Toward Justice
A Tale of Two Cities: The Paradox of Local Education in the United States' Global Capital
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Rachael Forker
Washington DC can be sliced into a number of dualities, inclduing global and local, federal and city, black and white, north and south, east and west, rich and poor, ambassador and immigrant, and educated and illiterate. No matter which way the city is sliced, there are opposing examples that portray two sides of the globalization coin. Unlike all other global cities located in the United States, Washington DC does not fall under the jurisdiction of any one state government. This foundational arrangement has created a unintended "Home Rule" relationship between DC city residents and the federal government, in which Capitol Hill has direct influence over local laws and regulations and DC residents do not have voting representation in Congress. This paper explores the research on the effects of globalization in Washington DC, focusing on their impact on the city’s local education system. According to United State Census data, Washington DC is one of the most highly-educated cities in the world, with over half of adults possessing a bachelor’s degree. Conversely, in 2013, Washington DC’s public school system had the lowest high school graduation rate in the United States. If education is the "Great Equalizer" in a global society, are the city and federal governments in Washington DC providing local residents with the educational tools and opportunities required to be competitive in the global marketplace?
Whose Rights Matter?: Women's Rights Abuse in the United States and India
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Anja Zürn
The abuse of women’s rights is a phenomenon found in many societies. It may manifest as sexism, sexual harassment, abuse, and exploitation. The way that a society conceptualizes women’s rights abuse discloses diverse power structures and hegemonies. Furthermore, such power structures reveal whose rights seem to matter and which women are seen and accepted as victims of abuse. This paper examines who is constructed as a victim and whose rights matter through a post-structural discourse analysis. The paper specifically discusses the power structures and their impact on the construction of victims drawing upon Antonio Gramsci’s theoretical framework of discursively constructed hegemonies as well as Judith Butler’s concept of the construction of victimhood and grievance. The discourse of sexual harassment and abuse in the US, exemplified in the #MeToo campaign, and the debate of several rape cases in India are incorporated as cases for analysis. The researchers anticipate that the intersection of class and ethnicity play a prominent role in the power structure concerning the production of victimhood in both social contexts. Finally, implications for public discourse and public policy are discussed.
Camouflaging Military Distress: The Systematic Silencing of Women Military Members
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Kristen Schmidt
This qualitative research explores the experiences of ten women military members from three United States (U.S.) military branches: Army, Marine Corps and Navy. Specifically, it looks at how women military members identify and cope with mental and emotional distress created and aggravated by systematic marginalization in the military. Due to the lengthy and drawn-out wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military mental health has become a major point of social and political concern in society. However, the mental and emotional experiences of women military members are being overlooked. Current literature focuses on the socialization of military members, masculine military culture, and war related mental illness and trauma; there is insufficient literature that explores how women military members are impacted by the military institution. I utilize Labeling Theory, Symbolic Interactionism and Feminist Standpoint Theory to understand how stigmatizing labels and social interactions shape the identities of women military members. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 participants who self-identified as women veterans. Findings reveal that cultural masculinity creates an environment in the military that perpetuates and sustains the systematic subordination of women military members. As a result, self-silencing and identity management are frequently used by women military members as tools to help navigate through the military institutional system and to cope with distress.
