Women who kill their abusive partners : an analysis of queer theory, social justice and the criminal law

This thesis examines the criminal law's treatment of women who kill their abusive partners through a theoretical framework developed from queer theory and social justice. More specifically, in relation to queer theory, the thesis considers the work ofJudith Butler and her notions of gender as performativity, cultural intelligibility, materialisation and resignification. The model of social justice used is drawn from the work of Iris Marion Young. One particular aspect of her model of social justice is considered to be pertinent: cultural imperialism. Cultural imperialism maintains that an injustice in the form of domination and oppression is committed when inferior social groups are constructed from the outside by the dominant social group and where their particular characteristics are rendered 'Other'.The thesis applies the work of these two authors to a number of criminal cases in order to analyse the following issues: the construction of a woman's identity by the legal system; the existence of differences between women - particularly racial, cultural and ethnic differences - and the possibility of achieving justice within the existing criminal law. The thesis scrutinises Court of Appeal judgments and provides a close reading of two cases: Zoora Shah, who remains convicted for murder, and Diana Butler, who was, on retrial, convicted for manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.I argue that the murder/manslaughter and custody/probation distinctions are linked to the unintelligible/intelligible gender distinction. I further argue that in those cases in which a manslaughter conviction is achieved, the result can be seen to be both at once just and unjust. Whereas it may be 'legally just' when compared to cases involving men who have killed their partners, it is also 'socially unjust' due to the cultural imperialistic manner in which a woman's identity is constructed. Furthermore, the thesis highlights that, in addition to prevailing gender scripts to which women must conform, there also exists racial regulatory scripts which impact upon the construction of a woman's identity and her perceived cultural intelligibility. Attention is also paid to the instability of meaning which is considered to provide an opportunity for subversive transformation.In the conclusion the thesis forwards an overview of a proposed defence, which is based upon a reformulation of the battered woman syndrome and the defence of duress. This defence is considered to offer a more socially just outcome for womenwho kill

Ethics and Vulnerability in Street Prostitution; An Argument in Favour of Managed Zones

This article draws upon the work of Judith Butler, in particular her approach to ethics and the concepts of vulnerability and 'liveable lives,' in order to provide a critical analysis of reform proposals contained in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill (now Act 2008) in relation to street prostitution. The article will argue that the proposals presented in the Bill problematically use the vulnerability of street sex workers in order to promote a moralistic agenda. In contrast it will be argued that managed zones, as proposed by Liverpool City Council, provide a potentially more ethical approach to the issue of street prostitution

Compliance of a Ketogenic Diet in Children With Decreased Refractory Epilepsy

Abstract Background: Children who are diagnosed with refractory epilepsy are more susceptible to further neurological problems and as a result, are at risk of morbidity and mortality. Objectives: To explore research that has been conducted regarding the effectiveness of a ketogenic diet in treating children with decreased refractory epilepsy and to recommend the ketogenic diet for pediatric patients who are experiencing otherwise uncontrollable seizures, despite pharmacological therapy. Method: The integrative literature review was conducted using the two computerized databases PsycINFO and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Health Literature (CINAHL) between 2013 and 2017 with keywords “ketogenic,” “ketogenic diet,” “epilepsy,” and “refractory epilepsy.” Results: The ketogenic diet is a safe and effective interdisciplinary approach to treating refractory epilepsy in children. The Ketogenic diet is well tolerable and can be easily managed based on the child’s age and participation of the family. Conclusion: The review found that the children with a ketogenic diet ratio of 4:1 (fat: protein and carbohydrates) have seen more positive results with an overall decreased number of seizures within 15 days. Compliancy of the ketogenic diet in children is based on the child’s family participation in treatment. Keywords: ketogenic, ketogenic diet, epilepsy, refractory epilepsy, refractory epilepsy treatment, ketogenic diet for refractory epileps

A Performer\u27s Guide to Richard Danielpour\u27s A Woman\u27s Life

This document serves as a guide to the song cycle A Woman’s Life composed by Richard Danielpour in 2007. The document presents relevant biographical information on the composer and a discussion on his influences and style. Each movement of the cycle has been selected by Dr. Maya Angelou from her poetry collections and collectively forms the narrative of A Woman’s Life. A brief discussion is presented on the life and some of the works of Angelou. Readers of this document will gain further insight into the life of soprano Angela Brown, for whom the cycle was composed. A discussion on the performance history of the work will also be presented. This will include suggestions and recommendations for the performance of each song within the cycle

