Money, sex and Money, sex and powerpower

Gender and international Gender and international relationsrelations

Week 9Week 9

2011-122011-12

Lecture outlineLecture outline

1. The importance of gender and women 1. The importance of gender and women to the nation state – its creation and to the nation state – its creation and maintenancemaintenance

2. The importance of daily interaction at 2. The importance of daily interaction at a micro-level for international a micro-level for international relationsrelations

3. How women themselves engage in 3. How women themselves engage in relations with other women across relations with other women across borders and conflicts. borders and conflicts.

Anthias and Yuval-Davis (1989)Anthias and Yuval-Davis (1989)

Argue that women are:Argue that women are:► biological reproducers of national or ethnic biological reproducers of national or ethnic

groupsgroups► reproducers of the social boundaries of reproducers of the social boundaries of

national or ethnic groups national or ethnic groups ► transmitters and reproducers of the culturetransmitters and reproducers of the culture► conceptualised as symbols of national and conceptualised as symbols of national and

ethnic differences, as in the image of Mother ethnic differences, as in the image of Mother India or Britannia India or Britannia

► seen as active participants in national seen as active participants in national economic, political or military struggleseconomic, political or military struggles

Categories of gendered Categories of gendered nationhoodnationhood

1.1. Biological reproduction of the nationBiological reproduction of the nation

2.2. Cultural reproduction of the nationCultural reproduction of the nation

3.3. Citizenship and differenceCitizenship and difference

4.4. WarWar

Biological reproduction of Biological reproduction of the nationthe nation

►women’s reproductive rights are at issue women’s reproductive rights are at issue in producing and reproducing the nation in producing and reproducing the nation

►State policies aim to increase/decrease State policies aim to increase/decrease populationpopulation

Three ‘population discourses’Three ‘population discourses’►the ‘people as power’ discoursethe ‘people as power’ discourse►the ‘malthusian discourse’ the ‘malthusian discourse’ ►the ‘eugenicist discourse’ the ‘eugenicist discourse’

Question of populationQuestion of population

Key issue for Key issue for ► international development aid international development aid ► social welfare and in the economy. social welfare and in the economy. Leads to controls on marriage, sexuality, Leads to controls on marriage, sexuality,

reproduction reproduction Affects policies on Affects policies on ► abortion abortion ► contraception contraception ► reproductive healthreproductive health

References to ‘other’ nationsReferences to ‘other’ nations

►Yuval-Davis focusses on nationYuval-Davis focusses on nation► Identity produced with reference to Identity produced with reference to

‘the other’‘the other’► Ideas about optimum population size Ideas about optimum population size

has implicit reference to relationship has implicit reference to relationship with other nationswith other nations

Cultural reproduction of the Cultural reproduction of the nationnation

►Transmission of cultures and traditions to Transmission of cultures and traditions to the next generationthe next generation

►Gender symbols important in Gender symbols important in constructions of masculinity and constructions of masculinity and femininity femininity

►Women seen as the embodiment of the Women seen as the embodiment of the nation and as symbolic border guardsnation and as symbolic border guards

►Role as cultural reproducers creates Role as cultural reproducers creates specific masculine/feminine identities specific masculine/feminine identities

Citizenship and differenceCitizenship and difference

►Membership of the nation given legal Membership of the nation given legal recognition through state citizenship  recognition through state citizenship 

►Governed by regulations on Governed by regulations on immigration and naturalisationimmigration and naturalisation

►Men have recognition awarded or Men have recognition awarded or withheld, women often can’t apply for withheld, women often can’t apply for citizenship in their own rightcitizenship in their own right

►Equal Opportunities legislation has Equal Opportunities legislation has changed this to some extentchanged this to some extent

WarWar   

►Citizenship involves both rights and Citizenship involves both rights and responsibilities, the ultimate responsibilities, the ultimate responsibility is to die for one’s country responsibility is to die for one’s country in times of war  in times of war 

