Baylis, Smith & Owens:

The Globalization of World Politics 5e

Chapter 16
Gender in World Politics

 Too often the great decisions are originated

and given form in bodies made up wholly of
men, or so completely dominated by them
that whatever of special value women have to
offer is shunted aside without expression.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Representation of the world, like the world

itself, is the work of men; they describe it from
their own point of view, which they confuse
with absolute truth.

Introduction
Over the last decade, feminism has emerged
as a key critical perspective within the study
of international relations.
The initial impetus of this critique was to
challenge the fundamental biases of the
discipline and to highlight the ways in which
women were excluded from analyses of the
state, international political economy, and
international security.

Feminist Theory
Feminism: a movement dedicated to
womens political, social, economic
equality.
The most important goal for feminist
theory is to explain womens
subordination which exist to varying
degrees in all societies and seek ways
to end it.

 Feminist theory: goal is to explain why

women are subordinated
No separation between knowledge and
political practice -> should help improve
womens lives
A simple definition of feminism means the
study of and movement for women not as
objects but as subjects of knowledge

Introducing Feminist Theory

Types of feminist theory: different
explanations for womens subordination
Liberal
Marxist
Socialist
Post-modern
Postcolonial

Gender
A set of socially constructed
characteristics that define masculinity
and femininity
A structure that signifies unequal power
relationships between women and men
A system of social hierarchy in which
masculine characteristics are more
valued than feminine ones

Why gender important in

IR?

(1) Gender in IR Theory

Gender-sensitive lenses
Build on other theories but incorporate
gender as category of analysis
Liberal feminists:
Womens equality can be achieved through
removal of legal obstacles

Liberal Approach to Equality

Equality of Opportunity Model
Freedom to chose education and career.
Need a level playing fieldeveryone should have
equal access to opportunities.
No legal or social barriers to economic
opportunities.
Education, hiring, promotions based on
achievement.

Liberal feminists
Investigated problems of refugee woman,
income inequalities, human trafficking, rape in
war etc.
Observe how women affects and is affected
by international policy making.

(2) Gendering Security

i- Challenging the myth of protection.
90% suggest we should be questioning
this story.
Women and children majority of the
worlds refugee populations.
In wartime, women are subject to rape
and prostitution.

 Rape is not just an accident of war but often

is systematic military strategy.
Estimated 20,000 to 35,000 women were
raped during the war in Bosnia Herzegovinaethnic cleansing-strategy forced pregnancies.

ii- GENDERING WAR

Masculine image of the soldier challenged
by increasing numbers of women in the
military worldwide
Role of militarized masculinity in policy
making

iii- FEMINIST DEFINITIONS OF SECURITY

Feminist theory broadens security
conceptions beyond the masculine state.
define security as: the diminution of all forms
of violence, including physical, economic and
ecological
They suggest security should be from the
bottom up instead from the top down.

(3) Gender in the

International Political Economy
Gendered division of labour
disadvantages women
Dates back to 17th century
Public-private division

Women are home-based, or work in

garment, service or agricultural fields
Double burden of household labour

Why is it the feminist

movement is so fragmented
in International Relations

1) Issues of Secularism
- Feminist movement is often misunderstood
as a breach of Eastern culture and religion of
Islam because the origin of the so-called
Western countries are considered too
secular.
- However, the feminist movement still fighting
in the Middle Eastern countries such as Iran
and Egypt, where discrimination against
women is the norm of society. There are
many who think that feminism is an elitist
movement, comprising educated members of
the upper class western.

(2) Problems with Feminist Ethics

Some philosophers argue that the ethic of
care is based on traditional women's values
in a quest for new virtues.
Beings other than women may not agree
because humans often only understand what
they can relate to. Thus ethics of care could
not serve to resolve conflicts involving people
who do not relate to the orientation of caring.

 Gender free morality may be impossible,

according to Nel Noddings.
Traditional philosophers believed that
women were inferior to men and female
goddesses were involved in silence,
obedience and service.
These female roles can be shaped into an
ethic of care according to many women
philosophers. In so doing ethics becomes
gender based and the ethic of care would not
be applicable to those who are not of the
female gender.

Policy and Practice

NGOs and social movements have
facilitated gender equality
UN and Gender Development Index

Theory informed by belief in

emancipatory effect of knowledge
Gender mainstreaming: how will a
policy impact gender equality?

 The United Nation (UN) held its first official

conference on women in Mexico City in 1975launched the UN Decade for Women (197685).
Put womens issues on its agenda.
Development Alternatives with Women for a
New Era (DAWN)- engaged with political,
analyses of the impact of global economic
policy on Southern countries.

About Child/ Forced Marriages

Case Study
Microcredit: empowering women through
investment

Case Study
The self-employed womens movement