Women who kill their abusive partners : an analysis of queer theory, social justice and the criminal law

This thesis examines the criminal law's treatment of women who kill their abusive partners through a theoretical framework developed from queer theory and social justice. More specifically, in relation to queer theory, the thesis considers the work ofJudith Butler and her notions of gender as performativity, cultural intelligibility, materialisation and resignification. The model of social justice used is drawn from the work of Iris Marion Young. One particular aspect of her model of social justice is considered to be pertinent: cultural imperialism. Cultural imperialism maintains that an injustice in the form of domination and oppression is committed when inferior social groups are constructed from the outside by the dominant social group and where their particular characteristics are rendered 'Other'.The thesis applies the work of these two authors to a number of criminal cases in order to analyse the following issues: the construction of a woman's identity by the legal system; the existence of differences between women - particularly racial, cultural and ethnic differences - and the possibility of achieving justice within the existing criminal law. The thesis scrutinises Court of Appeal judgments and provides a close reading of two cases: Zoora Shah, who remains convicted for murder, and Diana Butler, who was, on retrial, convicted for manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.I argue that the murder/manslaughter and custody/probation distinctions are linked to the unintelligible/intelligible gender distinction. I further argue that in those cases in which a manslaughter conviction is achieved, the result can be seen to be both at once just and unjust. Whereas it may be 'legally just' when compared to cases involving men who have killed their partners, it is also 'socially unjust' due to the cultural imperialistic manner in which a woman's identity is constructed. Furthermore, the thesis highlights that, in addition to prevailing gender scripts to which women must conform, there also exists racial regulatory scripts which impact upon the construction of a woman's identity and her perceived cultural intelligibility. Attention is also paid to the instability of meaning which is considered to provide an opportunity for subversive transformation.In the conclusion the thesis forwards an overview of a proposed defence, which is based upon a reformulation of the battered woman syndrome and the defence of duress. This defence is considered to offer a more socially just outcome for womenwho kill

Identification and Explanation of Regional Development Poles in Haiti

The concentration of the population and socioeconomic activities in the Metropolitan Area of Port au Prince (MAPAP) in Haiti has a negative impact within MAPAP and on the socioeconomic development of the entire country. This phenomenon, known as urban primacy, is increasing at an unprecedented rate in developing countries. Urban primacy in the Third World is explained by scholars studying the phenomenon and by dependency theorists. Economic decentralization, based on growth pole theory, is one of the most frequently used policies for slowing the growth of primate cities by focusing on development poles. In Haiti, the potential growth poles are the regional capitals that have a constitutional mandate to promote and manage the development of their region. I have tested some of the assumptions of dependency and growth pole theories on Haiti, using the eight regional capitals as units of analysis. Using migration, geographic, and socioeconomic data, I have identified the strongest poles and explained their attraction power and formulated policy recommendations that will increase the chances of successfully implementing economic decentralization. The research design is the case study. The data show that MAPAP overshadows the regional capitals at the national level and within the capitals\u27 own region, except for Cap Haïtien. However, the regional capitals are the primary destinations for migrants within their regions. The strongest poles are Cap Haïtien, Gonaives, and Port de Paix. Their attraction power is explained primarily by their population size and by their connections to the international market. Due to the selection criteria of the units of analysis and the limitations of the data used, the support and rejection of the growth pole and dependency theories hypotheses are not conclusive for the testing of these theories in Haiti or the Third World. The Haitian government needs to be more aggressive in addressing the consequences of urban primacy by implementing a comprehensive economic decentralization. The January 12, 2010, earthquake brought light on the issues raised by this study. Fortunately, the Haitian government has expressed its vision for the rebuilding of Haiti with an emphasis on decentralizing socioeconomic activities outside of MAPAP

Women in Ministerial Leadership Roles

The literature shows that women in positions of leadership are more accepted in the realms of business and politics than in the church. There is an increase of women entering seminary programs and theological training centers in the pursuit of ministerial leadership roles yet, upon completion, job placement is challenging. There is still a polarized view of women in ministerial leadership that has led to inconsistencies, confusion, and the need for clarity. The purpose of this study is to identify the views of graduate students in Liberty University Rawlings School of Divinity on women in ministerial leadership roles. The most interesting finding of this research was that while 55.85% of participants believe women should not lead the church, 58.05% believe women can lead men in the church, and 37.21% believe the statement “if men do not lead, women should.” These seemingly contradictory responses reflect complex viewpoints that make it imperative that theological training centers, seminary programs, organizations, and the church seek to better understand the intricacies of this subject