When discussing International Relations, one is often introduced to concepts such as power, anarchy, war and mostly importantly, MAN. A prospective student is provided with the framework to question their questions, and look at international relations from a very critical perspective. The issue comes about when concepts such as power and war are completely exclusive of the role of females, where feminine characteristics make it difficult for a woman to make the same rational decision a man could make. Women can not fight wars. Women can not control power. Women are lower than men. In the historical realm of international relations, this has proven to be true. As pointed out by J. Ann Ticker in her piece, 'Gender in International Relations', history acts as a sort of proof that men were the sole reason for the rise of international relations, not because they were the only ones capable, but because they were that only ones that got a chance.
Reading about female discrimination and the roles of females in our political sphere, it comes as a bit of a shock that almost all men, regardless of not wanting to be exclusive of women, are. Even me. If i were asked a question, what job is perfect for a woman?, the first reply to come to my head would be a nurse, or a school teacher. This discrimination is shameful, as men believe women do not have the physical or mental capability to work the same way women do. Not only this, human behaviour has pointed out that a woman's strong point is her empathy, to be able to relate with others. That is why with there exists an image of loving, caring, leaving them too fragile to question the power of well built, emotionless men. Women can not make strategic war decisions, or even go into the battlefield. A woman can not lead a country the same way a man could. A woman can't even drive. These misperceptions NEED to go.
Taking a particular kind of joy from reading about societal norms and pressures, i found this reading especially interesting because it spoke about the concept of hegemonic masculinity. This concepts highlights the overly stereotyped image of having to be a man or a woman. To be a 'man', you have to meet a certain criteria. Strong, emotionally controlled, brave, powerful. In my opinion, this is the first stage in the road to female discrimination. Once society sets a norm of gender inequality, it will be internalized not only by all the men of that society, but also the women, who will begin to believe they are in fact weaker than men. The physical disadvantage of being a woman is now a general overall disadvantage of being a woman, all because of what society has had us believe.
Feminism needs to be studied from a much wider lens in International Relations. If men and woman are so inherently different, why not provide women with the opportunity to right the wrongs of men in power. If men are attributed with characteristics such as being selfish, let women, the empathisers have a chance. Maybe they will fill the void that exists in not only international relations theory, but rather in the global societal order.
I like how you have shared your own perception about the role of women in the society. And how it is a misperception.
ReplyDeleteYour discussion about how if told enough, women will be forced to accept that they are in fact inferior is true as is mentioned in the reading when Tickner talks about people being socialized into believing that they are unable to participate in war and power politics.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with your views. I think women are not given the chance to prove themselves and I think equality when it comes to every sphere of society is the need of the hour!
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