Feminist approach to globalisation and digital communication

Question 1

core ideas about digital communication

Answer 1

• Globablisation and digital forms of communication further patriarchal ideology and the exploitation of women (negative impact)
• Digital commnication allows women to challenge and potentially overcome patriarchal ideology and the exploitation of women (positive impact)

Question 2

Globalisation and digital forms of communication further patriarchal ideology and the exploitation of women

Answer 2

Arlaccki

Question 3

Arlaccki

Answer 3

• organised exploitation is one of the most underdesirable consequences of globalisation
• this can take the form of sexual slavery
• findings show that those from abroad are exploited in the sex industry through forced labour, domestic servitude and forced criminal activity
• their research also revealed that cases are often not reported or recognised

Question 4

castells

Answer 4

• researched the global criminal economy and found it is worth over £1 trillion per year
• it notably includes the trafficking in women and children

Question 5

hughes

Answer 5

• digital communication can help to reproduce patriarchy through sex exploitation such as bride trafficking and sex tourism
• (where people visit parts of the world where sex can be bought with little risk of punishment)
• Digital communication means that information about where to buy prostitutes can occur and live sex shows can be viewed through video conferencing

Question 6

Li & Kirkup

Answer 6

• nvestigated gender differences and the use of computers. They also looked at attitudes towards the use of digital communications of Chinese and British students
  -ignificant differences in internet experiences, attitudes, usage and self-confidence between Chinese and British students. The most significant however was in relation to gender – Men in both countries were more likely than women to use e-mail and chat rooms. Men play more computer games than women. Men in both countries were also more self-confident about their computer skills than women and were more likely to express the opinion that using computers was a male activity and skill. Interestingly gender differences were higher in the British group than the Chinese group.
• Men are more likely to get the more from digital communication due to the way we are socialised into using devices – The online world is arguably patriarchal and we are socialised in a way that leads to women feeling they lack skills to use them effectively in comparison to men.

Question 7

butler

Answer 7

• women’s inferiority and their need to be nurtured by men throughout history
• This dates back to the 18th century Enlightenment in which discourses (academic, medical, political) legitimised the domination of white middle-class males over other groups such as women, non-whites
• We can argue that patriarchal ideology has now found its place on the primary discourse of our age - online content eg. social media to spread patriarchal and misogynistic attitudes
• For example many British women are oppressed by the unachievable standards presented by online advertisements, Instagram and the inherent misogyny embedded in pornography

Question 8

Digital communication allows women to challenge and potentially overcome patriarchal ideology and the exploitation of women (positive impact)

Answer 8

• haraway
• Nakuamara
• cochrane

Question 9

haraway

Answer 9

• A cyborg Manifesto: science, technology, socialist-feminism
• Haraway took an anti-essentialist view of women
• She felt that women should be a part of the technological advances that were occurring rather than be reduced to the social construction of what a woman “should” be
• Haraway hypothetically discusses the notion of cyborgs (the combination of human and synthetic life) and was interested in the way that technology can provide a way for women to become more empowered through changing their identities via transcendence rather than conforming to patriarchal ideals

Question 10

nakumara

Answer 10

• studied the way in which the digital global world is being used increasingly more by women from a range of different ethnic and class background
• Social media and digital communication can be used by women as a forum for support when they face discrimination and inequality

Question 11

cochrane

Answer 11

• examines the range of ways in which women have used digital communication in order to challenge patriarchal and sexist attitudes, she notes the following campaigns:
• **The Girl Guides **– Introduced a campaigning and activism badge
  Mumsnet.com – Found that 59% of their users considered themselves feminists, double those who did not.
  Larasi – Started a campaign to address racist and sexist attitudes in music videos and students campaigned for the banning of the song ‘Blurred Lines’ from being played in University campuses

Question 12

Positive Impact on Gender Inequality

Answer 12

• harraway
• nakuamura
• cochrane

Question 13

negative impact on gender inequality

Answer 13

• Arlackki - organised exploitation and sex trafficking
• Hughes - patriarchy through sex tourism
• Butler - online discourses that communicate patriarchy and misogyny eg. Andrew Tate
• Li & Kirkup - Gendered differences in internet use, males more self confidence online