►Linked to construction of masculinity Linked to construction of masculinity and femininityand femininity

►Men fight, kill and are killed, women are Men fight, kill and are killed, women are fought for and fought overfought for and fought over

►Systematic rape in war Systematic rape in war

Critique of argumentCritique of argument

►Privilege cultural or ideological aspects of Privilege cultural or ideological aspects of the gendered nation over the economic or the gendered nation over the economic or material aspects  material aspects 

►What is absent is gender division of labourWhat is absent is gender division of labour►Social structures and social hierarchies Social structures and social hierarchies

neglected if cultural aspects given too neglected if cultural aspects given too much weight much weight

►Even cohesive social groups contain social Even cohesive social groups contain social inequalities – dominant groups wage warinequalities – dominant groups wage war

Importance of daily interaction Importance of daily interaction at a micro-levelat a micro-level

Cynthia Enloe (1989) Cynthia Enloe (1989) Bananas, Beaches and Bananas, Beaches and BasesBases

► Paid workPaid work►Housework Housework ► International gendered division of labourInternational gendered division of labour► SexualitySexuality► ViolenceViolence► CultureCulture► The StateThe State

Cynthia Enloe (1989)Cynthia Enloe (1989)

►Enloe looks at hierarchical relations Enloe looks at hierarchical relations between nations - the way they affect, and between nations - the way they affect, and are affected by, gendered cultural forms. are affected by, gendered cultural forms.

► Important argument because she Important argument because she challenges idea that international relations challenges idea that international relations solely in hands of political elitessolely in hands of political elites

►Shows how women who are excluded from Shows how women who are excluded from state power affect international relationsstate power affect international relations

Women engaging in relations Women engaging in relations with other women across with other women across

borders and conflictsborders and conflicts►Cynthia Cockburn(1998) Cynthia Cockburn(1998) The Space The Space

Between Us: Negotiating Gender and Between Us: Negotiating Gender and National Identities in Conflict  National Identities in Conflict 

►Looks at how women have negotiated Looks at how women have negotiated their differences across seemingly their differences across seemingly intractable dividesintractable divides

►The material for Cockburn includes The material for Cockburn includes economic, physical and political economic, physical and political factorsfactors

Cockburn’s perspectiveCockburn’s perspective

► Biological and cultural reproduction of the nation, Biological and cultural reproduction of the nation, sexuality, violence, economic and military struggles sexuality, violence, economic and military struggles constitute material basis of gendered international constitute material basis of gendered international power relationspower relations

► In addition to paid work, housework, sexual division In addition to paid work, housework, sexual division of labour and international division of labourof labour and international division of labour

► So it’s money, sex and power that countSo it’s money, sex and power that count► Money – economic and labour aspects of gendered Money – economic and labour aspects of gendered

international power relationsinternational power relations► Sex – physical aspects including sexuality, Sex – physical aspects including sexuality,

reproduction, and sexual, physical and military reproduction, and sexual, physical and military violence against the bodyviolence against the body

► Power – political and social aspects. Power – political and social aspects. 

Movements progressive or Movements progressive or regressiveregressive

► How essentialist and exclusionary is its How essentialist and exclusionary is its understanding of ‘the people’? understanding of ‘the people’?

► Does it promise ethnic opening or ethnic closure as it Does it promise ethnic opening or ethnic closure as it approaches power? approaches power?

► Is it a bourgeois project seeking to establish property Is it a bourgeois project seeking to establish property and land rights for the minority?and land rights for the minority?

► Or a movement of peasants and workers promising Or a movement of peasants and workers promising land reform and collective property rights as well as land reform and collective property rights as well as national liberation?national liberation?

► Is it authoritarian or democratic, religious or secular?Is it authoritarian or democratic, religious or secular?► Does it perpetuate a regime of male dominance or Does it perpetuate a regime of male dominance or

promise transformation of gender relations? promise transformation of gender relations?

