Globalization, Religion and Women (2024-2025) PDF

(Social Science 23) Second Semester, School Year 2024-2025 STUDY GUIDE MODULE VII GLOBALIZATION: INFLUENCE TO RELIGION & WOMEN Module Number Learning Objectives Topics & Title Mod...

(Social Science 23) Second Semester, School Year 2024-2025 STUDY GUIDE MODULE VII GLOBALIZATION: INFLUENCE TO RELIGION & WOMEN Module Number Learning Objectives Topics & Title Module VII After working on this module, Religious Fanaticism Globalization: you should be able to: and the Rise of Influence to Terrorism Religion and 1. Discuss globalization and the Women rise of religious Globalization and Its fundamentalism; Impact to Women 2. Explain the difference globalization made in the status of today’s women; and 3. Discuss the impact of globalization to women of indigenous communities. 1|P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA Introduction Religion and the status of women in the society are two essential facets of culture that has also been significantly shaped by globalization, and this module will explain how religion came to be associated with terrorism, and what changes (if there were any) has globalization made in the status and experiences of women in the society. Learning Objectives After working on this module, you should be able to: 1. Discuss globalization and the rise of religious fundamentalism; 2. Explain the difference globalization made in the status of today’s women; and 3. Discuss the impact of globalization to women of indigenous communities. Key Concepts A. Religious Fanaticism and the Rise of Terrorism Religion is understood as a system of faith and worship; it flourished and transmitted in various parts of the globe due to globalization. Most, if not all, religions in the globe discourage materialism; however, globalization encourages people to embrace the latter. This contrasting perspective on materialism allegedly paved way for the existence of religious fundamentalism (advocating strict compliance with the religious texts), that is closely associated with the terms fanaticism and extremism which has been one of the most pressing concerns of the globe today. Religious fanaticism or extremism (the literal interpretation of the religious texts) is observed among Muslims; hence, Islam is being associated with terrorism (the use of coercion or violence to achieve a political goal). B. Globalization and Its Impact to Women Globalization is able to bring changes, both positive and negative, to the lives of women all over the globe. Improvement is seen on how women’s lives have changed particularly in countries belonging to the global south. Advancement of women’s rights, women’s inclusion in politics, and recognition of women’s participation in economic activities are only some of the several developments that globalization has caused. However, globalization failed to erase some practices that are harmful to indigenous women. 2|P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA  MODULE VII GLOBALIZATION: INFLUENCE TO RELIGION AND WOMEN Religious Fundamentalism and the Rise of Terrorism Croucher et.al. (2017) noted that a person’s religion is closely linked with his/her cultural beliefs and background. Religion is understood as a system of faith and worship. Encyclopedia Britannica (2020) defined it as “human beings’ relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, absolute, themuslimtimes.info spiritual divine, or worthy of special reverence.” Deocampo Jr. et.al. (2019) cited Dr. Stephen Juan’s (2006) claim that Christianity and Islam are the most widely spread religions across the globe. Religion flourished and transmitted in various parts of the globe due to globalization. The progress in media, transportation, and information technology played an essential role in the transmission of various beliefs, principles, or ideas of different religions of the world. Deocampo Jr. et.al. (2019) cited Gale’s (2005) remark that “many religious commentators either considered globalization as a threatening challenge to human race or manifestation of evil” perhaps because globalization promotes the idea of materialism (“tendency to believe that material possessions are more important than spiritual values,” Lexico.com). The contrasting values that is promoted by religion and globalization may have paved the way for the growth of religious fundamentalism. 3|P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA  Munson (2020) defined fundamentalism as a “type of conservative religious movement characterized by the advocacy of strict conformity to sacred texts.” Sargisson (2012) shared that the word fundamentalism is used interchangeably with the terms fanaticism and extremism. It has been observed that these negative terms have been used to describe Muslims ever since the September 2001 bombing of the World Trade Center. People who are non-Muslims adopted this stereotype thinking that all Muslims are fundamentalists, which is unfair because we have to understand that fundamentalism is a religious phenomenon, meaning it can be seen in all of the world’s religions. Godfrey (2007) noted that the term can also be applied to Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Judaic groups. Hence, it should not be associated exclusively with Muslims. Apart from being a religious movement, fundamentalism is also understood to have members who exude passion for their religion. Godfrey maintained that fundamentalists regard themselves as “the Chosen”, “the Elect,” and “the Saved”. They are also described as “assertive, clamorous, and often violent.” In addition, fundamentalists are against modernity. Godfrey explained that these people desire to bring back the golden past; they wanted to restore tradition. Religious Fundamentalism is assumed to have re-emerged in the not-so- distant past because globalization leads to secularized societies. Greeley (1972) as cited by Casanova (2001) explained that in a secular society, church religiosity is ended; religion is already irrelevant. Look at the illustration on the next page. How is secularization portrayed? 