Write a paper by Hamilton et al. (2019) that you may find helpful ‘hegemonic femininities’ and the ‘femininity premium’. It discusses the different theoretical approaches taken by Connell, who talks about a gender hierarchy and who coined the term ’emphasised femininity’, compared to Hill Collins who argues instead for a more intersectional understanding – a ‘matrix of domination’. This is a good example of the kind of theoretical critique you could do – weighing up a couple of approaches to understanding a particular area, though the topic is not that exactly, is just a good example of a literature review. Important note; because this is a literature review I will provide you with 7 articles (in the chat) that you need to discuss to answer the question, which I will also provide. However, feel free to exchange articles if you need to; as long as you follow a line of argument and use the right analysis critique to answer the question, that’s okay. A part from 7 articles, you need to add 2 more articles from your own (even if you change some of the other articles) plus typical resources to support any argument, line, point… wherever. Everything needs to be referenced. Though your main point is 7/9 articles that need to be compared and argued. Although some approaches sit broadly under the umbrella of sociology, keep your literature review question focused on psychological issues – e.g understanding/theorising women’s lived experiences, meaning-making, wellbeing women’s agency etc… This is a psychology degree. However, don’t bring counselling / therapy literature into the equation. You’ll draw on theoretical, methodological AND ideolgical analyses (potentially) of these papers in this lit review, and the types of analysis you use will be informed by the research question. For e.g. if you’re comparing two different theoretical approaches to understanding X, then you’ll focus more on theoretical critque for e.g. Here is the question: Title: How best to understand Muslim women in western society: A close look at the meaning, reasons and perception of hijab-wearing. – you can use intersectionality, multiculturalism, consumer culture (as one of the articles discusses), imperialism, eurocentrisim… etc VERY IMPORTANT. I put this at first because is the most important thing and where I found mistakes in the past – Structure of the literature review: What you will need to do is to group together and compare and contrast the varying opinions of different writers on certain topics. What you MUST not do is just describe what one writer says, and then go on to give a general overview of another writer, and then another, and so on. Your structure should be dictated instead by topic areas, controversial issues or by questions to which there are varying approaches and theories. Within each of these sections, you would then discuss what the different literature argues, remembering to link this to your own purpose. Linking words are important. If you are grouping together writers with similar opinions, you would use words or phrases such as: similarly, in addition, also, again More importantly, if there is disagreement, you need to indicate CLEARLY that you are aware of this by the use of linkers such as: however, on the other hand, conversely, nevertheless… At the end of the review, you should include a summary of what the literature implies, which again links to your hypothesis or main question. Here is the step by step: 1 compare and contrast different authors’ views on an issue 2 group authors who draw similar conclusions 3 criticise aspects of methodology 4 note areas in which authors are in disagreement 5 highlight exemplary studies 6 highlight gaps in research 7 show how your study relates to previous studies 8 show how your study relates to the literature in general 9 conclude by summarising what the literature says The purposes of the review are: • to define and limit the problem you are working on: • to place your study in an historical perspective • to avoid unnecessary duplication • to evaluate promising research methods • to relate your findings to previous knowledge and suggest further research A good literature review, therefore, is CRITICAL of what has been written, identifies areas of controversy, raises questions and identifies areas which need further research. A good literature review needs a clear line of argument. You therefore need to use the critical notes and comments you made whilst doing your reading to express an academic opinion. Make sure that: • you include a clear, short introduction which gives an outline of the review, including the main topics covered and the order of the arguments, with a brief rationale for this. • there is always a clear link between your own arguments and the evidence uncovered in your reading. Include a short summary at the end of each section. Use quotations if appropriate. • you always acknowledge opinions which do not agree with your thesis. If you ignore opposing viewpoints, your argument will in fact be weaker. Your review must be written in a formal, academic style. Keep your writing clear and concise, avoiding colloquialisms and personal language. You should always aim to be objective and respectful of others’ opinions; this is not the place for emotive language or strong personal opinions. If you thought something was rubbish, use words such as “inconsistent”, “lacking in certain areas” or “based on false assumptions”! (See Guide 1.21) When introducing someone’s opinion, don’t use “says”, but instead an appropriate verb which more accurately reflects this viewpoint, such as “argues”, “claims” or “states”.