How can we reduce violence?How can we reduce violence?

►anti-essentialist, inclusive,democratic anti-essentialist, inclusive,democratic form of feminismform of feminism

Three examples of ‘transversal feminist Three examples of ‘transversal feminist politics’ in actionpolitics’ in action

►Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland►Bosnia/HercegovinaBosnia/Hercegovina► Israel/PalestineIsrael/Palestine

Six strategies Six strategies

►They affirm differenceThey affirm difference►They avoid closure on identity They avoid closure on identity ►They reduce polarisation by emphasising They reduce polarisation by emphasising

other differences other differences ►They acknowledge injustice done in the They acknowledge injustice done in the

name of different identities name of different identities ►They define the agenda of the projectsThey define the agenda of the projects►They practice a democratic group process They practice a democratic group process

‘‘Agonistic democracy’Agonistic democracy’

►This is what Cockburn calls agonistic This is what Cockburn calls agonistic democracy – combative democracydemocracy – combative democracy

►Chantal Mouffe - difference is recognised Chantal Mouffe - difference is recognised rather than being glossed overrather than being glossed over

►Other not viewed as enemy but adversaryOther not viewed as enemy but adversary►Enemy would have to be destroyed, an Enemy would have to be destroyed, an

adversary has ideas you might want to adversary has ideas you might want to fight against but their right to exist not fight against but their right to exist not questionedquestioned

Antagonism v AgonismAntagonism v Agonism

► Antagonism Antagonism is struggle between enemies, while is struggle between enemies, while agonism agonism is struggle between adversariesis struggle between adversaries

► Aim of democratic politics to transform Aim of democratic politics to transform antagonism into agonismantagonism into agonism

► Avoids constructing opponent as enemy Avoids constructing opponent as enemy ► Alternative to agonistic democracy is conflictAlternative to agonistic democracy is conflict► Attempting to annihilate your enemy, the otherAttempting to annihilate your enemy, the other► E.g. women suicide bombersE.g. women suicide bombers

Andrea DworkinAndrea Dworkin

The women suicide bombers’ in Feminista! (The women suicide bombers’ in Feminista! (www.feminista.com/archives/v5n1/dworkin.hwww.feminista.com/archives/v5n1/dworkin.htmltml) asks why women become suicide bombers) asks why women become suicide bombers

1.They may be fleeing from sexual violence 1.They may be fleeing from sexual violence and dishonourand dishonour

2. It is an act which raises the status of 2. It is an act which raises the status of women women

3. Belief that women can be as brave, self-3. Belief that women can be as brave, self-sacrificing and willing to submit to sacrificing and willing to submit to revolutionary imperatives as men revolutionary imperatives as men

No common groundNo common ground

► ‘‘In this time of terror, there is no tie between In this time of terror, there is no tie between Israeli and Palestinian women, no conviction Israeli and Palestinian women, no conviction on the part of Palestinian women that the on the part of Palestinian women that the Israeli women they are killing have anything Israeli women they are killing have anything in common with them. Even though policy is in common with them. Even though policy is made in both communities by aggressive, made in both communities by aggressive, angry men, there is no sisterhood to speak of, angry men, there is no sisterhood to speak of, no sense that there but for the grace of God no sense that there but for the grace of God go I.’go I.’

► In the absence of agonistic democracy In the absence of agonistic democracy women divided from each other, capable of women divided from each other, capable of killing each otherkilling each other

ConclusionConclusion

►Women central to the reproduction of Women central to the reproduction of the nationthe nation

►Sexuality policed by men to maintain Sexuality policed by men to maintain group and national boundariesgroup and national boundaries

► International relations not only what International relations not only what states and elites do but what we all dostates and elites do but what we all do

►Need agonistic democracy in order to Need agonistic democracy in order to overcome difference and othering, overcome difference and othering, adversaries rather than enemiesadversaries rather than enemies