Abstract This paper examines how quite a fuss has been raised over Eve Ensler's production of "The Vagina Monologues" (V Monologues) because of its overt and explicit depiction of the female genitalia. It looks at how the appropriateness of the subject matter is questioned, as is the necessity for it to be circulated, mass produced, and performed. It shows how there are proponents for both sides of the issue, arguing equally as fiercely that the monologues are either essential to the liberation and independence of women or abominable to traditional standards of morality and modesty, and how both sides see this work as a key artifact, either to identify with or protest against. The paper is written from an anti-feminist viewpoint and picks apart the "Vagina Monologues", citing the play as an example of societal decay. It also looks at the play as a part of pop culture, contrasting the play from the vantage points of feminism vs. anti-feminism.
From the Paper "One primary goal of the monologues was to circulate the word vagina making it commonplace as a part of everyday conversation. An example of this is Ensler's admittedly common use of the word vagina. Ensler says vagina because she fears what we do not speak we forget and the thought of forgetting about vagina scares her (xx, 3). The question arises as to whether or not the term vagina is even important. Is the word vagina important because Ensler tells us it is important? While she drills through her monologues how important the word vagina is in reclaiming ourselves as women, can she get past the cultural biases which have been in place for so long by simply saying her work is important? Those identifying with her stance would agree based upon the thought circulating the word "vagina" is liberating."
Abstract This paper examines the often violent and coercive tactics of anti-abortion movements, looks at some of the more famous anti-abortion leaders, explores the motivations of these leaders and the movements that follow them, and discusses the perception by many that the anti-abortion movement is just one part of a broader, more conservative, anti-feminist, political agenda.
From the Paper "Both the pro-life and anti-abortion movements are motivated by one concept: that human personhood begins at conception. To these groups an embryo and a fetus are all human persons who should be granted the same rights, privileges and protections as a child or adult (Violence & harassment at U.S. abortion clinics). Operation Rescue is an anti-abortion organization that states that it is dedicated to the protection of children in the womb and their mothers who are exploited by abortion. The group declares that "We work in every way we can to manifest the truth of God concerning abortion" (Operation Rescue Colorado). Unfortunately, "every way we can" includes violence, murder and the misuse of religion to inspire what any moral individual could only interpret as unholy acts."
Abstract This paper explains that "Portrait of a Lady", seen by many as the first truly modernist American novel, was published only 16 years after the end of the American Civil War, during a period of great social change and unrest, particularly for women and minorities. The author describes the female characters illustrated in this book as Isabel Archer, the confused woman in search of her true self; Henrietta Stackpole, an "independent woman" seeking to change the world through her eye-catching and brutally honest journalism; Madame Merle, the devious and sly possessor of a scandalous secret, and Pansy Osmond, shy and continually controlled by her overbearing father. The paper relates that James' intentions for this novel's impact and legacy are still widely debated; some argue that the fate, which befalls each of his women, clearly displays his anti-feminist attitude but others argue that the freedom of choice he has given his female characters, allowing them to make their own mistakes, finally paints women as fellow human beings.
From the Paper "One of the first female characters introduced to readers in "The Portrait of a Lady" is also one of the most anachronistic: Mrs. Touchett. Though married, she spends much of her time abroad while her husband and invalid son uncomplainingly reside in England's Gardencourt Manor. She and Mr. Touchett have been virtually separated since the beginning of their marriage, although Mrs. Touchett does spend one month per year at Gardencourt with her husband. Claiming she despises England's food and culture, she permits herself to flit about Europe with nearly unfettered access to freedoms normally only extended to men."
Abstract The following paper examines the statements made in Betty Friedan's "The Problem That Has No Name" from "The Feminine Mystique" and in "A Black Feminist Statement" from 'All the Women are White, All the Blacks are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave' which reveal both differences and similarities in the problems faced by each group as well as how race, gender and generational perspectives influence each group's response. The writer concludes that both groups had different experiences in their fights for equality based on their race, social status, economic class, sexual orientation and the time period in which they fought.
