See document For this assignment you will be writing two short papers. Part I

See document
For this assignment you will be writing two short papers. Part I is an analysis and Part II is a reflection, with word counts included below.
Part 1: (500-700 words)
Some scholars would say that the goals of neoliberal globalization support the goals of global development. For example, they might argue that by “helping” Global South countries to industrialize and modernize, neoliberal globalization provides opportunities for the poor to access jobs that will lift them out of poverty. How would you address this statement after taking this course?
In other words, does neoliberal globalization reduce harm (and help develop) those who are
most vulnerable, or does it cause more suffering, particularly for Global South women? How
do you know this?
Your answer must include (not in any particular order):
1) An accurate definition of neoliberalism, summarized in your own words.
2) Evidence/support from Hawkesworth AND Garbes.
3) One way that women could (or already do) use collective agency to resist these forces.
Part 2: (300-500 words)
Reflect on the course overall, focusing on the following two questions:
1) How has BIS 310 (Women, Culture, and Development) affect the way you view gender, culture, and development in the Global South?
2) Which global structures or systems have you become (more) aware of after taking this class, and how do you see your own participation/responsibility in those structures now? Be as specific as possible and include at least one concrete example/reference from the course materials.
Terms to know:
Neoliberal/ism: Neoliberalism, despite its name, is an economically conservative
approach that empowers capitalism (and corporations’ abilities to maximize profit) while
removing as many state regulations on business and trade as possible. It is essentially
“gloves off” capitalism. It has been the dominant economic model in the world since the
late 1970s and especially since the fall of the Soviet Union around 1990. Both
Republican and Democratic presidents of the US have favored it, and it has been enabled
by the Bretton Woods institutions that were established after WWII—the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB). With backing from these institutions,
neoliberalism has been responsible for a substantial increase in Third World debt, especially during the 1980s and 90s, as Structural Adjustment Programs were implemented in these countries in exchange for loans.
Modernization Theory: An academic economic theory developed in the 1960s to try
and explain why the Third World was “underdeveloped.” Modernization theorists
concluded (incorrectly) that cultural differences were responsible for preventing the
Third World from advancing rapidly, effectively, and “successfully” like the First World.
Modernization theorists believe that all countries should follow the path of the First
World, namely the US & Great Britian, and they will then be developed as well.
Globalization: The flow of goods, services, capital, culture, and people across national
borders, passing out of the jurisdiction of local and national laws. While globalization
itself is not a new idea, the speed at which such movement now takes place has increased
in recent decades due to international air travel, media/Internet access, and the ability of
banks to transfer money instantaneously across the world. Economic globalization in
particular is considered the opposite of protectionism, where governments isolate and
try not to engage in global trade.
Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs): SAPs are policies that the IMF and WB
impose on nations who have applied for loans from these institutions. SAPs eliminate
government funded social spending and argue that governments should instead use that
money to service their debts. This approach is generally called the “Washington
Consensus” and consists of a combination of privatization, deregulation, and austerity.
Women, Culture, and Development Theory (WCD): WCD is one of the newest
theories of women’s development, only entering development discourse in the last 10-15
years. It centers on the idea that older gendered theories of development did not
consider the role of culture, in the sense of “lived experience” that suffuses the concept in
Third World cultural studies. WCD also draws from critical Development Studies and
Feminist Studies, putting Global South women and their lives at its center. It emphasizes
women’s agency in the context of oppressive structures (capitalism, patriarchy, racism,
classism, etc.), asking what kind of conditions and resources are necessary for women to
resist these forces. WCD emphasizes local development, spearheaded by local stakeholders (even if funded from external sources), with built-in flexibility to adjust to local needs and priorities.