Unit 9: Gender Relations

1. Unit 9: Gender Relations 9.1: Gender and Power Distance in Spanish Speaking Cultures

2. Essential Questions • How does power distance as a cultural dimension affect gender relations in Latin American cultures? • How are women advancing in the workplace in Latin America?

3. Activating • Gender Relations and Work in Uruguay Video • Gender Relations and Work in Uruguay Worksheet • http://youtu.be/1jKPdyvDq9A • What are the similarities in the US and Uruguay in regard to gender equality or inequalities?

4. Connecting • Power Distance and Gender Inequalities Activity • What is the cultural dimension of power distance? • Cultural Dimension: Low vs. High power distance • http://youtu.be/sqaa42gbqhA • What are the factors that define a person’s status in high power distance culture? • In high power distance cultures, how would you rank these factors differently?

5. Connecting • Power Distance, Gender Gap, and Income Investigation • The purpose of this activity is to investigate the possibility that there is a correlation between two of three variables: power distance, gender gap, and income level. • Power Distance Indexes, Gender Gap and Income Factors Activity Sheet • Create a spreadsheet to complete the information • Note: you do not need to complete the topic, hypothesis, or the question at this point. • Refer to the Power Distance Indexes at the website below to complete the column on the activity sheet. Choose a country from the “Select a Country” drop down menu and refer to the PDI index • The Hofstede Centre • http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html

6. Continued • To complete the Gender Gap Rank and Income Columns, refer to the Global Gender Gap Report, 2012 • The Global Gender Gap Index • http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2012.pdf

7. Continued • Group into 3’s or 4’s • Look at the power distance scores of different Latin American countries and discuss how they relate to the gender gap score of these countries. • Is there any correlation between power distance and gender gap scores to income levels? • Decide as a group your topic and hypothesis in relation to a correlation between two of the variables (power distance index, income, power distance index, gender gap index, gender gap rank, income) can you find a correlation?

8. Connecting • Connecting and Comparing Activity • Within your groups, look at the Uruguay gender gap-power distance scores. • Does the video you watched on gender inequality in Uruguay that you watched confirm or weaken these scores? • Read the article below and discuss the challenges that are faced in reducing the gender gap in Latin America. • In Latin America, Closing the Gender Gap Brings Fresh Challenges • http://www.ipsnews.net/2011/10/in-latin-america-closing-the-gender-gap-brings-fresh-challenges/ • Look at the U.S. Gender gap rank number (22) and answer the following question: • Does the rank number surprise you? Why or why not?

9. Continued • Why do Women Still Earn Less Than Men? • http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1983185,00.html • 1) What facts have you learned from this article that surprised you? • 2) Do some of the facts in the article support the US Gender Gap rank number? Explain. • 3) Are the challenges being faced in Latin America in reducing the gender gap similar in the U.S?

10. Summary • Read the article: • Gender Stereotypes Still Firmly Entrenched Despite Progress • http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41266 • Answer the following questions in your journals: • 1) Do public efforts in gender equality always translate to equality in the private sphere? • 2) The Global Gender Gap Index examines the gap between men and women in four fundamental categories: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment and health and survival. What do these categories mean as far as capturing the possible gender inequalities in women’s private lives? • 3) Do changes in culture start at the home or at the governmental/legal level?