4|P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA  Christmas is annually celebrated to commemorate the birth of humanity’s savior- Jesus Christ as per Christian belief. However, as people embraced globalization, Christmas has already been associated with Santa Claus, Christmas trees, snowmen, gifts, holiday vacations, and so on. The primary reason for celebrating the day (commemorating/ honoring the birth of Jesus Christ) has become secondary. The Salafis (Muslim fundamentalists), according to Claudio and Abinales (2018), are against globalization. They stressed that “Muslims view globalization as a Trojan horse hiding supporters of Western values like secularism, liberalism, or even communism ready to spread these ideas in their areas to eventually displace Islam.” In other words, the Salafis regard globalization as a threat to the Muslim world since it promotes western principles and cultures. These Salafis view globalization as the primary deterrent to the achievement of traditional Islamic living; globalization is the biggest threat to establishing an Islamist state. Hence, these Salafis vowed to resort to all means possible in order to prevent non-Muslims from further propagating western principles and cultures. There were salafis who became too fanatic in the achievement of this goal, and too literal in their interpretation of the Quran. For instance, they believe that non-Muslims should not stay/occupy Islamic countries because they teach Muslims greed, corruption, as well as promiscuity. These fanatic Muslims vowed to use any means, including violent ones, to achieve the goal of eradicating non-Muslims from their lands. This led to the birth of terrorism, and the association of these terroristic acts with Islam. 5|P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA  Briefly, terrorism is defined by Jenkins (2020) as the use of calculated violence as a means to create terror among masses of people to achieve religious or political objectives (this is the reason why former President Rodrigo Duterte calls the New People’s Army and Abu Sayyaf group as terrorists). The term terrorist nowadays is used to label Muslims who use violence against non-Muslims in order to achieve an Islamist State (one that is being ruled by Shariah/ Islamic Law). One of the very first terrorist groups that was formulated was the AL QAEDA (English translation: the base/ the foundation). This was established by Osama Bin Laden (1957-2011) in Afghanistan in 1988. The primary task of all the members according to Osama was to kill all Americans and their allies. Remember that these Salafis are against globalization, which they see as primarily promoted by the west, particularly the United States of America. Al Qaeda staged the infamous bombing of the World Trade Center in New York in 2001, and this act made terrorism a major concern of all countries around the globe ever since. Note also that at present, countries strengthen their military ties because they need one another’s help in case one of them will be attacked by these terrorists. From Al Qaeda came splinter groups like ISIS (ISLAMIC STATE OF IRAQ AND SYRIA), JEMAAH ISLAMIYAH (South East Asian militant extremist Islamic rebel group), and BOKO HARAM (translation: Western Education is forbidden), a terrorist group in Nigeria. There are authors who emphasize that Islam should not be blamed for the rise of these terrorist groups. Instead, these authors argue that the world should look into how Madrasas (Islamic boarding schools) teach the Holy Scriptures to young Muslim boys. It seems that the approach of the teachers brainwashes these young boys to have a hatred for the West and be violent against them. If we reflect on this thought, these authors do have a point. Just like any other religion, Islam also preaches brotherhood and peace. How people interpret the religion’s scriptures and apply these to their everyday lives is indeed another consideration. Hence, it is not politically correct to label Muslims as terrorists. 6|P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA Globalization and Its Impact Kaur (2018) highlighted that the “current wave of globalization has greatly improved the lives of women worldwide, particularly the lives of those women in the developing world. Nevertheless, women remain disadvantaged sja.wordpress.com in many areas of life including education, employment, health, and civil rights.” The United Nations knew well about these conditions of women worldwide; hence, one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. The UN believes that “gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world” (un.org). Gender Equality is otherwise known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes. This term means that men and women have equal power and equal opportunities for financial independence, education, and personal development. The term equal should not be interpreted literally; equality simply means that both men and women are given the same opportunities for all the mentioned areas above. It is also to be noted that to be able to attain gender equality and eventually societal transformation, women have to be empowered. Women empowerment includes increasing a woman’s sense of self-worth, decision-making power, access to opportunities and resources, power and control over her own life inside and outside the home, and her ability to effect change. To be able to empower women, all member states of the United Nations have done efforts to increase the number of girls who are able to attend school, increase employment opportunities for women, and increase the number of women who are able to occupy significant positions in the government. The