Sara Niner
Biographic Data
| ID | 101827 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sara Niner |
| GIVEN NAMES | Sara |
| FAMILY NAME | Niner |
| SIGNATURE | NINER S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Monash University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2175-965X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 21 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 55 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2000 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Transformational change for gender justice
This article provides a deep analysis of local perceptions of gendered roles, relations, and stereotypes in contemporary East Timorese society, contextualized by an account of social and gendered power hierarchies grounded in local histories, as presented by Timorese women. This analysis outlines a framework or typology of these perceptions, ranging from socially conservative to socially progressive. The following categories were identified in re…
Debate on Conflict, identity, and state formation in East Timor, 2000–2017, by Gerry van Klinken, Hoko Horii, Antero Benedito da Silva, Sara Niner, and Gordon Peake
The Bijdragen occasionally organizes a book debate in which we invite three scholars to review a recently published book, followed by a response from its author.In this issue of the Bijdragen, that convention has, by necessity, been thwarted.Not long after the 2019 publication of his important work, Conflict, identity and state formation in East Timor, 2000-2017, James Scambary passed away suddenly.He was just 59.That it occurred at the height of…
Feto bele
This article explains how the face of political leadership in contemporary Timor-Leste is predominantly male, revealing the logics behind the preference for men. While an overwhelming majority of our survey respondents and focus group participants believed that women and men are equal and that feto bele, “women can” become political leaders, reservations about women’s attributes and capabilities were common. While women were generally perceived t…
Evaluating the Extent of Participation of People Living With Dementia in Research
Most research about dementia consults with carers, community workers, nurses or other health professionals, but rarely with people living with dementia (PLWD). This paper investigates why this is the case and documents the extent to which dementia research includes those with lived experience. We searched for studies reported in academic articles focussing on dementia that described using participatory methods. Approximately half of the studies w…
Even Though I Get a Loan, My Husband Controls It’
This study investigates the development intervention of microfinance programs with women borrowers in strong patriarchal communities such as in rural Bangladesh. Using Rahman's framework (1999) of 'public transcript' vs. 'hidden transcript', we describe how women's structural vulnerability is understood and leveraged by the microfinance institutions (MFIs). The findings in this paper is based on data from 331 surveys and 40 in-depth interviews fr…
Gender relations and the establishment of the LGBT movement in Timor-Leste
Women’s Political Participation in Post-conflict Settings
Tackling gender gaps in political representation is a key pillar of peace building and development interventions in conflict-affected environments, which has been addressed using special measures (e.g., gender quotas and reserved seats). We argue that although this is a necessary first step, these interventions privilege descriptive or quantitative indicators that may not equate to the substantive participation of women. Instead, a focus on quali…
The Women's Movement in Timor-Leste and Potential for Social Change
The postconflict period in Timor-Leste is significant for the status of women and the struggle for gender equality. Women today face cultural and political pressure to conform to patriarchal demands, driven by a complex history of conflict, colonialism and changing customary practices. The contemporary East Timorese women's movement, largely a coalition of local NGOs, key women leaders and parliamentarians, has successfully driven the introductio…
Veterans and Heroes
Sara Niner is Course Director, Masters of International Development Practice, Monash University. Her research interests include: the culture and politics of Timor-Leste, gender relations across the region and critical development studies. Correspondence to: Sara Niner, School of Social Sciences, Monash University, E470 Menzies Building, Clayton 3800, Australia. Email: [email protected]
How development happens
This article describes how seed funding from one major Australian University, designed to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations among academics, led to the implementation of a safe and sustainable energy supply at a community development project in remote Timor‐Leste. This article reflects on the process, the results, and insights developed during the project primarily from the point of view of the academics. A participatory process of co‐de…
Women and the Politics of Gender in Post-Conflict Timor-Leste
Women and the Politics of Gender in Post-Conflict Timor-Leste
This book presents a wide-ranging overview of the position of women in Timor-Leste, 15 years after the country secured its independence. It considers the role of women in Timor-Leste’s history, explores their role in the present day economy and politics, and discusses their contribution to culture and society. The contested meaning of gender itself is investigated in the contemporary culture of this new society. It applies a wide range of differe…
Here Nobody Holds Your Heart
