Women In The Age Of Economic Transformation

This book discusses the impact of economic transformation on women, and how this often results in them suffering more than men. The book provides evidence of gender bias in recent economic policy, and argues that addressing these issues is essential if the burden of economic transformation is to be distributed fairly.

The world economy is going through a period of radical change. This is self-evident in post-Socialist Europe with the disappearance of centrally planned economies. However, policies of liberalization and privatization are also sweeping the less developed world. While traditional theory predicts beneficial results from these changes, the practical outcome is less certain. Whatever the overall effect, it is clear that some citizens will pay a higher price than others. This book deals with the impact of structural change on women. Each chapter summarizes the changes that have taken place in a particular economy. This is developed further by an empirical analysis of the effect on women. The authors discuss the evidence of gender bias and reach some telling, if unsurprising, conclusions. It seems that regardless of the type of change involved, women suffer more in the transformation process. The authors conclude that this result is unlikely to be random. Rather, it reflects the social and political condition of women. Addressing these issues is thus essential if the burden of economic transformation is to be distributed fairly. Review: A useful addtion to undergraduate and graduate interdisciplinary collections in amthropology, women's studies, labor economics, and edconomic devleopment. - Choice The major contribution of this book lies in providing further evidence on economic and social conditions of women and in lending empirical support that reveals the gender biases of recent economic policy...the book is a useful addition to literature on women and economic change throughout the world and a welcome effort that contributes to moving economics in the direction of more substantive analysis of economic processes. - Journal of Economic Issues With a truly global scale, this book will be a useful resource for those teaching gender and ...' courses in planning, geography, or development studies. - Environment/Planning With a truly global scope, this book will be a useful resource for those teaching 'gender and ...' courses in planning, geography, or development studies. - 1997 Environment/Planning