Women of War in Paul Auster’s Man in the Dark

Auster’s Man in the Dark includes numerous war stories that altogether contribute to its overall message about the different shape of the world if there were no wars. Most of these war stories are about the miscellaneous effective roles of women during wartime and its aftermath; their contributions to the progress of wars; their victimization as wives and captives; their sufferings as widows and laborers; and their drastic change of identity in accepting new social roles traditionally unachievable. These images of women of war make Man in the Dark a novel about women, although it literally seems not to offer any points about them. This paper is thus to argue that Auster seems to be presenting himself as a pro-feminist in this novel, which is basically about war and what causes war, in highlighting women’s roles during wartime and how their contributions have been unfairly silenced. Keywords: Auster, Man in the Dark, war, women.

Beyond the (Dis)Empowerment Binary: Inevitability and the Feminization of Agriculture in Chitwan, Nepal

Changing demands of the agricultural sector, due to male out-migration, have been shown to influence power dynamics and livelihood strategies within households, communities, and broader society. These shifts have led to a rise in women’s agricultural engagement in Nepal. In hypothesizing the outcomes of what has been defined as the feminization of agriculture on the women left behind, the existing literature has created a (dis)empowerment binary. Based on field work conducted in Chitwan, we initially confirm that women do experience that increased agricultural engagement presents both the potential for an increased burden and an opportunity for empowerment. Our research then goes beyond this binary, by utilizing the concept of inevitability, revealing both the micro and macro level nexi of migration, agriculture, and gender in relation to the feminization of agriculture in Nepal. By underscoring the double inevitability of both male out-migration itself and women’s roles within their households we argue we can more accurately represent our informants’ lived realities and thereby provide an alternative to the (dis)empowerment binary for future research. This includes the recognition of a relational nature of the feminization of agriculture phenomenon, which is often overlooked in the current discourse.

Mapping Terra Incognita: An Expert Elicitation of Women's Roles in Wildlife Trafficking

The gender dimensions of wildlife trafficking remain understudied even though the problem is of great socio-environmental significance. Data about the roles of women in wildlife trafficking offer critically needed indicators that can contribute to building evidence and setting targets for, and monitoring progress of, sustainable and equitable futures. We set three objectives for this research filling a major gap in conservation knowledge: (1) explore expert perceptions of primary roles that women may play in wildlife trafficking, (2) explore expert perceptions of secondary roles that women may play in wildlife trafficking, and (3) explore variability in roles for women in wildlife trafficking. We used an online survey to conduct expert elicitation in February 2020 to achieve objectives. Experts (N = 215) identified key assumptions associated with six primary and 32 secondary roles for women in wildlife trafficking. Results highlight the impacts of wildlife trafficking manifest in varied contexts across society, including persons harmed at local levels such as family members in general, widows and orphans. The perceived roles of women in the wildlife trafficking networks may be factored into transformative solutions to help combat wildlife trafficking and data from expert elicitation can inform future hypotheses and inferences on this topic of broad socio-environmental significance.

Impact of area-wide management for fruit flies on the role of women in mango farming

Studies on women’s roles in Indonesian mango farming were rarely conducted. This paper examines the changes made to women’s roles in mango production and its benefit distribution for household (HH) needs due to Area Wide Management (AWM) implementation for fruit flies. Data were collected at two villages in Indramayu, West Java, during July and August 2019. The respondents were cooperator farmers who had taken part during the 2010‒2015 AWM project implementation. This study applied a survey method for data collecting using structured questionnaires. The data were descriptively analyzed with a focus on gender perspectives. The study showed that the primary activity of most cooperators was for mango farming. Women had minor roles in pre-harvest and harvest mango farming activities. However, almost all accesses and participations of pre-harvest activities had increased after the implementation of AWM. Women’s controls have increased for all activities except for processing and sorting, which had been already high. Adult females took control of financial decision-making on how the mango farming benefit was allocated. There was a higher allocation expense on savings, education and vehicle following the implementation of AWM. The increased women’s role in the production and financial decision-making had given promising results in children’s education improvements. This study suggested that the agricultural program should involve women as the actors as well as the beneficiaries. The women’s involvement in the project was expected to optimize the benefits of the project, and further will ensure its sustainability.

A Reading of Luke 10:38-42 as a Covenant Renewal Discourse: Implication for Women in Ghana

Scholars have divided opinions concerning the role of women in the covenant community of Israel. While some argue that women are placed in a secondary position, others looked at the covenant directives as ambiguous with regard to women. However, covenant renewal creates the opportunity to modify and innovate existing covenants to respond to the new needs of covenant receivers. Using the discourse theory of Paul Ricoeur, the author argues that Luke 10:38-42 is a covenant renewal discourse. The discourse aims at redefining women’s roles in the covenant community. The study concludes that women have new roles that empower them to make meaningful contributions to society. Key Words: Values, Covenant, Women, Discourse.

Mereduksi Stigma Negatif Pada Perempuan Muslim Pengemudi Ojek Online Di Kota Kediri

Transportasi berbasis online menawarkan berbagai bentuk kemudahan dalam kebutuhan transportasi. Pekerjaan sebagai pengemudi taksi online umumnya dilakukan oleh pria, namun kini juga menjadi pilihan bagi wanita. Artikel ini akan fokus, bagaimana Muslimah yang mengemudikan taksi online mengurangi stigma negatif yang ada di masyarakat. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif yang dilakukan melalui observasi terhadap aktivitas pengemudi taksi online, wawancara dengan pengemudi taksi online dan dokumentasi. Dalam penelitian ini menggunakan teori gender dari Maxine Molineux. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kebutuhan praksis gender di kalangan wanita muslimah pengendara taksi online lebih diarahkan pada aktivitas pemenuhan kebutuhan dan optimalisasi peran wanita dalam kehidupan sehari-hari tanpa harus meninggalkan perannya di dalam rumah. Dalam kebutuhan strategis gender dalam penelitian ini digambarkan dengan upaya perempuan pengemudi taksi online untuk memiliki kendali atas diri mereka sendiri dalam posisinya sebagai penjual jasa transportasi dan tidak perlu dikasihani. Bentuk kelangsungan hidup wanita muslimah yang mengemudikan taksi online ini telah mengurangi stigma masyarakat terhadap mereka atas peran yang dimainkan oleh wanita-wanita tersebut Online-based transportation offers various forms of convenience in transportation needs. Jobs as an online taxi driver generally performe by a man, but also now an option for women. This article will focus, how Muslim women who drive online taxis reduce the negative stigma that exists in society. This study used a qualitative approach which was carried out through observing the activities of online taxi drivers, interviewing online taxi drivers and documentation. In this study, using the gender theory of Maxine Molineux. The results show that the need for gender praxis among Muslim women who drive online taxis is more directed at activities to meet their needs and optimize women's roles in daily life without having to leave their role in the house. In the strategic needs of gender in this study are illustrated by the efforts of women online taxi drivers to have control over themselves in their positions as sellers of transportation services and not to be pitied. This form of survival of Muslim women who drive online taxis has reduced the stigma of society on them for the roles that these women play.