Gender Globalization And Democratization

Women's voices and experiences from around the world are brought to bear upon issues of globalization and democratization in this volume of strikingly original and diverse essays. From the Comfort Women of Japan to the Mexican maquiladoras, from the debt burdened nations of Africa to the 'new settler societies' of Oceania, the impact of globalizing forces and uneven democratization yields gender dislocations everywhere. This volume charts these trends with original research, first-hand interviews and surveys, and fresh theoretical perspectives. Gender regime change may be built on the understandings begun here.

This book examines the impact of globalization upon Canada, Mexico and the United States. It investigates changes in the structures and practices of federalism, in public policies and practices of governance and politics, and in economic livelihoods in all three nations. It also provides comparisons of the effects of globalization on women's lives.

Women's voices and experiences from around the world are brought to bear upon issues of globalization and democratization in this volume of strikingly original and diverse essays. From the Comfort Women of Japan to the Mexican maquiladoras, from the debt burdened nations of Africa to the 'new settler societies' of Oceania, the impact of globalizing forces and uneven democratization yields gender dislocations everywhere. This volume charts these trends with original research, first-hand interviews and surveys, and fresh theoretical perspectives. Gender regime change may be built on the understandings begun here.

"Rai subjects the projects of both national development and globalization to searching scrutiny through a gender lens. Her emphasis on the intersection of gender and other forms of inequality is very timely. An excellent text for a wide range of courses in politics, sociology and development studies." --Diane Elson, University of Essex Shirin Rai pushes us to rethink development. She brings us to ear a feminist analysis that grows out of her nuanced understanding of both China’s and India's gendered experience. Readers will find fresh ideas and sharp caveats about how patriarchy is sustained and fought over globally. --Cynthia Enloe, Clark University This important book ranges across contemporary debates in the study of gender and political economy. It situates differing gender-based theories in the context of wider political and historical processes such as colonialism, post-colonialism, Cold War politics, the New World Order, globalization and democratization. Shirin Rai focuses on the gendered nature of the political economy of development, and the shifts that have occurred as economies and states have moved from a development process that is state-focused to one that is clearly framed by globalization. Differences between men and women, and differences between women in contrasting social and geographical positions, are explored in relation to their influence on political practice. Rai considers how the structures of economic and political power frame men and women and examines the consequences of these gendered positionings. She makes important connections between the political narratives of different levels of governance and examines the discourse of empowerment at these different levels. The book concludes by reflecting on the way men and women are coping with the challenges of globalization and argues that women's movements need to re-establish the link between the recognition of difference and the redistribution of economic and social resources if they are to maintain their radical edge. This will be essential reading for undergraduates and graduates in politics, development studies and gender studies.

Democracy, anticipated by American and other Western powers to prevent economic chaos and political conflict within and among states, is not evolving as expected. This research argues that part of the failure resides in United States democracy assistance's inadequate consideration of gender within democracy programming.

Published in association with the United Nations, this book builds on the existing body of literature on gender and democratization by looking at the relevance of national machineries for the advancement of women. It considers the appropriate mechanisms through which the mainstreaming of gender can take place, and the levels of governance involved; defines what the interests of women are, and how and by what processes these interests are represented to the state policy making structures. Global strategies for the advancement of women are considered, and how far these have penetrated at national level, illuminated by a series of case studies - gender equality in Sweden and other Nordic countries, the Ugandan ministry of Gender, Culture and Social services, gender awareness in Central and Eastern Europe, and further examples from South Korea, the Lebanon, Beijing and Australia.

This book examines the impact of globalization upon Canada, Mexico and the United States. It investigates changes in the structures and practices of federalism, in public policies and practices of governance and politics, and in economic livelihoods in all three nations. It also provides comparisons of the effects of globalization on women's lives.

Though the proportion of women in national assemblies still barely scrapes 16% on average, the striking outliers – Rwanda with 49% of its assembly female, Argentina with 35%, Liberia and Chile with new women presidents this year – have raised expectations that there is an upward trend in women’s representation from which we may expect big changes in the quality of governance. But getting women into public office is just the first step in the challenge of creating governance and accountability systems that respond to women’s needs and protect their rights. Using case studies from around the world, the essays in this volume consider the conditions for effective connections between women in civil society and women in politics, for the evolution of political party platforms responsive to women’s interests, for local government arrangements that enable women to engage effectively, and for accountability mechanisms that answer to women. The book’s argument is that good governance from a gender perspective requires more than more women in politics. It requires fundamental incentive changes to orient public action and policy to support gender equality.