From the Paper "Writing in 1963, Betty Friedan revealed the problems faced by white, middle-class housewives who were not content and fulfilled in their roles as wives and mothers. The account by The Combahee River Collective focuses on the experiences of black, socialist, lesbian women 1977. The desires, frustrations and proposed solutions of each group reflect their social status as well as their race and economic class."
Tags: african, american, black, collective, combahee, feminism, feminist, lesbian, river
Abstract This essay argues that Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises" is anti-Semitic in terms of its treatment of the character Robert Cohn. Cohn is painted in a negative light and none of the characters like him. Cohn is the anti-hero, yet he has Jewishness intentionally imposed upon him. In this respect, "The Sun Also Rises" involves anti-Semitism.
Abstract In this article, the writer presents a discussion of the key assumptions inherent in contemporary feminist theory. The writer studies the applications of such theory in modern society. The historical framework of feminism is discussed in this paper. The writer makes the distinction between sex and gender.
From the Paper "Feminist theory crosses the boundaries of genre to influence sociology, philosophy, theology and everything in between. Historically, the main expressions of feminist activity were seen by the general public as extremist and radical. Today, though feminist principals underpin all areas of modern life in an appropriately measured way. Radical feminism was certainly the main impetus for the birth of the cultural revolution, which we now know as contemporary feminist theory. A historical framework of feminism was established by pioneers of the movement including Simone de ... "
Abstract The following assignment is for a third year sociology course. The topic discussed is collective social behaviour. The collective social behavior examined in this assignment is anti-war demonstrations. The writer uses social contagion theory and emergent norm theory in order to examine the nature of anti-war demonstrations.
From the Paper "Collective behavior is a very broad area of study. For example, in Collective Behavior Erich Goode states, 'Rumors and legends, fads, and collective protest- these and other social phenomena make up the subject matter of the field of collective Behavior'. Collective behavior is the relatively spontaneous, unstructured, extra institutional behavior of a fairly large number of individuals. The fact that collective behavior is such a diverse area of study means that many activities can be used to examine it. For this paper, demonstrations against the war in Iraq or anti-war demonstrations as they are commonly called will be used to examine many of the theories about collective behavior."
Abstract This paper summarizes the debate between the Federalists and Anti-federalists of the constitutional congress. It suggests some ongoing problems in American public life which demonstrate the main issues which drove that debate, far from being resolved during the constitution's ratification, continue to resonate in current events. This paper discusses the Ratification Debate and the major issues which drove the debate between the Federalists and the Anti-federalists: Distribution of power, protection of rights, limitations of institutions and the ongoing Relevance.
From the Paper "In the last few days of September in 1787, the Confederation Congress met to debate and construct a new Constitution of the United States. The document they wrote and sent for ratification to the thirteen states that made up the newly-formed country was intended to replace the Articles of Confederation that had ordered the nation since its inception. The nation was reaching a crisis point, as the experiment had been going poorly. Surprisingly, perhaps, the problem was not one of the many possible economic problems that new nations are likely to experience when reconstructing after a long and difficult war. As Gordon Wood (1969) argues, the general economy was running well and people felt comfortable and even prosperous (p. 395). Rather, the concerns that brought the nation's leading politicians together were primarily political. "
Abstract This paper discusses how in terms of ideologies, actions, and goals that exist, or should exist in order for the anti-globalization movement to develop into a successful global social movement, there is general agreement that there must be a greater emphasis on social and political issues such as gender equality, and economic issues such as product music and entertainment product copyright protection. The paper further discusses that these are only two of a multitude of important issues that need to be addressed, but they reflect the anti-globalization movement's fundamental goal of protecting the social, political, and economic rights of individuals, groups, and societies as globalization expands. For example, globalization has presented many challenges and opportunities for the transnational women's movement.
