systematic literature mapping (SLM), we identified studies published between 2017 and 2022 that were available in databases and search engines, namely ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore Library, Scopus, and SBC Open Lib. Only primary studies returned in an automated search process were considered, without combining them with other search strategies. A priori, 264 articles were returned with the application of a search string and after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 61 articles were selected. Of this number, 41 projects were named in the articles that describe activities involving high school. To answer the established research questions, it was found that the studies discussed projects implemented in secondary education in the Americas, Europe and Africa, indicating the importance of expanding these initiatives to other territories, increasing female participation in information technology and promoting gender equality, which is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender and Class: Exploring the Intersections of Power and Inequality)
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