Globalization and Neo-Liberalism Contemporary feminism

1. Globalization and Neo-LiberalismContemporary feminism Dr. Zenzele IsokeGWSS 1005: Engaging Justice

2. Defining Globalization • Globalizations is broadly defined as the transnational flow of culture, ideas, information, technologies, capital, bodies and labor. • Examples: The most popular chicken joints in Dubai, UAE are “Texas Chicken” (known as “Churches Chicken in the U.S. and KFC. • Let’s think about what this means: culturally, politically and economically.

4. Understanding Globalization • David Harvey and other scholars argue that globalization is the “latest stage of capitalism” defined by • Globalization of the market economy. • Increasing accumulation of wealth to transnational class of wealth financiers who control the policies of nation-states by controlling access to capital. • Increasing global inequalities between the rich and the poor.

5. Globalization and Neo-Liberalism • Increase in the availability of loans—guaranteeing the right to consume, and the right to go in debt. • Decline of the “welfare state” which guaranteed access to free or low-cost housing, education, health-care, clean water, and public transportation • Privatization of basic needs. • Government of poor countries are required to liberalize their economies to receive loans from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund through structural adjustment programs.

6. Neo-Liberalism in the Developed World • Overall decline in manufacturing jobs that produced the middle class • Overall increase in low-wage, service sector jobs. • Decline in government support of social services • Increased spending for military operations (wars) that promote neo-liberalism economic and political models

7. The Nation-State in Globalization • Nation-state are theorized as agents in globalization • Local elites (businessmen, upper middle-class, politicians) make policies (law) that enable global capitalists to do business. • Justify, explain and rationalize neo-liberal policies often using cultural rational based in patriarchal ideals and customs (nationalism, militarism) • Repress labor movements, grassroots organizing efforts, and attempt to protest gross economic and political inequalities.

8. Arab Spring

9. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12482313

10. Feminism and Globalization • Mary Hawkesworth defines, global feminist activism, as “international feminist mobilizations involving women in more than one country who seek to forge a collective identity among women to improve the conditions of women” • Valentine Moghadam defines transnational feminist activism as “advocating for women’s participation and rights while also engaging critically with policy and legal issues with states, international institutions, and global governance structures.”

11. Contemporary Global Feminist Issues • Mobilizes within and across various social networks—locally, translocally, transnationally, and globally. • Challenge local patriarchies by protesting militarism, religious fundamentalism, neo-liberalism, and structural adjustment policies (SAPs) • Links the lack of women’s reproductive health, full citizenship rights/political participation and bodily autonomy to neo-liberalism, nationalism, and militarism. • Gender violence (rape, assault, trafficking of women and girls) are linked to military conflict and war mongering. • Gender equality and freedom necessitates an end to war and militarism