A discussion on the way that the punk subculture re-emerged in recent years in response to the rise of the far right in Switzerland and as part of the international anti-fascist and anti-globalization movements.
Abstract The paper focuses on the evolution of punk and its mutation into the more politically charged anarcho-punk movement and explores the violent side of the extreme left - both as an international force and in particular in Switzerland. The paper then discusses the Bern-based Antifa Switzerland group and explores the motivations of the Black Bloc anarchists. The paper highlights the use of violence in the anti-fascist movement and the connection between today's violent anarcho-punks with the ideals of the original punk movement. Several photographs are included with the paper.
Outline:
Introduction
Punk's First Wave
Punk Arrives in Switzerland
Switzerland, Anarcho-Punk, and Post-war Politics in the 21st Century
Conclusion
From the Paper "The media, however, interpreted the punks' image, music, and reckless behavior as a real threat to the status quo. This culminated in December of 1976 when the Sex Pistols and members of the Bromley Contingent appeared on the Bill Grundy television show in England. At the time of this momentous event, punk was still in its early stages. The public-at-large had little way of knowing about punk at the time. What they saw was a group of extravagantly dressed young people, visibly intoxicated, who took relish in using offensive words and insulting the host of the program in a manner that went way beyond the accepted morals of the time. The Bill Grundy episode would spiral the fledgling youth subculture into the wider cultural spotlight. At that point, punk was no longer a tiny subculture, but a mass media spectacle that would shock the conservative British public and inspire similar-minded youth all over the world."
Argues that over-prescribing anti-depressants world-wide could prevent rape survivors from seeking and receiving treatment for depression and other mental health diseases.
Abstract This paper contends that the skyrocketing number of prescriptions for anti-depressants recently has caused some to worry that patients, such as rape victims, who could benefit from the addition of medication in their recovery, might not be able to get the much-needed medicine.
From the Paper "The recent FDA decision regarding SSRI's (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors) has caused the medical community to scale down anti-depressant prescriptions in recent months. This project in intended to shed light on the growing problem of over-prescribing anti-depressants and the effects that ultimately could prevent rape survivors from receiving the much needed medications they need for recovery."
Abstract Marguerite Duras has been hailed as one of France's pre-eminent women writers and her work is generally very well received by feminists. Her autobiographical novel "L'Amant" was an international bestseller, and a winner of the Prix Goncourt. It talks about pleasure, death and her desire to write, against the exotic backdrop of thirties Saigon. In examining the main characters and the style in which the book is written this paper aims to uncover whether or not "L'Amant" can be classed as feminist writing.
From the Paper Our first description of the author is not one of a typical beauty; she is sad, creased, wrinkled and cracked. When we next meet her as a young girl she is wearing her brother's belt and a man's hat, she is also skinny with unruly hair. She is not a young girl conforming to patriarchal ideals of beauty; she is in fact quite masculine. This masculinity does not stop at her clothes, she conforms to the masculine stereotype in other ways; in the active role she plays in lovemaking, and in her ambition. Her masculinity is even more pronounced when taken in comparison with the apparent femininity of her lover, the rich Chinese man."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that criticizing film is a very recent phenomenon, and potential critics are testing all possible avenues of criticism and methods of analysis. The writer discusses that Laura Mulvery tried, in her essay 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema', to base a feminist analysis of film in Sigmund Freud's theories of penis envy and sexual deviation. The writer relates that the problem of analyzing the film "Some Like it Hot" in relation to Laura Mulvey's writing is that she does not prove her point very well in her essay. The writer concludes that this essay does not claim that narrative film has had no effect upon perpetuating anti-feminist attitudes, but maintains that when people become aware through media literacy, it has little effect.