Our objective was to explore the ways in which displaced Karen mothers expressed emotions in narrative accounts of motherhood and displacement. We contextualized and analyzed interview data from an ethnographic study of birth and emotions among 15 displaced Karen mothers in Australia. We found that women shared a common symbolic language to describe emotions centered on the heart, which was also associated with heart "problems." This, along with …
Good Mothers, Bad Mothers
This paper reports on an analysis of representations of child abuse in English-language newspapers in Malaysia. Certain media images of mothers recur: bad mothers who are unable to protect their children; and good mothers, who are feminine representatives of a maternalised national government which is charged with interceding on behalf of abused children. Mothers implicated in child abuse are harshly judged by the maternalist regime. Our findings…
The ‘social tsunami’
Since the early 1990s, Malaysian society has displayed a deepening concern over steady increases in reported cases of child abuse in the country. For many Malaysians, knowledge of this issue comes from the mainstream media. This research analyses media coverage of child abuse in two mainstream English-language daily newspapers throughout 2010. The analysis focuses on how this issue is presented and ‘framed’ in the media. Through the use of simple…
Displaced Mothers
In narratives of displaced Karen women from Burma, both before and after resettlement in Australia, women framed their birthing experiences with those of persecution and displacement. Although grateful for the security of resettlement in Australia, social inclusion was negligible and women's birthing experiences occurred in that context. Women described the impact of the lack of interpreting services in Australian hospitals and an absence of pers…
Hakat Klot, Narrow Steps
This paper explores contemporary gender roles, particularly those of women, in the post-conflict or post-war setting of Timor-Leste (East Timor). This exploration is made in terms of feminist academic Cynthia Enloe's analysis of gender dynamics in post-war societies. A well-documented gender inequality, favouring men, is evident in East Timor and there is pressure for women to conform to ‘traditional’ cultural norms now the war is over. However, …
Sacred Cloth and Development in Timor-Leste
Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Women in Timor-Leste hand-weave textiles that play a significant role in their culture, particularly in the wake of destructive conflicts in that society. A nascent handcraft industry primarily composed of poor rural women represents a vulnerable and marginalized section of society. For many of these women, selling their handcraft products is the only way to earn cash to pay for essential item…
Major Alfredo Alves Reinado
Sara Niner of Monash University writes that the death of Alfredo Reinado during the attack he led on the president of Timor Leste (East Timor) on February 11th must be understood in the context of "post-traumatic stress syndrome [that] affects one third of the population" of East Timor. Such personal histories, notes Niner, do "not affect everybody the same. Some have survived such treatment and it has transformed them into deeply empathetic, gen…
A long journey of resistance
(2000). A long journey of resistance: The origins and struggle of the CNRT. Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars: Vol. 32, East Timor, Indonesia, and the World Community: Resistance, Repression, and Responsibility, pp. 11-18
The Promise of Prosperity
Hakat Klot, Narrow Steps
This paper explores contemporary gender roles, particularly those of women, in the post-conflict or post-war setting of Timor-Leste (East Timor). This exploration is made in terms of feminist academic Cynthia Enloe's analysis of gender dynamics in post-war societies. A well-documented gender inequality, favouring men, is evident in East Timor and there is pressure for women to conform to ‘traditional’ cultural norms now the war is over. However, …
The Women's Movement in Timor-Leste and Potential for Social Change
The postconflict period in Timor-Leste is significant for the status of women and the struggle for gender equality. Women today face cultural and political pressure to conform to patriarchal demands, driven by a complex history of conflict, colonialism and changing customary practices. The contemporary East Timorese women's movement, largely a coalition of local NGOs, key women leaders and parliamentarians, has successfully driven the introductio…
Women’s Political Participation in Post-conflict Settings
Tackling gender gaps in political representation is a key pillar of peace building and development interventions in conflict-affected environments, which has been addressed using special measures (e.g., gender quotas and reserved seats). We argue that although this is a necessary first step, these interventions privilege descriptive or quantitative indicators that may not equate to the substantive participation of women. Instead, a focus on quali…
Displaced Mothers
In narratives of displaced Karen women from Burma, both before and after resettlement in Australia, women framed their birthing experiences with those of persecution and displacement. Although grateful for the security of resettlement in Australia, social inclusion was negligible and women's birthing experiences occurred in that context. Women described the impact of the lack of interpreting services in Australian hospitals and an absence of pers…
Even Though I Get a Loan, My Husband Controls It’
This study investigates the development intervention of microfinance programs with women borrowers in strong patriarchal communities such as in rural Bangladesh. Using Rahman's framework (1999) of 'public transcript' vs. 'hidden transcript', we describe how women's structural vulnerability is understood and leveraged by the microfinance institutions (MFIs). The findings in this paper is based on data from 331 surveys and 40 in-depth interviews fr…
