As the conclusion to the book Women’s Human Rights: A Social Psychological Perspective on Resista... more As the conclusion to the book Women’s Human Rights: A Social Psychological Perspective on Resistance, Liberation, and Justice, this chapter discusses values psychologists interested in building a justice-centered psychology of human rights should consider. In particular, this chapter focuses on the neoliberal context that characterizes global society and emphasizes the consequent growing need for justice-oriented approaches to psychosocial research. Discussion regarding ways each of the contributing chapters to the volume exemplify values of resistance, liberation, and justice is also included. The chapter ends with a call to embolden researchers to increasingly align their work with efforts to promote justice-oriented change in communities.
Women's Empowerment and Global Health. A Twenty-First-Century Agenda. Edited by Shari Dworkin, Monica Gandhi, Paige Passano. University of California Press, 2017
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 2015
In response to a rise of dictatorships, the exacerbation of inequality, and violations of human r... more In response to a rise of dictatorships, the exacerbation of inequality, and violations of human rights in many Latin American countries, individuals have joined together through the formation of social movements to enact powerful, revolutionary changes in the area of human rights. The Movimiento Autónomo de Mujeres (Autonomous Women's Movement) in Nicaragua, specifically, was birthed out of the Sandinista Revolution when many women joined a massive national uprising during the 1970s in an effort to overthrow a dictatorship. The current study uses thematic narrative analysis to examine the oral histories of 13 key leaders within the Movimiento to understand how women's interactions with counter narratives have played a significant role in creating a more expansive and inclusive notion of human rights, and have fueled a pointed commitment to the use of human rights discourse in a strategic political agenda aimed at improving women's lived experience. The findings suggest that the leaders of the Movimiento deepened their understanding of human rights beyond traditional discourse through varied understandings of the consequences of inequality and, through an evolving process of awareness and action, developed a duty to challenge the dominant narratives that limited whose rights were realized. Moreover, our analysis connects the use of counter narratives that employ human rights discourse to current legislation and policy in Nicaragua that enhances the realization of women's human rights.
In the present study we seek to examine how and why some individuals commit their lives to creati... more In the present study we seek to examine how and why some individuals commit their lives to creating social change in their communities. We specifically explore the lives and experiences of lifetime feminist activists by assessing the role of various social psychological mechanisms in growing and sustaining commitment to social change in diverse social contexts. We utilize 3 social-psychological concepts: positive marginality, conscientización, and social identity theory in order to focus on the inherent intersecting mechanisms and influences that contribute to a lifetime of social activism. Using idiographic narrative analysis we employ an interpretive methodology to analyze the oral histories of 3 women: Grace Lee Boggs of the United States, Matidle Lindo of Nicaragua, and D. Sharifa of India. Our findings suggest that although the women's lives and experiences vary considerably, concepts from within social psychology can aid in our understanding of how and why individuals become increasingly committed to creating change. We discuss how these findings may contribute to theory development on understanding the experiences and efforts of individuals who contribute to social change.
Violence against women is a widespread societal problem substantiated and perpetuated through ine... more Violence against women is a widespread societal problem substantiated and perpetuated through inequities that operate within numerous levels of the society. Challenging and ending gender-based violence therefore requires addressing social structures that perpetuate gendered hierarchies and maintain women's susceptibility to experiencing violence worldwide. The present study examines novel approaches taken by women in two different countries in the Global South, one in Nicaragua and another in Tanzania, to examine macro-level processes involved in land ownership in regions where owning land is a marker of dominance. Using data from 492 women, results from structural equation models and qualitative thematic analyses demonstrate significant links among women's ownership of land, relationship power, and receipt of physical and psychological violence in both the countries. Collectively, the findings suggest that when women own land, they gain power within their relationships and are less likely to experience violence. Implications for theoretical conceptualizations of eradicating violence against women and practical interventions are discussed.
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Papers by Anjali Dutt