Several studies demonstrated that the portrayal of women’s participation in foreign terrorist organizations in mass media is typically gender stereotyped. Regardless of their assumed conventional...Show moreSeveral studies demonstrated that the portrayal of women’s participation in foreign terrorist organizations in mass media is typically gender stereotyped. Regardless of their assumed conventional roles such as being “mothers”, and “wives”, women also contributed to crucial active tasks within foreign terrorist organizations. In France, before 2016, women affiliated with terrorism were mostly perceived as “weak” and “passive” victims with traditional and domestic roles to fulfill. However, a failed attack on Notre Dames de Paris orchestrated by women in Paris in 2016 shifted the public perception of women’s involvement in terrorism and their potential threat once they will return. This study analyzes whether gender stereotypes related to women in foreign terrorist organizations are applicable to the case of women returnees. To do so, this qualitative study observes how French women returnees are portrayed in French news media after 2016. The aim is to investigate through a critical discourse analysis, the presence of gender stereotypes in returnees’ portrayal. The research shows that the framing of women returnees in French news media is based on four main gender stereotypes namely Motherhood, Jihadist Brides, Victimhood, and Non-Violent roles. The argument here is that gender stereotypes, especially the traits related to Motherhood and Non-violent roles were present in French news media, but to a certain extent only as media narratives contradict those stereotypical themes as well. This research contributes to the academic gap in news media framing of terrorism-affiliated women returnees and develops the discussion on the influence of returnees’ portrayal on the public perception and repatriation processes.Show less
Despite the fact that girls are increasingly choosing technical subjects in high school, the vast majority who practices a technical profession is men. Current research examined the relation...Show moreDespite the fact that girls are increasingly choosing technical subjects in high school, the vast majority who practices a technical profession is men. Current research examined the relation between fathers’ gendered expectations on their sons’ and daughters’ feminine and masculine occupational aspirations, and the role of the children’s gender-stereotypical beliefs in this relation. The resulting research question concerned: To what extent are the father’s gender-stereotypical expectations of professions related to his children’s gender-stereotypical occupational aspirations, and to what extent do his children’s gender-stereotypical beliefs about sciences mediate this relation? This question was expected to be answered by examining a sample of 100 Dutch families. Two children from each family, one aged 15 and one aged 17, participated and were asked to complete the OAT-PM and the IAT. The OAT-AM was administered to their fathers. The results showed no relations between either the father’s gender-stereotypical expectations of professions and his children’s gender-stereotypical beliefs about sciences, nor between the children’s gender-stereotypical beliefs about sciences and their own gender-stereotypical occupational aspirations. However, it was found that the adolescent daughter’s masculine occupational aspirations were higher when their father had less gender-stereotypical ideas about professions. It was concluded that future research should explore the relation between the father’s implicit gender stereotypes and his children’s gender-stereotypical occupational aspirations further in other social-cultural contexts, and examine the role of explicit gender stereotypes of the child as a mediator in this relation.Show less
Despite the fact that girls are increasingly choosing technical subjects in high school, the vast majority who practices a technical profession is men. Current research examined the relation...Show moreDespite the fact that girls are increasingly choosing technical subjects in high school, the vast majority who practices a technical profession is men. Current research examined the relation between fathers’ gendered expectations on their sons’ and daughters’ feminine and masculine occupational aspirations, and the role of the children’s gender-stereotypical beliefs in this relation. The resulting research question concerned: To what extent are the father’s genderstereotypical expectations of professions related to his children’s gender-stereotypicaloccupational aspirations, and to what extent do his children’s gender-stereotypical beliefsabout sciences mediate this relation? This question was expected to be answered by examining a sample of 100 Dutch families. Two children from each family, one aged 15 and one aged 17, participated and were asked to complete the OAT-PM and the IAT. The OATAM was administered to their fathers. The results showed no relations between either the father’s gender-stereotypical expectations of professions and his children’s gender-stereotypical beliefs about sciences, nor between the children’s gender-stereotypical beliefsabout sciences and their own gender-stereotypical occupational aspirations. However, it was found that the adolescent daughter’s masculine occupational aspirations were higher when their father had less gender-stereotypical ideas about professions. It was concluded that future research should explore the relation between the father’s implicit gender stereotypes and his children’s gender-stereotypical occupational aspirations further in other social-cultural contexts, and examine the role of explicit gender stereotypes of the child as a mediator in this relation.Show less