Veterans and Heroes
Sara Niner is Course Director, Masters of International Development Practice, Monash University. Her research interests include: the culture and politics of Timor-Leste, gender relations across the region and critical development studies. Correspondence to: Sara Niner, School of Social Sciences, Monash University, E470 Menzies Building, Clayton 3800, Australia. Email: [email protected]
Here Nobody Holds Your Heart
Our objective was to explore the ways in which displaced Karen mothers expressed emotions in narrative accounts of motherhood and displacement. We contextualized and analyzed interview data from an ethnographic study of birth and emotions among 15 displaced Karen mothers in Australia. We found that women shared a common symbolic language to describe emotions centered on the heart, which was also associated with heart "problems." This, along with …
The ‘social tsunami’
Since the early 1990s, Malaysian society has displayed a deepening concern over steady increases in reported cases of child abuse in the country. For many Malaysians, knowledge of this issue comes from the mainstream media. This research analyses media coverage of child abuse in two mainstream English-language daily newspapers throughout 2010. The analysis focuses on how this issue is presented and ‘framed’ in the media. Through the use of simple…
A long journey of resistance
(2000). A long journey of resistance: The origins and struggle of the CNRT. Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars: Vol. 32, East Timor, Indonesia, and the World Community: Resistance, Repression, and Responsibility, pp. 11-18
Evaluating the Extent of Participation of People Living With Dementia in Research
Most research about dementia consults with carers, community workers, nurses or other health professionals, but rarely with people living with dementia (PLWD). This paper investigates why this is the case and documents the extent to which dementia research includes those with lived experience. We searched for studies reported in academic articles focussing on dementia that described using participatory methods. Approximately half of the studies w…
Gender relations and the establishment of the LGBT movement in Timor-Leste
Good Mothers, Bad Mothers
This paper reports on an analysis of representations of child abuse in English-language newspapers in Malaysia. Certain media images of mothers recur: bad mothers who are unable to protect their children; and good mothers, who are feminine representatives of a maternalised national government which is charged with interceding on behalf of abused children. Mothers implicated in child abuse are harshly judged by the maternalist regime. Our findings…
A long journey of resistance
(2000). A long journey of resistance: The origins and struggle of the CNRT. Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars: Vol. 32, East Timor, Indonesia, and the World Community: Resistance, Repression, and Responsibility, pp. 11-18
Major Alfredo Alves Reinado
Sara Niner of Monash University writes that the death of Alfredo Reinado during the attack he led on the president of Timor Leste (East Timor) on February 11th must be understood in the context of "post-traumatic stress syndrome [that] affects one third of the population" of East Timor. Such personal histories, notes Niner, do "not affect everybody the same. Some have survived such treatment and it has transformed them into deeply empathetic, gen…
Sacred Cloth and Development in Timor-Leste
Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Women in Timor-Leste hand-weave textiles that play a significant role in their culture, particularly in the wake of destructive conflicts in that society. A nascent handcraft industry primarily composed of poor rural women represents a vulnerable and marginalized section of society. For many of these women, selling their handcraft products is the only way to earn cash to pay for essential item…
Hakat Klot, Narrow Steps
This paper explores contemporary gender roles, particularly those of women, in the post-conflict or post-war setting of Timor-Leste (East Timor). This exploration is made in terms of feminist academic Cynthia Enloe's analysis of gender dynamics in post-war societies. A well-documented gender inequality, favouring men, is evident in East Timor and there is pressure for women to conform to ‘traditional’ cultural norms now the war is over. However, …
Good Mothers, Bad Mothers
This paper reports on an analysis of representations of child abuse in English-language newspapers in Malaysia. Certain media images of mothers recur: bad mothers who are unable to protect their children; and good mothers, who are feminine representatives of a maternalised national government which is charged with interceding on behalf of abused children. Mothers implicated in child abuse are harshly judged by the maternalist regime. Our findings…
The ‘social tsunami’
Since the early 1990s, Malaysian society has displayed a deepening concern over steady increases in reported cases of child abuse in the country. For many Malaysians, knowledge of this issue comes from the mainstream media. This research analyses media coverage of child abuse in two mainstream English-language daily newspapers throughout 2010. The analysis focuses on how this issue is presented and ‘framed’ in the media. Through the use of simple…
Displaced Mothers
In narratives of displaced Karen women from Burma, both before and after resettlement in Australia, women framed their birthing experiences with those of persecution and displacement. Although grateful for the security of resettlement in Australia, social inclusion was negligible and women's birthing experiences occurred in that context. Women described the impact of the lack of interpreting services in Australian hospitals and an absence of pers…
Here Nobody Holds Your Heart
