Discourse Analysis as a Tool for Understanding Gender Identity, Representation, and Equality

Today, gender and gender identity is at the forefront of discussion as the plight of women around the world and issues of gender equality and human rights have become an international concern for politicians, government agencies, social activists, and the general public. Discourse Analysis as a Tool for Understanding Gender Identity, Representation, and Equality provides a thorough analysis of what language use and linguistic expression can teach us about gender identity in addition to current discussions on topics related to women’s rights and gender inequality. Focusing on issues related to women in developing countries, workplace inequalities, and social freedom, this publication is an essential reference source for researchers, graduate-level students, and theorists in the fields of sociology, women’s studies, economics, and government.

Nazmunnessa Mahtab is Professor (Supernumerary) in the Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. She completed her Ph.D. from the University of Delhi, India in 1982. Her areas of specialization include: Women and Poverty, Gender and Development; Violence Against Women; CEDAW and Womens Rights; Gender and Governance, Women in Public Policy and Leadership, Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women. She has published three books: 1) Women in Bangladesh: From Inequality to Empowerment (2007); 2) Introduction to Women and Gender Studies: Selected Texts on Issues and Concepts, (2011); 3) Women, Gender and Development: Contemporary Issues (2012, 2015).

Sara Parker has worked in school of social sciences at Liverpool John Moores University since 1994. Her PHD focused on gender education and empowerment in Nepal and she has co-led a British Council Higher Education link between Liverpool Nepal and Bangladesh. She has published on the gendered impact of conflict on school children in Nepal as well as on participatory development and non-formal education.

Farah Kabir has been working with Action Aid Bangladesh as the Country Director since June 2007. Over 19 years of vast experience in the field of development and research has made Farah Kabir a renowned human rights figure at home and abroad with an uncompromising voice against human-rights violation. Farah has acquired extensive experience and knowledge on development with specific focus on Governance and Womens issues, particularly women in politics. As an expert on climate change, women rights and governance issue, Farah Kabir delivered speech in a number of international summits.

Tania Haque is an Associate Professor in the Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka. She graduated in Public Administration from Dhaka University. She also obtained her first MA degree in Public Administration from the same University. She was nominated by the Department, under a Dutch fellowship to study at the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) at The Hague from where she received her second Masters degree. She has completed her MA in Development Studies (specialization in Women, Gender and Development) at the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, The Netherlands. Her areas of interest include Care economy, Violence against women, Feminization of Poverty and Empowerment.

Aditi Sabur is an Assistant Professor of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh where she teaches undergraduate courses on Feminist theories, Women Society and Culture, Gender and Family, and Women and Religion. She holds an M.Phil. in Gender and Development from University of Bergen, Norway, and MSS and BSS degree in Women and Gender Studies from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Her main area of interest includes gender and construction of identities, masculinities and fatherhood, intersectionality, feminist theories and methodologies, gender, religion and minority issues etc. Currently, she is working on construction of fatherhood in Bangladesh.

Abu Saleh Mohammad Sowad is currently working at University of Dhaka as a lecturer and a freelance consultant in the field of Gender and Development. Formerly, he has worked with NETZ Partnership for Development and Justice as a young researcher, where his primary job responsibility was to conduct a study on the impact of development interventions on womens position in gender power relations; as a consultant with OXFAM Bangladesh, where he analysed gender consciousness and sustainability of one of their major projects in Bangladesh using qualitative analysis.