Narrative Pleasures and Feminist Politics: Popular Women’s Historical Fiction, 1990-2015

This dissertation contributes to a developing body of work on women’s historical fiction and its significance to feminist discourse. Building from Diana Wallace’s 2005 study The Woman’s Historical Novel: British Women Writers, 1900-2000, I offer a modified definition of “the woman’s historical novel” and a transatlantic consideration of several of the most popular titles in the contemporary period, including The Other Boleyn Girl (2001), Outlander (1991), A Great and Terrible Beauty (2003), and Scarlett (1991). Several studies have followed Wallace’s, notably Ann Heilmann and Mark Llewellyn’s Metafiction and Metahistory in Contemporary Women’s Writing (2007) and Katherine Cooper and Emma Short’s The Female Figure in Contemporary Historical Fiction (2012). However, these studies are often somewhat highbrow in their scholarship; they examine prize-winning texts by authors like Angela Carter, A. S. Byatt, Michèle Roberts, Margaret Atwood, and Sarah Waters, but often leave the relationship between popular culture and feminist politics in bestselling women’s historical novels undertheorized. On the other hand, while feminist critics like Imelda Whelehan, Susan Douglas, and Andi Zeisler have raised questions about the commercialization and dilution of feminist theory when it appears in popular fiction, film, television, and music, their studies have not addressed historical fiction in detail. Since historical fiction is one of the most prominent genres of the twenty-first century, this dissertation brings together the discourses of feminist pop culture criticism and theories of feminist historiography to address the tensions between narrative pleasures and feminist politics in some of the most recognizable women’s historical novels of the past twenty-five years. I offer a reading of these novels that illuminates how contemporary writers and readers uphold the importance of feminist gains when they imagine the past, but also express longing for aspects of traditional femininity that have been made taboo by modern feminist discourse. My study considers the contradictions or tensions between the novels’ feminist themes, such as the importance of female autonomy, women’s education, and sisterhood, and the various pleasures these texts provide, such as romance, erotic content, reverence for traditional gender roles, emphasis on clothes and other material trappings of femininity, and a focus on affluent, white, heterosexual women. Interrogating the various feminist and anti-feminist discourses and ideologies present in these popular, middlebrow novels, I attempt to add complexity and nuance to existing understandings of women’s historical fiction as feminist historiography, and to consider how and why feminist discourse is shaped by nostalgia, romanticization, and exoticism in these texts

The Battery Charging Hand-Powered Washing Machine “Project UWash”

Project UWash consists of converting the mechanical energy that goes into hand washing laundry into usable electricity. Our proof-of-concept system is composed of: an energy source (salad spinner), an energy harvester (AC generator), a regulating circuit (voltage regulator), a storage component (lithium ion batteries), and an application (charging an iPhone and USB based LED flashlight). The goal is to fully charge the LED flashlight after a one hour use and charge an iPhone to at least 50% after a 6 hour use. We were able to fully charge the flashlight in about 15 minutes but were only able to charge an iPhone to 41% after 8 hours of cranking with the AC generator. With the final UWash product we were able to power the flashlight for one and a half hours after a 15 minute use

Eating Disorder Symptoms On Female Collegiate-Level Athletes And Non-Athletes

In previous research, it found that the risk of developing an eating disorder (ED) is much higher in females compared to males (Dunca, Ziobrowski & Nicol, 2017; Raevuori, Keski-Rahkonen, & Hoek, 2014; Lewinsohn, Seeley, Moerk, & Striegel-Moore, 2002). Similarly, research has shown that the prevalence of EDs is much higher in female athletes compared to male athletes (Johnson, Powers, & Dick, 1999). Despite the risk of developing an ED being higher in females, research has not provided a strong understanding of the prevalence of EDs comparing female student-athletes and female student non-athletes. There is research that shows that athletes may have a lower risk of developing an ED (Hausenblas & McNally, 2004; Sanford-Martens et al. 2005; DiBartolo & Shaffer, 2002), in contrast, there is research that shows athletes may have a higher risk of developing an ED (Torstveit, Rosenvinge & Sundgot-Borgen, 2007; Greenleaf, Petrie, Carer & Reel, 2009). The goal of this study was to address this gap in the literature and investigate whether there was a difference in ED symptoms and body image concerns among athletes and non-athletes. Additionally, this study aimed to further understand how sociocultural factors impact female athletes and non-athletes differently. 71 women (34 athletes) responded to survey data and two analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were conducted to test whether there was a difference between groups. This study found that there were no significant differences in ED symptoms between groups, but there were differences in the societal influence on eating disturbances and body image. Particularly, some differences suggest that female athletes may internalize and feel more pressure to meet the standards of appearance set by society and culture