Our objective was to explore the ways in which displaced Karen mothers expressed emotions in narrative accounts of motherhood and displacement. We contextualized and analyzed interview data from an ethnographic study of birth and emotions among 15 displaced Karen mothers in Australia. We found that women shared a common symbolic language to describe emotions centered on the heart, which was also associated with heart "problems." This, along with …
Women and the Politics of Gender in Post-Conflict Timor-Leste
This book presents a wide-ranging overview of the position of women in Timor-Leste, 15 years after the country secured its independence. It considers the role of women in Timor-Leste’s history, explores their role in the present day economy and politics, and discusses their contribution to culture and society. The contested meaning of gender itself is investigated in the contemporary culture of this new society. It applies a wide range of differe…
Women and the Politics of Gender in Post-Conflict Timor-Leste
How development happens
This article describes how seed funding from one major Australian University, designed to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations among academics, led to the implementation of a safe and sustainable energy supply at a community development project in remote Timor‐Leste. This article reflects on the process, the results, and insights developed during the project primarily from the point of view of the academics. A participatory process of co‐de…
The Women's Movement in Timor-Leste and Potential for Social Change
The postconflict period in Timor-Leste is significant for the status of women and the struggle for gender equality. Women today face cultural and political pressure to conform to patriarchal demands, driven by a complex history of conflict, colonialism and changing customary practices. The contemporary East Timorese women's movement, largely a coalition of local NGOs, key women leaders and parliamentarians, has successfully driven the introductio…
Veterans and Heroes
Sara Niner is Course Director, Masters of International Development Practice, Monash University. Her research interests include: the culture and politics of Timor-Leste, gender relations across the region and critical development studies. Correspondence to: Sara Niner, School of Social Sciences, Monash University, E470 Menzies Building, Clayton 3800, Australia. Email: [email protected]
Women’s Political Participation in Post-conflict Settings
Tackling gender gaps in political representation is a key pillar of peace building and development interventions in conflict-affected environments, which has been addressed using special measures (e.g., gender quotas and reserved seats). We argue that although this is a necessary first step, these interventions privilege descriptive or quantitative indicators that may not equate to the substantive participation of women. Instead, a focus on quali…
Even Though I Get a Loan, My Husband Controls It’
This study investigates the development intervention of microfinance programs with women borrowers in strong patriarchal communities such as in rural Bangladesh. Using Rahman's framework (1999) of 'public transcript' vs. 'hidden transcript', we describe how women's structural vulnerability is understood and leveraged by the microfinance institutions (MFIs). The findings in this paper is based on data from 331 surveys and 40 in-depth interviews fr…
Gender relations and the establishment of the LGBT movement in Timor-Leste
Debate on Conflict, identity, and state formation in East Timor, 2000–2017, by Gerry van Klinken, Hoko Horii, Antero Benedito da Silva, Sara Niner, and Gordon Peake
The Bijdragen occasionally organizes a book debate in which we invite three scholars to review a recently published book, followed by a response from its author.In this issue of the Bijdragen, that convention has, by necessity, been thwarted.Not long after the 2019 publication of his important work, Conflict, identity and state formation in East Timor, 2000-2017, James Scambary passed away suddenly.He was just 59.That it occurred at the height of…
Feto bele
This article explains how the face of political leadership in contemporary Timor-Leste is predominantly male, revealing the logics behind the preference for men. While an overwhelming majority of our survey respondents and focus group participants believed that women and men are equal and that feto bele, “women can” become political leaders, reservations about women’s attributes and capabilities were common. While women were generally perceived t…
Evaluating the Extent of Participation of People Living With Dementia in Research
Most research about dementia consults with carers, community workers, nurses or other health professionals, but rarely with people living with dementia (PLWD). This paper investigates why this is the case and documents the extent to which dementia research includes those with lived experience. We searched for studies reported in academic articles focussing on dementia that described using participatory methods. Approximately half of the studies w…
The Promise of Prosperity
Transformational change for gender justice
This article provides a deep analysis of local perceptions of gendered roles, relations, and stereotypes in contemporary East Timorese society, contextualized by an account of social and gendered power hierarchies grounded in local histories, as presented by Timorese women. This analysis outlines a framework or typology of these perceptions, ranging from socially conservative to socially progressive. The following categories were identified in re…
Sociology (17 works) · Political science (16 works) · Law (12 works) · Peacebuilding and International Security (11 works) · Politics (9 works) · Gender Studies (8 works) · Gender, Security, and Conflict (8 works) · Law (8 works) · Psychology (7 works) · Gender Studies (6 works)