Unit 8: Contemporary Feminism-
an Example of Argentina
第8單元:當代女性主義_以阿根廷
為研究案例
Presenter: Dr. Andrea, Pei-Shan Kao
National Chiao Tung University
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About Feminism

Definition: A discourse that involves various
social theories, political movements which is
based on women’s experience.

Purpose: To advocate equality for women,
campaign for women’s rights and interests.

Issues: Gender differences, discrimination,
stereotype, repression, and fathers’ rights, etc.
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
Process: 3 waves
The first wave was in the 19th and
early 20th centuries
↓
The second wave was in the 1960s and
1970s
↓
The third wave extends from the 1990s
to the present
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 Ideologies and Theoretical Schools:
(1) Liberal Feminism: all women can assert their ability to
achieve equality; therefore, it is possible for change to
happen without altering the structure of society.
(2) Radical Feminism→ Separatist Feminism;
(3) Black Feminism→ Womanism;
(4) Socialist and Marxist Feminism: It connects the oppression
of women to Marxist ideas about exploitation, oppression
and labor.
(5) Ecofeminism: It connects the exploitation and domination
of women with that of the environment. They argue as
men control the land, they can exploit it for their own
profit and success; in this situation, women are exploited
by men in power for their own profit, success, and pleasure.
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Example 1:
When Carly Fiorina became
CEO and chairwoman of the
board of HP, she said there
was no “glass ceiling”.
▼
▲ When she left HP, she
called her earlier statement “a
dumb thing to say."
↑Source: http://images.newsfactor.com/images/id/4750/hp-ceo-carly-fiorina-resigns_nfn.jpg;
↗http://www.djurdjevic.com/Images2005/FORTUNE_cover.JPG, “consulted in November 2008”.
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Her Curriculum Vitae
*Born in February 19, 1953
(La Plata, Province of Buenos Aires)
*BA in Law
( National University of La Plata)
*President
December, 2007
*Senator (Buenos Aires) 2005-2007
*First Lay
2003-2007
*Senator (Santa Cruz) 2001-2005
*Deputy (Santa Cruz) 1997-2001
*Senator (Santa Cruz) 1995-1997
*Provincial Legislature 1989, 1993
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↑ Source: http://www.american.edu/ted/images2/argfull.gif, “consulted in November, 2008”.
About her
-Daughter of Eduardo Fernández
(of Spanish heritage) and Ofelia Esther Wilhelm
(of German heritage).
-Wife of former President: Néstor Krichner.
-Member of the Justicialist Party, founded by
Juan and Evita Perón in 1947.
-The First Lady in history to be elected to
succeed her husband as a president.
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Disputes about her:
1.Extension of a “Dynasty” or victory of
“Feminism”?
--Former President’s wife. Her presidency is seen
as the key to continue the project of her husband,
Kirchner.
-2nd female President of Argentine, after Isabel
Perón (1974-1976), but the first to be elected.
-Women’s wages are on average lower than those of
men by 38%. (The largest in Latin America)
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2. Economic issues…after 8% yearly growth rate in the
past 4 years
-Her policies are seen as the continuation of the project
of her husband, eg: Stronger role for government
→Nationalisation.
*Kirchner→Nationalised Thales Espectrum (which
regulates Argentina’s radio airwaves), Metropolitano
(Buenos Aires’ trains), Correo Argentino (the post office)
and Aguas Argentina (the water company).
*Fernandez→Nationalised the pension funds.
-The “inflation” issue
-Huge “foreign debts”
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3. Cool relations with the United States because of
Argentine-Venezuelan relations ?
→Political funding scandal from the U.S.A
The U.S. government: Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
won with the help of $800,000 secretly sent from
Venezuela. Four people are accused.
Her reactions→ “garbage in international politics”
Reactions of Venezuela President, Hugo Chavez→
He calls the case a “fabricated scandal.”
Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17246547, “consulted in November 2008”.
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Class Discussion :
Do you support that female can
join the Presidential election? If
yes, will you support a female
President? If not, why? please list
all your reasons and discuss it
with your members.
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