Stereotypes are powerful constructs embedded in humans’ minds that are difficult to be changed. Furthermore, in the region of Latin America, machismo and marianismo beliefs dictate the proper...Show moreStereotypes are powerful constructs embedded in humans’ minds that are difficult to be changed. Furthermore, in the region of Latin America, machismo and marianismo beliefs dictate the proper behaviour of men and women and establish norms of conduct. Hence, existing cultural expectations regarding the role of females in the society translate into concrete realities that limit females’ availability for professional development. This Bachelor Thesis studies the influence of gender stereotypes, machismo and marianismo beliefs in Guatemala on the outcome of the 2015 general elections in the country and the defeat of Sandra Torres. To this end, articles from both national and international newspapers are analysed through critical discourse analysis. Since media conveys knowledge and reinforces meaning regarding the position of males and females in the society, it is discovered to be a powerful influencer on the way the Guatemalan population votes. Therefore, this Bachelor Thesis provides an explanation about the relationship between media representation of Sandra Torres and her loss in the 2015 general elections. Additionally, the results of the analysis of the case study in Guatemala illustrate how media strengthens existing cultural norms and expectations regarding the role and the behaviour of females, which in turn impact people’s attitudes towards women in a certain manner; thus, obstruct females to engage with politics and to develop a professional career in the field.Show less
This study aims to analyze gender bias in six Spanish museums, covering the Paleolithic epoch. For this purpose, images and texts have been sampled. In the images, the sex, position in the image,...Show moreThis study aims to analyze gender bias in six Spanish museums, covering the Paleolithic epoch. For this purpose, images and texts have been sampled. In the images, the sex, position in the image, activeness/passiveness, the posture, the placement regarding the settlement and the activities carried out by each individual have been identified. The analysis of texts covers the language used and the main topic addressed in each text. It is compared with a travelling exhibition called “Evolución en clave de género” (“Evolution in a gender perspective”), which was created precisely for challenging the more traditional view of the Paleolithic. In museum images, men are generally overrepresented, while specially women and elderly are underrepresented and the activities associated with them overlooked. In texts, men and their activities are considerably privileged. Afterwards, the result of a literature research of the archaeological and ethnographic evidence for contesting the conveyed view is provided. It shows that an alternative, less androcentric, view is possible. It is an attempt to show how feminist archaeology can challenge, not only traditional and popular beliefs but also assumptions made by the mainstream archaeology. Once the bias has been identified, the significance of this study lies in the possibility that museums offer to either solve or reinforce current gender relations and stereotypes. Moreover, it adds the analysis of texts, a very telling but unexploited field.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
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‘Manic Pixie Dream Girl’ is een term die sinds 2007 in gebruik wordt genomen in de filmkritiek om een veelvoorkomend type vrouwelijk personage in (voornamelijk) romantische komedies van de...Show more‘Manic Pixie Dream Girl’ is een term die sinds 2007 in gebruik wordt genomen in de filmkritiek om een veelvoorkomend type vrouwelijk personage in (voornamelijk) romantische komedies van de afgelopen jaren te omschrijven, dat slechts functioneert als de opgewekte romantische interesse van het ongelukkig mannelijke hoofdpersonage. Het ‘excentrieke meisje’ staat enkel in dienst van zijn zoektocht naar geluk, zonder zelf een onafhankelijke verhaallijn of enige karakterontwikkeling te hebben. Hoewel ze door haar eigenzinnige en oncoventionele voorkomen in eerste instantie overkomt als afwijkend van de bestaande stereotype verbeeldingen van vrouwen in de geschiedenis van film en literatuur, lijkt het er bij nader inzien echter op dat de MPDG slechts de zoveelste variatie is op een onderontwikkeld vrouwelijk personage in een mannelijk gedomineerd narratief. Ik analyseer daarom kritisch aan de hand van theorieën uit de narratologie, gender studies, adaptatie studies en genre studies hoe dit type personage zich tegenover het mannelijk hoofdpersonage manifesteert in zowel film als literatuur, en hoe deze stereotypering in bepaalde werken juist ondermijnd wordt. Ik onderzoek hiervoor de films Elizabethtown (Crowe, 2005), (500) Days of Summer (Webb, 2009), Ruby Sparks (Dayton & Faris, 2012) en Her (Jonze, 2013); en de roman The Virgin Suicides (Eugenides, 1993) samen met de gelijknamige cinematische adaptatie van Coppola uit 1991.Show less
A prominent aspect of traditional Japanese dance is that it contains parts or dances that are called “male” or “female” that can be danced by dancers of either sex. This study analyses the parts...Show moreA prominent aspect of traditional Japanese dance is that it contains parts or dances that are called “male” or “female” that can be danced by dancers of either sex. This study analyses the parts called “male” or otoko-furi and “female” or onna-furi within yosakoi dance, a modern style of Japanese folkdance through movement analysis and questionnaires. The research question is as following: What are the features of otoko-furi and onna-furi within yosakoi dance, and do these parts resist or affirm gender stereotypes? It becomes clear that it is hard to define otoko-furi and onna-furi, even though the parts contain contrasting movements. Furthermore, contrary to traditional dance the gender of the body of the dancer matters for the execution of the part. This forces dancers to conform their dancing part to the sex of their body, and affirm gender stereotypes rather then resisting them.Show less
In this thesis, I am analyzing the online media discourse on Rehana, a female fighter aganist the Islamic State. By applying different theoretical lenses such as critical discourse analysis and...Show moreIn this thesis, I am analyzing the online media discourse on Rehana, a female fighter aganist the Islamic State. By applying different theoretical lenses such as critical discourse analysis and semiotic analysis, I am criticially analyzing the representation of Rehana. Based on research on the representation of other female fighters, I am problematizing the effect of this representation on Rehana's agency. I argue that the media discourse on Rehana is undermining her agency by objectifying her through language and forcing her into fixed narratives informed by sexist and orientalist stereotypes instead of representing her justly.Show less
