September 24 Readings Power Point

Presentation for Annual Editions: Readings #46 and #48 Global Problems: Chapters #3 and #4 Middle East Group: Alaina Famigletti, SarahWolfenden, RemaBhatti SO 191 9/25/2013 Dr.Hodgson

Annual Editions #46 The Women’s Crusade by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

Question 1: What is the overarching theme of this passage and how did you find the tone of the writers? Do you think their suggestions are realistic?

Question 1 • The overarching theme is that providing aid to countries specifically to empower and educate women will help make the gender playing field more level for women in developing countries. Personally, I found the tone to be fanatic. The writers only provided anomalous examples of successful women and didn’t illustrate the daily reality for women who are not progressing. I think their suggestions are unrealistic because they are telling us success stories which make us less likely to want to participate because we figure that somehow gender equality will just become achievable on its own. The two stories about Saima learning how to start an embroidery business and Tererai pursuing her Ph.D are beautiful, but do they really show what the main issues are? Also I think the writers illustrate the solution to be people with money giving it to people in developing countries rather than people going in to help or actually teaching women how to empower each other. I think that their ideas are great but ultimately too idealistic. How can we realistically help these women if we aren’t exposed to the truth.

Question 2: “But even so, the economist Esther Duflo of M.I.T found that when men’s crops flourish, the household spends more money on alcohol and tobacco. When the women have a good crop, the households spend more money on food. ‘When women command greater power, child health and nutrition improves’ Duflo says (203).” What do you think of this statement? Are there other possible impacts on what households spend money on?

Question 2 • Personally I think this statement is a distortion of perceived aims at gender equality. The date provided is strictly correlative which essentially does not prove anything. I think that there must be other factors going into what households spend money on, for example, cultural habits, gender role perception, etc. It is one thing to want to say yay let’s give more power to women, but in some of these places the culture doesn’t allow room for this to happen so I think that other cultures need to be regarded too. Obviously I come from a euroamerican world view and believe that women should have more power and would help with practical spending but this doesn’t mean that this can just happen because I want it to. I think this needs more research on how to effectively instate these goals rather than just saying yay let’s make them happen!

Question 3: “98% of people in Egypt say they believe that ‘girls have the same right to educations as boys (203).” What is wrong with this statement?

Question 3 • It assumes that boys have the ultimate right to education and that girls, a deviation from the ideal human, happen to have the same rights too. I think it should say girls and boys have the same right to education. I think this idea of girls being “just as good as” boys is reiterated throughout the article and exemplifies the persistence of gender inequality in western society today. Ultimately, while the article makes a nice attempt to advocate and empower women, it still has a long way to go in making clear it’s ideology.

Annual Edition #48 Girls in War by Radhika Coomaraswamy

Question 1: What do you think about the “vulnerability of girls in armed conflict?” How does this article contextualize the previous article?

Question 1 • The lens that Coomaraswamy uses to look at violence against women in developing countries is interesting because it is a military action context. Thus she illustrates how many of the problems that were highlighted in the previous article occur as a result of war and civil unrest rather than just as culturally embedded practices. I think this article provides a more realistic basis to work with because we see why this is happening to young women and girls across the globe and that the problem is much more complex than just something we can “send aid to.”

Question 2: “At the international level commentators have always

pointed to “waves” of trafficking...These waves often occur in ares of armed conflicts; women flee in large numbers, and being sex workers is their only survival strategy (212).” What are some examples of human trafficking you have heard of? This is becoming an increasing problem that is linked to globalization, why is this happening more often?

Question 3: “I was in the Central African Republic and met three generations of women in one family who had been raped when Jean-Pierre Bemba’s troops attacked the capital, Bangui. They were getting ready to go to the Hague and testify against him. Their elation at the possibility of justice and their gratitude that these things have come to pass has convinced me that we are on the right path (213).”

How do you feel about this conclusion?

