Dissertation Ideas - Politics and Gender

[argumentativefeminist]

Hoping some of you lovely people can give me some ideas/starting points for my upcoming dissertation. Throw anything you've got at me, it's all useful!

My degree is combined gender studies, media and politics - but the dissertation needs to be mostly politics based rather than media. Anything about feminism or women and politics will be great, just struggling to think about what could be good but also interesting and exciting.

Hmm. Isn’t this showing that you don’t have ideas of your own and, I’m sorry, but I think you should. Surely something has grabbed your attention? Perhaps discuss your thoughts with others but I don’t see how you can enthuse about mine, or anyone else’s suggestions because they have not come from you or your studies.

In order to be helpful: Women in Russia - serfdom to emancipation?

I did my law dissertation on alternative approaches to criminalizing sex work - you could combine that with political rhetoric on women and sexuality (or bring in other topics historically legislated by male institutions - abortion, marriage, education, and discuss the impacts of these areas being decided in the male sphere)

What yr are you - for an idea of the length of dissertation?

Read the feminist boards on here they are full of current events in politics and women in politics. Be clear though that gender and sex are not the same thing.
Read and see what interests you.

Bubbles I'm not starting until September, and then I have until Christmas really to think of ideas. So this is very early stages where I just wanted to get ideas from other people, because other people have different interests and experiences to me, so I can get a greater variety of ideas and maybe find something I haven't thought of before. Its not like I'm 2/3rds through and going "Oh shit, don't have any ideas so I better ask mumsnet". But your idea definitely sounds interesting, thank you 😊

@t3exa That also sounds really interesting and very topical at the moment with sex work debates in the Commons. Male dominated institutions are definitely one of my favourite things to write about 😂

@isthistoonosy Its a third year dissertation so 9,000 ish words! I've hidden feminist boards on here because I'm in disagreement with everyone else here about the big issue of the day 😂 but maybe I'll peek back in for a bit and try to find some stuff actually about politics.

Do transwomen or men represent the needs of women in terms of x issue (select issue)?

Here's an article I found really thought provoking - the relationship between transgender ideology and capitalism.

Transgenderism Is Just Big Business Dressed Up In Pretend Civil Rights Clothes

Whatever you do, write it, then use find and replace to substitute the word sex for gender.

I've hidden feminist boards on here because I'm in disagreement with everyone else here about the big issue of the day

So you're studying politics and gender, but you're self-censoring rather than exploring why people disagree with your opinions?

This issue is huge, nuanced and fast moving. If you're at all interested in gender and politics surely you should be keeping up with it - even if you do agree strongly with one side. I'm curious - why wouldn't you?

I'm in disagreement with everyone else here about the big issue of the day 😂 but maybe I'll peek back in for a bit and try to find some stuff actually about politics.

Yes, good idea - why not use the work of other women [who you disagree with] to short cut/reduce your own? Very patriarchal. Top work.

If you disagree read the board, read around and educate yourself on the subject and write from.the other side of the argument. You've taken the time to form an opinion so must be interested in it already. Why men should be allowed to self id as women and take places, join lists and fill quotas previously only open to biological women.

Or write more generally on why domens quotas, lists etc are no longer needed.

This actually my oh research area so I will try to post a few general reading ideas later when he is home.

franchise -compare when different countries gave vote to women, whether there was different qualifications ie age, financial, compared to men, Stats over time for women in gov compare countries, & link to attitudes and language describing women in power (media bit) has it changed over time

mumsastudent Was already thinking about doing something comparative about women in government so adding a historical element with franchise would be really good! Thank you 😊

I'm not talking about trans issues. I'm not writing about trans issues. I do keep up with the debate but have hidden the discussions for a short period of time for my own good because it was upsetting me to see some of the content that was on my active talk section, and being ambushed by transphobia when the title of the thread seemed to be about something else. Interested to hear being inspired by or interested in the ideas of other women and then using that to create my own research is patriarchal - better drop out of my modules with women lecturers now before I accidentally become a raging misogynist.

Interested to hear being inspired by or interested in the ideas of other women and then using that to create my own research is patriarchal - better drop out of my modules with women lecturers now before I accidentally become a raging misogynist.

If you chose to not attend their lectures, because they upset you but then you sneaked a look at a video of their lectures when you need it - yes I'd say the same.

Wasn't intending to go back to the trans based threads to look for politics. Was potentially going to look in the broader feminist chat to look for threads about other issues, but I'm not sure I'd have much luck.

I know, painful isn't it...all women are ever concerned with are handbags and nappies.

And Trans of course.

Not about women's rights at all.

Sigh.

I'm not doubting that feminists on Mumsnet are concerned with a wide range of issues. What I am saying, is that it's hard to find debate on here that is about that wider range of issues. If someone can point me in the right direction and I've just been missing it, I'd be grateful! 😊

How motherhood effects political participation (local and national) across different socio-economic classes in East Africa.

DieAntword That sounds really interesting! I've considered that in a UK context and done a bit of reading, but a comparison piece would be really interesting I think. Is it something you've written/read about?

@argumentativefeminist no but I have a daydream when my kids are old enough going back to uni to do Anthropology (my degree is computer science). I'm very interested in cross cultural stuff and since being a mum I've wanted to study how it plays out in other cultural contexts.

DieAntword Definitely do it if you can! Kind of sad I never did Anthropology - although I do seem to have done a bit of mostly every other social science so I suppose that isn't too bad 😂

How female politicians, particularly leaders are portrayed in the media.

Why was it Trump v Hillary not Trump v Clinton or Donald v Hillary?

Julia Gillard being called a witch.

The reaction to Jacinda Arden's pregnancy compared to benazir bhutto's.

How parliament being broadcast first on the radio and then on TV has influenced hoe parliament works ie you don't get sniggering and sexist remarks if someone is discussing smear tests now. You did before radio broadcasts. After TV broadcasts male MP's stopped making 'tit gestures' to female MPs.

How 'women's issues' are discussed in parliament now compared to 20 or 30 years ago eg the opposition to making rape in marriage illegal, tampon tax, when the VAT was reduced to 5% the chancellor was too embarrassed to announce it in the budget. Cameron said after Brexit there would be no tampon tax, current government says it needs the tax but will spend it on shelters.

sashh Thank you! That's totally the sort of things I'm interested in! Thinking of doing a comparative Cameron vs May (with the shadow cabinets too) on representation of women and women's issues, so that sort of thing sounds perfect!

OP, a piece of advice I give to my dissertation students: whatever you decide to write on, if your subject is contemporary, then pick a cutoff date for your material and stick to it (e.g., don't look at anything that happens after 30 September 2018). I supervise a lot of dissertation students in a field that overlaps with yours, and they give themselves a lot of unnecessary anxiety if they are constantly revising their work to reflect new developments. So, for example, if you wanted to write about the impact of #MeToo in on US politics, it would be a very bad idea to try to keep updating your argument to refelect every latest insane pronouncement from Cheeto Benito and his henchmen/women. Pick a time period at the start and stick to it. Good luck!

FatherBuzz That's very good advice! I think I'm going to go up to the end of this Parliament at Christmas Recess, so it feels fresh and up to date but I can finish research then, and get on with the writing in second semester.