Patriarchy: the Missing Link in Understanding Globalization’s Impact upon Women

Abstract

This study explores the link between globalization and patriarchy to assess the resulting implications for female development around the world. The purpose of this study is to utilize patriarchy as a frame for addressing and analyzing globalization. It can be concluded that globalization is masculine based on who holds the decision-making power when formulating, advocating, implementing, and evaluating globalization. These aspects have been disproportionately male dominated since the emergence of globalization as an economic system. Therefore, a gender gap emerged because women are largely absent from the equation. This study determines that globalization is largely a manifestation of patriarchy and adversely affects women worldwide through a lack of consideration for women’s issues, promoting goal-oriented growth without protective measures, and an overwhelming focus on the public sphere (politics and economics) and disregard for the private sphere (home and family life). Since males dominate the political, economic, and social arenas worldwide, it places them in a privileged position compared to women. Because of this proliferation of patriarchal ideals, it created separates spheres of gender dominance (women dominating the private sphere) and a gender hierarchy placing privileged men at the very top. The study concludes that globalization does not fail women because it is a substandard economic strategy or oppresses women like certain regime types or economic systems; but it does negatively impact women because it applies masculine values and perspectives to a multi-gendered problem.