Question 3 • I think it suggests realistic progress. The fact that these women who have been treated so violently are finally getting a voice will really make a difference. It is a small step but eventually all of these small steps will hopefully create a true change over time.

Global Problems: Chapter 3 Gender and Family: Overburdened Women and Displaced Men

Questions 1.) How have the roles of men and women changed? What is meant by “tired, stressed women and angry alienated men?” Do you think it is possible to ease the burden felt by both genders? 2.) How have these changes in roles of men and women effected child-rearing and marriage? 3.) What is meant by the “feminization of migration?” What are some challenges still faced by women worldwide today?

Question 1: • Women work “second shift” and often feel angry and frustrated that they still do the major portion of housework on top of having a job. • Jobs that use to require strong men have been replaced by automation and mechanization, which leaves men feeling disgraced and alienated as they fail to provide for their families (women become even more over-burdened.) • It is not easy for men to step into traditional female roles of domestic tasks and child care. • Women feel “locked in” to the demands of the home and job, and Men feel “locked out” of the labor market and of their families. • Middle and upper-middle class men feel “the time bind” as they are expected to be devoted to their careers and more involved in parenting.

Question 2: • Europe provides generous maternity leave followed by subsidized childcare. (France- “écoles maternelles”) • China, India, and U.S. the caregiver is often a grandmother or older family member • People are marrying later and divorcing more often— marriage is about romance and companionship, which makes it more optional • World divorce rates continue to rise with the U.S. being the highest in the industrial world (low rates in Catholic countries like Ireland, Italy and Poland as well as in N. Europe where people are slower to marry) • Lowest divorce rate in industrial world is Japan due to stigma against divorced couple and lower expectations of marriage • Semi-arranged marriages in India are enduring

Question 3: • Trafficking of women and girls from Albania and eastern Europe • Wealthier countries have been flooded with female domestic workers—they also work on cruise ships and in overseas resorts • Women work in independent sales (Brazil has more Avon beauty consultants than it has soldiers) • Women still earn less than men and are underrepresented in top government and corporate positions

Global Problems: Chapter 4 Education Access and Success

Question 1: Through out the world if a college education is possible is it even worth it? Should college be seen as an investment? What are your thoughts on how one should get into college?

Question 1: • In some countries, students are unable to find jobs after they graduate. – Countries aren’t stable enough to provide a strong work force. i.e. Mauwi Funidi of Kisangani, Congo is a librarian but is struggling because the nation is torn by civil war, the library does not purchase more books, the books are never used because the university classes hardly meet. – India sends the graduates abroad to find jobs – In the United States there is a stress on whether or not students are ready to work after college. • Students are paying for college by looking at it as an investment but sometimes they are not getting back the return. • Should there be competitive standardized tests like Japan to get into college or should everyone get a chance at college or more be a method like in Germany

Question 2: Around the world what was a common theme seen in the education system; in terms of how countries often find a division?

• Social Class

Question 2:

– In many countries children in the working class or poor areas are not able to afford the education. Parents of these children also send them to work at young ages to provide income in the house. – Even if the child gets to college in some countries it is hard for them to stay such as Mexico , although tuition is free living expenses are costly. – Kozol wrote in the Savage Inequalities(1991) states that there is still a racial segregation in the public schools by divided communities due to the fact that schools spend from what local property taxes are generated.

Question 3: What are the four main practices of education? In your opinion which is the most important to follow in education and why? How do you think it is possible to use these as a foundation for an education system?

Question 3 • Inclusive Education: – Every child regardless of gender, region, or race/ethnicity must be given a chance at education. A child can not learn until the parent is also educated. • Equal Education: – Quality education for girls (this has been a prominent issue through out the world. Girls are seen less likely to need an education thus are not granted one) – Societies with notable differences: some neighborhoods lack resources (rich and poor) • Practical Education: – Education must include useful skills in communication, analysis, and problem solving and working with complex systems and technology. • Liberal Education: – Students are learning to be citizens along with workers. Effective education should open minds