From the Paper "Ultimately, the creator(s) of the narrative, whether in a book, a poem or any other medium, will both mirror and attempt to modify the culture of their audience. The techniques used by directors and cinematographers enhance the narrative messages and themes, but are not responsible for them unless the messages and themes of the visual form of the film are in direct opposition to those of the narrative. In this sort of case, which is very rare, the audience may leave with many different impressions, according to the baggage they bring with them (Rosenblatt 1935), and how they viewed the film, as in paying more attention the narratives of either the visuals or the text. One possible example of this technique is the film "Apocalypse Now", directed by Francis Ford Cuppola, where Cuppola often had visuals on the screen which contradicted the text, in addition to using camera angles, frames and other cinematographic techniques to negate the message of the text."
Abstract This paper discusses the pragmatism of the women's feminist movements in Indian history by presenting the points of view expressed in articles written by four different authors, namely: Suruchi Thapar-Bjorkert's "The Domestic Sphere as a Political Site: A Study of Women in the Indian Nationalist Movement", Carol Hills' "Nationalism and feminism in Late Colonial India: The Rani of the Jhansi regiment 1943-1945", Basu Apama's "Feminism and Nationalism in India, 1917-1947", and Stephen Legg's Gendered Politics and Nationalized Homes: Women and the Anti-Colonial Struggle in India: 1930-47". The analysis and discussion of these articles represents a critical view on the nature of feminism in India during the rise of Indian nationalism during the early and middle parts of the 20th century.
Outline:
Introduction
Analysis and Discussion
Conclusion
From the Paper "Basu Apama's article "Feminism and Nationalism in India, 1917-1947" dictates the state of feminist movements during a wide range of history, but provides the tenets of the feminist movement that was seen through the rise of Indian nationalism. Apama's argument for feminist liberation resides on the power of Mahatma Gandhi who actively supported the various feminist movements that sought to derail the traditional patriarchal constructs of violence as a form of opposition:
[Gandhi] claimed that women were better than men in waging nonviolent passive resistance because they had greater capacity for self-sacrifice and endurance, were less self seeking, and had moral courage.
This aspect of the women's movement helped to bring many women into the nationalist movement in India, but certainly, the pragmatic aspect of this foundation for feminist involvement only supports a patriarchal construct. One critical view of this feminist" ideology is that women were actively still performing a submissive role that could still deemed submissive to the male roles of aggression and "violence." The basis of a feminist movement in India appears to be validating the aggressive and submissive roles of women, especially when Apama defines women through Gandhi's ideology for being "less self seeking" in their agenda as a women seeking liberation. This begs the question: Were women merely being used as human shields through their typically submissive female roles in Indian nationalism? The pragmatism of Apama's article surely does not answer crucial questions as to how women were being liberated due to the often powerful men that still controlled political and traditional male roles in Indian society. Although feminist movements began to become more organized, the issue of its effectiveness is highly questionable under the policies of Gandhi in this period of history. In this manner, Apama promotes the freedom of women from the bonds of patriarchal institutions, yet there is little evidence that they made advances in reducing the often submissive stereotypes and generalizations made about them by the male donated nationalist movements in Indian history."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the theme of feminism in "Mr. Sammler's Planet" by Saul Bellow and "Enemies: A Love Story" by Isaac Bashevis Singer. The paper discusses how both authors illustrate their views towards the emerging feminist movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s in America. The paper shows how both authors condemn feminism and the women's movement in their own way. They portray women in a negative light and represent the male view at the time these books were written. They support the belief that women should not be seen or heard and they should always support their men.
From the Paper "Singer's attitude toward women is better than Bellow's, but it is still full of chauvinistic values and ideals. Herman Broder is the main character in Enemies: A Love Story, and there is hardly anything likeable about the man, and yet three women love him. Singer shows women as weak with this theme, because they cling to a man who is no good for them, rather that striving for love from someone good and decent. Singer also seems to have a low opinion of women with this portrayal. For example, he portrays Masha, the good woman who supports Broder through much of his life, as needy and jealous. She loves a man who is married to other women, who lies and cheats, and this makes her as weak as he is."
