Sexual Object
8. Gender Roles in Relation to Domestic Violence
10.4 Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research
Although I have attempted to limit the amount of bias within this research project as much as possible, it is still important to acknowledge the limitations which exist. One of the most significant limitations is embedded within the narrative research methodology. Interpretations of narratives always contain some form of subjectivity and bias which need to be taken in to consideration. However, it can be argued that all forms of data, even data which appears to be objective, contain levels of subjectivity. Subjectivity and bias are a permanent feature within all narrative data and whilst this can be considered to be a flaw, it is an aspect which cannot be eliminated and is also a persistent across all research methodologies.
Furthermore, the fact that the translations for most of the interviews had to be converted from Luganda in to English also needs to be acknowledged. As more than one translator was used within this process the interpretation of Luganda in to English may have been influenced by the translator’s subjectivity. This means that the initial stories which were told by the participants have already been to a certain extent changes as the translators have
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chosen which English words reflect the meaning of the initial words spoken by the participant. As the translators, may have interpreted the meaning of the words differently from the story-teller, this reduces the validity of the data. Nevertheless, this is an issue which is difficult to avoid due to the language barriers which are in place but future research could attempt to conduct analysis on such narratives in their original language.
Finally, as narrative contains a large amount of detail and information which could be analysed using several different methods, the results which I have identified need to be acknowledged as a small; representation. Due to the length and time restrictions which are involved within this research project, it has not been possible to use a large extent of analysis methodologies. Thus, the data represented within this thesis needs to be understood according to these contexts. However, future research could focus on further analysing the data using different approaches and conducting different forms of comparison in order to get a richer representation of results.
In consideration to future research, it can be argued that gender roles significantly impact upon behaviour which can contribute towards the occurrence of domestic violence.
Therefore, it would be recommended that these aspects of gender should be explored further in future research. This research project has highlighted that underlying understandings of gender roles can impact upon gender relations between men and women. Improving these relations by exploring gender roles which encourage co-operation and harmony may help to eliminate cases of domestic violence. Thus, future research should focus on further exploring gender roles and how these can be altered to influence positive gender relations within Uganda.
In addition, whilst this research project has focused upon the impact of gender roles in Uganda, future research should attempt to investigate how gender roles are related to cases of domestic violence within other communities. Drawing comparisons between different
communities will provide further understandings of how gender roles impact upon cases of domestic violence and which approaches are needed to alter these effects. Whilst the unique aspects of each community should still be taken in to consideration, such comparisons may contribute towards designing effective development projects which aim to alter gender roles appropriately to decrease cases of domestic violence
The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the connection between socially constructed gender roles with the persistence of domestic violence in Uganda. By analysing narratives of domestic violence this thesis found that men and women within Uganda hold certain gender roles which associates them with certain privileges, limitations, expectations and duties.
Some of these associations, such as authority and control, can influence behaviour which either justifies domestic violence or encourages its occurrence. In addition, failure to perform certain gender roles, especially in consideration to women’s roles as obedient wives, can be interpreted as undermining or challenging men’s authoritative positions which increases tension and causes domestic violence. Evidently, gender roles play a significant part in influencing the occurrence of domestic violence by impacting upon the behaviour of men and women and effecting how men and women relate to one another.
It has been the objective of this thesis to contribute towards wider development discourse in consideration to achieving gender equality. This thesis has highlighted that issues of gender inequality are extremely complex and deeply embedded within social understandings of gender. To eradicate such issues or influence progress, these constructions
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need to be identified and challenged. In order to achieve further progress in gender equality, all structures and aspects contributing towards these inequalities need to be acknowledged and addressed. Changing structures at the top may not filter down to the bottom levels of societies where these constructions are created which is why it is fundamentally important to investigate such aspects further.
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