UN published on its website that “there has been progressed over the last decades: more girls are going to school, fewer girls are forced into early marriage, more women are serving in parliament and positions of leadership, and laws are being reformed to advance gender equality.” One of the most significant steps that UN member states took in order to realize gender equality is the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of 7|P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1979. This is described as the international bill of rights for women. This is an international treaty that guarantees equal rights with men in all spheres of life, including education, employment, health care, suffrage (voting), nationality (there are some countries that do not give women nationality), and marriage (some countries do not let women have a choice in choosing their life partner). The United Nations, through its various agencies, continue to monitor each country’s efforts to realize the goals of CEDAW. openglobalrights.org The Philippines was the first ASEAN state to approve CEDAW on August 5, 1981. Many are saying that when the Philippines subscribed to CEDAW, the empowerment of the Filipinas was made even more possible. At present, our country has several beautiful laws that ensure the advancement and protection of women’s rights and interests. Some of these laws are stated below: RA 9710: Magna Carta OF Women RA 7877: Anti-Sexual Harassment Act RA 8355: Anti-Rape Law RA 8505: Rape Victim Assistance & Protection Act RA 9262: Anti-Violence against Women & Their Children Act Family Code of the Philippines PNP Women’s and Children’s Desks and Services Apart from according to women’s rights, states also encourage the employment of women in the various sectors of the economy. The expansion of the country’s economic activities brought by global trade has made this possible. However, the statistics for working women vary per country and per region of the globe. The difference in the percentages of working women is caused by socio- cultural factors in countries/regions. For instance, in most Arab states, governments 8|P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA forbid their women to work. In some states, on the other hand, women resign from their work once they get married in order to focus on their families. The process of globalization has aided the UN’s drive for women’s empowerment. Women were given access to progress in information and communications technology (ICT). Blackwell (2020) remarked that ICT has increased women’s access to income-generating activities. Indeed, the economic situation of women improved making them realize that they gain financial independence and they give significant contributions to their state’s economic endeavors according to their financial independence. medium.com Blackwell underlined though that there is a need to evaluate globalization in terms of its impact on the entire economy and society “but with a perspective that is sensitive to women’s needs and conditions.” Although globalization has been providing opportunities for women to advance themselves, globalization also presents a new set of challenges to women. For instance, Blackwell cited that “in every form of activity, be it agriculture or allied activities, domestication of animals, fishing, weaving, garment making, women contribute substantially to the value addition of the final product, and yet their work is perceived by all as a subsidiary, unskilled and often as a skill only of domestic value.” In addition, working women are also susceptible to exploitation and discrimination, especially in terms of a work promotion. In addition to Blackwell’s thoughts, Thomson Reuters’ (n.d.) poll also revealed similar issues that working women around the world face. These issues include work-life balance, equal pay, harassment, career opportunities, and children and career. Working women tend to be exploited because there is a lack of labor laws that will protect them as part of the workforce. Kaur (2018) narrated Moghadam’s (1999) remark that “corporations prefer female labor over male labor because women are considered “docile” workers, who are willing to obey production demands at any price. Although the demand for female employment brings about an 9|P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA array of opportunities and a sense of independence, the glass ceiling continues to exist with the “feminization of poverty”.” The issue of work- life balance is one of the most challenging concerns of working women at present. It is difficult to give equal time and treatment to career and family. Working women are burdened by this situation. This is obviously seen among working mothers who, after work in the office or on the farm, still have to work at home- cook dinner, do the laundry, help the children in their pixtastock.com school activities, and so on. Yet, their household work is not considered by some as a form of work, and this has no salary equivalent. This observation is affirmed by Batani, Banes, and Labon’s (2018) study which revealed that women’s multiple roles remain undervalued and recognized. Batani et.al. cited that both genders spend a day in farm work, but the women are the ones who perform paid and unpaid work. In addition, these authors underlined that “while men spend more in ’paid work,’ women spent three times more than men in performing unpaid work while spending a time in ‘paid work.” Apart from the economic issues, Blackwell (2020) underlined that globalization has also decreased women’s control over resources and has led to displacement and when both men and women land up in urban slums it affects the women more due to lack of sanitation. There is also an increase in violence against women in these areas. In relation to this, globalization has been a threat to indigenous women; Dahl and