Explore a specific topic in detail and to integrate your knowledge about violence against women with your understanding of the factors that contribute to women’s vulnerability to violence and the violence perpetrated against them. It also allows you to go beyond the course materials in formulating an in-depth analysis and discussion of your selected topic.
Prepare a major research paper on one (1) of the following topics:
- Develop a comparative analysis that explores Canada’s and a non-Western country’s attitudes toward intimate partner abuse and/or sexual abuse. Your analysis should include prevalence rates in each country, the socio-cultural factors affecting women’s vulnerabilities in each country, and the similarities and differences in cultural contexts affecting women’s vulnerability to violence in each country. Conclude with an analysis of interventions that would be effective both in Canada and in the non-Western country you selected.
- Select a form of violence against women that was not carefully examined in this course.
Introduce your topic with a brief discussion of the nature and extent of this form of abuse. Your gendered analysis should include a description of the issue; a discussion of prevalence rates; the broad consequences of the situation; and the possible socio-cultural, political, and economic factors that affect women’s vulnerability to this form of violence. Conclude with an analysis of interventions that might be effective in addressing this problem.
- Develop a comparative analysis that looks at issues surrounding intimate partner abuse and/or sexual abuse in Canada’s Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women’s populations. Your gendered analysis should include prevalence rates and a discussion of the similarities and differences in the socio-cultural, political, and economic factors that affect both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women’s vulnerabilities to violence. Conclude with an analysis of strategies that would be effective in eliminating violence against not only Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women in Canada, but women everywhere.
- Identify a specific group of Canadian women based on their age, race, class, sexuality, or ability (e.g. immigrant women, elderly women, lesbians, women with disabilities, women living in poverty). Describe and discuss their specific experiences with abuse using Canadian women generally as the referent group. Your gendered analysis should include prevalence rates and a discussion of the similarities and differences in the socio-cultural, political, and economic factors that affect this group’s vulnerabilities to violence. Conclude with an analysis of strategies that would be effective in eliminating violence against not only the women in the group you have isolated, but women everywhere.
- A relevant topic of your choosing. Requires the consent of the course tutor.
