S.U.N.Y. Global Workforce Project
Gender and Globalization
Terms and Concepts
for the Study of Gender and Globalization
Part 1
Dr. Carl Davila
The College at Brockport
1. Toward a Definition of Globalization
One definition of globalization might be:
A process of interaction and integration among the people,
companies, and governments of different nations …
… driven by international trade and investment and aided
by information technology …
… which has effects on …
the environment
culture
political systems
economic development
and prosperity
human physical well-being
economic liberalization
a.k.a. “neo-liberalism”
The economic policy, implemented by governments largely through
international agreements, which attempts to reduce or remove
limitations on international trade and flow of capital.
These limitations may include …
• Tariffs
• Trade quotas
• Currency exchange and export policies
• Restrictions on labor migration
Other perceived limitations on economic liberalizaton include …
• Laws intended to protect the environment
• Laws intended to protect labor rights.
The cultural issues that arise with globalization can be
summed up in the (perceived) clash between
“local” tradition and “global” modernity
Modernity
Commonly understood as both economic and cultural
“progress”, e.g.:
Market-driven capitalism and rationalization of economy
“Development” and economic “growth”
“New” cultural forms:
the arts, “civil society”,
governmental forms
(“democracy”, “human rights”, etc.)
and in general, a kind of relentless drive toward
“progress”, the future, “development” and so on
Tradition
Often linked with identity:
Tradition helps a community to see itself as
distinctive, historically important, etc.
Economic modernity always brings changes in society,
and challenges tradition …
Especially the traditional position of women in society
often because their labor is needed outside the home
Link to Fiddler on the Roof Clip of “Tradition”
http://youtu.be/Zovz8ZV_B6s
What is the difference between sex and gender?
Consider that there is a difference
between the biological
fact of being male or
female…
and the social meaning
attaching to being
a man or a woman.
Gender system vs. gender ideology
The distinction between what people do
and what they think about it:
Gender system :
The distinct, culturally-defined roles and statuses of men
and women.
The different ways that men and women behave, or are
expected to behave that marks them as masculine and
feminine.
The “what” of roles and status.
Gender ideology
The culturally-based beliefs about the differences between
men and women, what it means to be masculine or
feminine in a given cultural setting, that are commonly used
to explain the gender system. The “why” of roles and status.
Patriarchy
Two dimensions :
The institutionalized
subordination of women to
men (gender system).
And the taken-for-granted belief
☞ that men are “naturally”
superior or more valuable,
☞ that society is more stable or
prosperous when led by men,
etc. (gender ideology).
End of Part 1