Are the natures of women and globalization compatible?

In his write up (Haliq News, Posted April 8th, 2009, by lalitkishor) "Are the natures of women and globalization compatible?" Jaipur-based educator and researcher Dr Lalit Kishore puts forth that globalization is encouraging unequal competition, male dominance, role reversal and social isolation. Hence, feminine values are being downgraded and women are being masculinized

Because of the relevance of the write-up, it is being disseminated in his blog, which goes as follows.

The last decade saw a spurt in research activities related to gender education development and globalization. Gender sensitivity and gender equity in all enterprises have become the key concerns for many well-meaning educators, social scientists and neuro-scientists

While explaining the feminine psyche, Mascarenhas (1993) says that in girls, their increased activity to become adult is directed inwards, towards their minds and feelings due to their innate capacity for emotion, empathy, intuition and creativity. She further says that only by having correct understanding of one's personality. i. e., femininity and masculinity we can ensure that men and women understand each other and develop their own personalities to their fullest potential.

According to Mascarenhas, femininity implies empathy, emotion or feeling strongly enough to do something; intuitiveness. While masculinity, on the other hand, has a special character of being direct, linearly logical and rational, aggressive and physical. Accordingly the Greek symbols to represent man is the arrow and for women the mirror reflecting her feelings.

Methodology

Focus group was used to gather articulated perceptions of the participants (N = 4) which worked as the raw data for analysis. In the light of the brain research and nature of globalization, a focus group was held for one hour in which an agriculture economist, an NGO functionary, a management expert and a woman activist participated. They were asked to voice their perceptions about globalization and gender and their compatibility. The punch lines of their perceptions were distilled as observation for analysis and conclusion drawing.

The Voiced Perceptions: Major Observations

The voiced perceptions of the focus group are summarized as follows:

• Globalization stands for integrating the economy of a country with the global economy by opening it to direct foreign investment.

• Globalization is more concerned with the creation of infrastructure facilities to foreign companies in different areas of economic activities in a country by removing obstacles to the entry of the multinationals.

• The driving forces of the present day globalization are markets and returns on investment by opening new economic activities and employment to millions of people. And, it is limited to that aspect only.

• It is equally important to understand what the sociological outcomes of globalization are. It is encouraging unequal competition, aggressive pursuits and monopolistic tendencies and hence enhanced male dominance.

• Globalization does not lead to an encompassing benefits and social transformation since it is central to trade and market economy.

• The nature of globalization is characterized by competition and aggressiveness, which cannot work as an alternative to status quo to the present male-dominated market economy and social set-up. It would never challenge the traditional gender roles.

• Incorporating women in production labour under the presently wave of corporate globalization is a ploy to have compliant and docile work force. But the question arises 'Can women experience security and have equity when the whole enterprise revolves around competition and warrior culture?'.

• Globalization is based upon masculine perspective of market economy and generally leads to masculinization of women. Furthermore, women and their in the market economy projected as workers or consumers or commodities through advertising campaigns.

• On the whole, globalization has impacted upon gender relations in a complex and contradictory way. It has not been supportive of equality between men and women. Globalization has no space for gendered self-determination. Market forces are in pursuit of global profits rather than gender equality. There is no reflection of gender equity in their normative policy and operational work. In fact, globalization is a new stage of capitalist development which can only thrive on the basis of social and gender inequity.

Analysis

According to focus group discussion, the dominant gendered voice is against the present wave of globalization. It is felt that gender issue has not been implicated in the globalization process and practices. Presently, globalization and gender equity are mutually contesting concepts.

Conclusion

In its present state, the process and mechanisms of globalization are not addressing the issue of gender equity. There is a need to raise and sustain a global gender agenda and work towards a globalization process which is gender inclusive.