Locating women in the global economy: The gendered impacts of economic globalization on women in developing countries

Julie Anne Rice

doi:10.7273/000005809

Macro-comparative research on global inequality continues to marginalize women through theoretical and empirical neglect. This dissertation addresses this neglect by empirically showing macroeconomic processes impact women and men in developing countries differently, and by demonstrating socialist feminist theory provides insights into the macroeconomic mechanisms driving global inequality. This dissertation examines these empirical and theoretical issues in three independent chapters which share the common theme that gender relations is a driver of global inequality. The first study addresses the gender-neutral assumption that informs much macro-comparative research on global inequality by addressing the broad research question, to what extent are macroeconomic processes gender-neutral, if at all? To answer this question I use a socialist feminist perspective to analyze important variables found by previous research to influence human well-being. The results of panel OLS regression show that contrary to the gender-neutral assumptions dominating macro-comparative research, macroeconomic structures have different effects on female and male well-being in developing countries. The second study examines the contradictory effects of economic growth on women in developing countries by addressing the broad research question, how does economic development structure the opportunities available to women, relative to men, in developing countries? To answer this question I test the predictive power of structural disarticulation, a concept that explains how global capital structures the economies of developing countries. Results of OLS regression show economic development benefit women s well-being, yet may also create a disarticulated economy which is detrimental to women. Theoretically, structural disarticulation does not address gender relations. For insights I draw upon socialist feminist theory. The third study examines how global trade and finance interact with patriarchy to structure women s and men s labor force participation differently. Results of OLS regression show global trade and finance structure the labor force by sex that varies by region. Theoretically, I use socialist feminist theory to explain how global trade and finance interact with patriarchy to structure gender relations at the regional level. Methodologically, this study shows how macro-comparative research can better account for patriarchal and other forms of regional diversity by placing gender relations at the center of the analysis and conceptualizing patriarchy as a regional phenomenon.

Locating women in the global economy: The gendered impacts of economic globalization on women in developing countries

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