The contemporary world has experienced a focus on development as a core influence
on social, economic, and political spheres. Equating the preoccupation with development to a
discourse, Escobar (86-91) notes the interpretation of societal development as a technical
problem requiring rational decisionmaking and management entrusted to a group of people.
How such people conceptualize development has an impact on various groups in society. In
this case, a male-dominated outlook on development poses various effects on women,
explorable through exploring the various theoretical foundations on development (Lindio-
MacGovern and Isidor 35). Several important theories conceptualized over the past half a
century form the main ideas surrounding development, one of which is the modernization
theory. Through taking the perspective of gendered development in which development
affects men and women differently, the present study analyzes impacts of development based
on the modernization theory and global capitalism on women.
The study relies on scholarly works covering development, gendered development,
modernization theory, and global capitalism. The approach to the discussion entails an
overview of development and modernization theory with a focus on the first world-third
world divide. This discussion of development frameworks then ushers in an analysis of how
such development impacts women. The main theme under investigation is gendered
development dwelling on the fate of women, with the central argument being that
development and paradigmatic development theories create opportunities and hindrances for
the development of women. [...]
Table of Contents
- Development
- Modernization Theory
- Modernization Theory and Gendered Development
Objectives and Key Themes
This study analyzes the impacts of development based on modernization theory and global capitalism on women, taking the perspective of gendered development, where development affects men and women differently.
- Development and its theoretical foundations
- The modernization theory and its role in development
- Gendered development and its implications for women
- The impact of modernization theory on women's welfare
- The role of global capitalism in shaping development and its effects on women
Chapter Summaries
- Development: This chapter provides an overview of the contemporary development paradigm, focusing on material advancement as the primary route to progress. It discusses the role of capital investments, industrialization, and modernization in achieving development, highlighting the global categorization of countries as developed and developing.
- Modernization Theory: This chapter explores the core framework of modernization theory, emphasizing its liberal conception of development as a linear and cumulative process. It examines key themes such as the separation of the household, the public-private distinction, and the evolutionary framework of development as a struggle to dominate nature.
- Modernization Theory and Gendered Development: This chapter examines the impact of modernization theory on women's welfare, contrasting early development theorists' predictions of positive effects with feminist critiques. It discusses the potential for gendered development and the perceived liberation of women through modernization, alongside observations that modernization has not achieved equitable outcomes for women. It analyzes the effects of urbanization, the transformation of the family, and the role of global capital flow in perpetuating gender inequalities.
Keywords
This text explores the themes of development, gendered development, modernization theory, global capitalism, women's welfare, and the impact of development discourse on women's opportunities and challenges.
- Quote paper
- Wilson Chege (Author), 2013, Development Discourse, Modernization Theory, and Gender, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/214680