Clinical Legal Education as Qualifying Work Experience for Solicitors

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (the “SRA”) is proposing radical changes to solicitor education and training. The Solicitors Qualification Examination (“SQE”) has been extensively debated, but less attention has been paid to the proposed changes relating to qualifying work experience (“QWE”). In future, a much broader range of work experience, including that gained through clinical legal education, will potentially be able to count as QWE. This article addresses the key questions arising from the proposals, as yet unchartered in any depth in journals and scholarly writing. The background and detail of the SRA’s plans is analysed, before consideration is given to both the arguments for and against clinical legal education counting as QWE. The practical challenges are then deconstructed. Who will be able to supervise and sign off clinical legal education as QWE? What type of clinical legal education could count? How much time should students be credited for? What policies will law schools need to put in place? Practical advice is offered based on the authors’ experience and knowledge. The discussion is intended to stimulate further debate and the development of consensus on best practice

Can Audit Prevent Fraudulent Financial Reporting Practices? Study of Some Motivational Factors in Two Atlantic Canadian Entities

Much as has been written and done to prevent Fraudulent Financial Reporting (FFR) practicesbut FFR is still exists in the corporate world. It is common to think about FFR practices in largecompanies for its greater amount of consequences, though such practises have negative consequencesin small companies as well. FFR practices raise questions about the legitimacy of contemporaryfinancial reporting process, roles of auditors, regulators, and analysts in financialreporting. This empirical study attempts to investigate the motivational factors of the preventionand detection of FFR through the auditing process. The interviewees were carried outwithin the entity and proprietary theoretical framework with some accounting related managementin two medium-sized organizations in Atlantic Canada in winter 2008. The findings ofthis research demonstrate that an audit is not enough to prevent and detect FFR. The auditstructure needs to be revised and employees need to be educated in order for them to betterunderstand their internal control process, and their own role. Companies need to evaluate theircontrols and internal audit process instead of relying on the yearly audit. This study found thatthe most common methods used for FFR are improper revenue recognition, understatement ofexpenses/liabilities, and overstated and misappropriation of assets. Copyright © www.iiste.or

Households’ Coping Dynamics to Climatic Shocks of Flood and Drought in Northern Ghana

The Guinea and Sudan Savannah zones of Ghana experiences much of the recent climate change effects than any other ecological zone in the country. This paper presents the coping strategies adopted by households in response to the climate change effects of floods and droughts in Northern Ghana. The study espoused a case study design. Key informants’ interviews, focus group discussions and household interviews were the methods applied in gathering primary data from 250 household heads randomly selected from six farming communities along the white Volta basin within three disaster prone districts. The descriptive statistic tool of SPSS was employed in analyzing, summarizing and describing the data obtained. Key subjective views of the participants were also presented using quotations. Destruction of food crops and livestock, decline in crop yield and food shortage as well as destruction of building were identified by the study as the most devastating effects of floods and droughts in the study areas. To cope with these effects, households adopted various coping dynamics which included decision not to farm or build in lowlands areas or waterways, migration, reliance on external support and early planning of activities. The study concludes that the effects of both floods and drought in Northern Ghana poses great challenges to livelihoods of households who have adapted by find coping strategies. The findings reveal new dimensions of the empirical accounts on households’ coping dynamics in response the climatic effects of flood and drought. Keywords: Floods; droughts; climate change; coping strategies; rural househol

Stakeholder Power and Engagement in an English Seaside Context: Implications for Destination Leadership

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine stakeholder power and engagement within an increasingly competitive English seaside resort setting. It aims to adopt a structuralist and functionalist perspective and develop an enabling conceptualisation of power that incorporates structural and agency components in stakeholders’ reasons for engaging. Based on the conceptual interdependencies between stakeholder power and engagement, this study aims to present the limitations of previous studies on destination leadership in this area, and this paper also seeks to discuss implications for destination leadership. Design/methodology/approach – As a qualitative and exploratory study, mixed-method research was adopted using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with destination stakeholders from a prominent tourism action group. The primary research was carried out in an English seaside resort between 2010 and 2011. Data are used to draw a stakeholder map as a visual tool. Findings – Eight elements of enabling power are confirmed to be of importance in identifying stakeholder power and engagement. The level of power varies depending on stakeholders’ position within a network. These findings direct attention towards adopting a complexity leadership approach in an increasingly competitive destination environment. Research limitations/implications – The paper focuses on an English seaside resort, although results can be transferred to other similar-sized destinations where the focus is on local tourism policy development. Originality/value – The paper provides an innovative conceptualisation of power in stakeholder theory by drawing primarily on a sociological understanding of power as an enabler and not as an inhibitor for development, leadership and change in seaside resorts. This paper uses leadership theories to interpret data and infer implications for destination leadership