Alix (2000) noted Jill Cariño’s assertion that the dislocation of indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands because of globalization increases poverty among indigenous communities because their traditional means of subsistence was marginalized. Cariño then remarked that this situation “has far-reaching consequences for the well-being of indigenous women. Besides poverty, indigenous women also face the threat of violence. Dahl and Alix cited some examples of these brutalities committed against indigenous women. One is the case of the Rohingya women in Burma where the state through the military “raped, tortured and kill indigenous women in the conflict-ridden ethnic areas.” Another example was the case of indigenous women in Jharkhand, India where these women were “molested 10 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA and killed when they are accused by their own families or community members of being witches.” To give you a more detailed picture of the plight of indigenous women, read the article by Jill Cariño below. 11 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA 12 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA 13 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA 14 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA 15 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA Source: Indigenous Affairs https://www.iwgia.org/images/publications/IA_3-00.pdf 16 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA  Globalization also accorded women with political rights. It is highly observed that most states at present do have women participating in the political processes by casting their votes, and by serving as politicians (we even have female presidents/prime ministers all over the globe). simple.wikipedia.org gengglobal.org However, many anti-globalization critics claim that a handful of governments still lack meaningful female participation. Although states adopted a quota for the number of women who are to be elected or appointed in government positions (as a response to CEDAW), these positions, more often than not, are those not involve vital decision-making. The stereotype that politics is for men only still prevails; women, some authors claim, will be having a difficult time balancing political/office work and their domestic work (as a mother or as a wife). There is also a common observation that women are placed in government positions not because the people acknowledge their leadership capabilities but because people recognize the family where these women politics.com.ph come from; they are often associated with their father’s name or their husband’s name. In other words, the trust people give to women in the field of politics is highly dependent on their family/personal background. For instance, in Philippine history, former President Corazon C. Aquino was voted into office not because the people believed in her capacity to lead the country, but because the people sympathized with her when her husband (Ninoy Aquino) was assassinated. This statement from the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation Study (2001) seems to encapsulate the state of women’s political participation in today’s world: 17 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA “Women in parliament weren’t fully prepared for their careers. They did not see themselves representing women’s interests, nor did they see themselves as having common interests with each other. NGOs will need to continue to work with the new women parliamentarians to bring women’s issues higher up on their agenda.” This is exactly what is happening in the Philippines if you will try to observe. We do have a number of female legislators in Congress, but not too many are really devoted to making laws that will answer most if not all, concerns of women in the country. Aside from the economic and political challenges that confront today’s women, they are also facing difficulties in terms of education and healthcare. UNESCO reported that many girls/ladies in different countries (especially again from the global south) are not able to pursue education for several reasons, but most of these are because of cultural beliefs. Still, there is this belief among traditional societies that girls no longer need to go to school because in the end, they will just be married to a man, and all they need to do are domestic chores, which do not need education at all. Between the two sexes, the boys are the ones to be educated because they will be the ones who will work for the family. In some societies, girls do not have access to education because of poverty, and the remote location of schools. Women are also a vulnerable sector when it comes to health. Women in the global south face issues like a lack of health services in their communities, lack of access to health services, and lack of education and information about health issues. UNESCO also reported that women are facing malnutrition, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy complications, cervical and breast cancer, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and genital mutilation (otherwise known as female circumcision). One sensitive issue in women’s global health is their control over their reproductive rights. The picture above vividly explains the clamor of today’s women in terms of their reproductive health. Women assert that when it comes to deciding when to get pregnant, and how many children to have ought to be the woman’s decision, not their male counterparts. UNESCO also shared that many women die annually due to 18 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA abortion. Also, many women (from Sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia) suffer from AIDS, which is the leading cause of death of women during their reproductive age. Many women are not in a position to say no to unwanted sex, nor can they negotiate condom use because of their dependence on men for financial reasons and for material favors for their daily survival (women are mostly the victims of human trafficking- as prostitutes and sexual slaves). In addition, physical and sexual violence against women also pose a significant threat. Intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence against women; there are cases of women who have been murdered by their intimate partner. Amidst the fact that modernization has been escalated by globalization, there are still a number of cultural practices that are threatening to women. Some examples of these are listed below: 1. Female Circumcision or Female Genital Mutilation (This pertains to the excision of a woman’s external sexual organs for them to be denied of sexual pleasures; this is believed to deter women from engaging in illicit affairs.) 