This thesis researched how the gender role of women developed in Iran between 1979 and 2009. The private and public lives of women were central by studying family law, women in politics and...Show moreThis thesis researched how the gender role of women developed in Iran between 1979 and 2009. The private and public lives of women were central by studying family law, women in politics and educational opportunities for women.Show less
Despite their deeply patriarchal and macho culture, Latin America, and more recently Turkey, have seen a rise of female leaders in national politics. This paper’s intention is to explain this...Show moreDespite their deeply patriarchal and macho culture, Latin America, and more recently Turkey, have seen a rise of female leaders in national politics. This paper’s intention is to explain this phenomenon by studying the impact of local culture and the gender roles that it engenders on the political behaviour of female politicians, and how female leaders make use of those gender roles to gain popularity and support. The paper runs through the local history and culture of the aforementioned regions with respect to female presence in politics, and exposes the male/female leadership models used by female politicians. Thence, it takes a deeper look into three contemporary female political figures, each corresponding to a different female leadership model: Cristina Kirchner for “wife”, Michelle Bachelet for “daughter”, and Meral Akşener for “neither”, signifying an independent female leader. The results obtained through visual and Critical Discourse Analysis reveal that the three scrutinized female politicians resort to both female and male gender roles, enabling them to benefit from the advantages of both gender roles, consequently increasing their political popularity and grip on power.Show less
Women played a vital role during the anti-slavery campaigns in the United States and Great Britain in the nineteenth century. Their involvement pushed the boundaries of the prescribed gender roles...Show moreWomen played a vital role during the anti-slavery campaigns in the United States and Great Britain in the nineteenth century. Their involvement pushed the boundaries of the prescribed gender roles of the time, as women were supposed to remain within the household sphere and abstain from any political involvement. Abolitionist women were also active in the Netherlands, such as the 129 women from Rotterdam who sent a petition to King Willem II in 1842. This thesis outlines how Dutch and American women abolitionists challenged the prescribed gender roles by publicly interfering with abolitionism.Show less