2. Facial Scarring (This is a symbol for beauty in most African states 3. Dowries (In some south Asian countries, the families of women will give dowry to the family of men. In the case of India and Bangladesh, if the bride’s family is not able to give the amount of dowry demanded by the groom, he and his family are allowed to maltreat or kill the woman once they consummated marriage.) 4. Honor Killing (This usually happens in Arab states where the father or any male relative kills the woman who eloped with a man not approved by her family, or the woman divorced her husband, or the woman committed adultery.) 5. Preference for Male Babies (This is the case in traditional China where female infanticide is common.) 19 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA  In general, globalization has brought about several opportunities for women to participate in the various sectors of today’s world. However, there is also truth to the cliché that “we cannot teach old dogs new tricks”, meaning there are still traditional societies whose harmful views on women have not been modified or erased by globalization. Moreover, the plight of indigenous women is almost synonymous with those of women who belong to the majority population. ACTIVITY: Poster-Slogan Making (by 2’s) Deadline: October 23, 2024 Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spd2PUXrETw Instructions: 1. Watch the Video Carefully: Pay close attention to the key themes, messages, or issues presented in the video. Take notes on important points or ideas that stand out to you. 2. Identify the Main Message: After watching, reflect on the main message or takeaway from the video. Think about what the central idea is and how it can be conveyed in a short, impactful statement. 3. Create a Slogan: Using the main message from the video, come up with a concise and catchy slogan that captures the essence of the video's content. The slogan should be no longer than 10 words and should effectively communicate the message in a way that is memorable and persuasive. 4. Design the Poster Around the Slogan: Once you have your slogan, create a poster that visually represents the slogan's message. Incorporate relevant images, colors, and design elements that reinforce the theme and make the slogan stand out. 5. Review and Revise: Ensure that the poster's slogan and design align with the video's main message. Make any necessary revisions to enhance clarity, impact, and overall presentation. CRITERIA: Relevance (5 points): The poster slogan clearly relates to the main message or theme of the video. It effectively captures the essence of the topic and communicates the intended idea. Clarity (5 points): The poster slogan is easy to understand and conveys a clear message. It avoids ambiguity and ensures that the intended audience can quickly grasp the meaning. Creativity (5 points): The poster slogan is original, engaging, and memorable. It uses language in a unique way to make the message stand out and leave a lasting impression. Visual Appeal (5 points): The poster slogan is integrated well into the poster design, with appropriate font size, style, and color that enhance readability and complement the overall visual presentation. 20 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA  TOTAL POINTS: 20 References Batani, R., Banes,G. and Labon, K. (15 March, 2018). Time use analysis: Women and their households as sites for everyday negotiations and organizing community life. BSU Research Journal. Vol 73 (2015). Blackwell, T. (2020). Gender development and globalization. ED-TECH PRESS. Claudio, L. E. and Abinales, P.N. (2018). The contemporary world. C & E Publishing, Inc. Croucher, S.M. et.al. (25 January, 2017). Religion, culture, and communication. https://oxfordre.com/communication/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore- 9780190228613-e- 166#:~:text=From%20this%20perspective%2C%20religion%20and,a%20religion%20and%20separate%20nonb elievers.&text=Simmel%20(1950)%20believed%20that%20religious,beliefs%20develop%20from%20one%20a nother. Deocampo Jr., F.R., Ramos, B.F. & Llonora, R.L. (2019). Globalization in contemporary world. St. Andrew Publishing House. IWGIA. (2000). Indigenous affairs. https://www.iwgia.org/images/publications/IA_3-00.pdf Jenkins, J.P. (2020). Terrorism. https://www.britannica.com/topic/terrorism Kaur, P. (2018). Impact of globalization on women. Global Journal of Commerce and Management Perspective. Volume 7 (2): 41-44. https://www.longdom.org/articles/impact-of-globalization-on-women.pdf Lexico.com. (2020). Materialism. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/materialism Munson, Henry. (2020). Fundamentalism. https://www.britannica.com/topic/fundamentalism Sargisson, L. (2012). Religious fundamentalism. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057%2F9781137031075_3 Un.org. Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/gender-equality/ 21 | P a g e for BSU use only Prepared by: Ma. Theresa B. Dolipas Facilitated by: VIA GEANNE C. NERONA