Women in Engineering following Economics of Race and Gender - Assignment Example

Type the company Women in Engineering following Economics of Race and Gender [Type the document sub [Type the [Pick the date] Instructor name: Date of submission: Course Name: Economics is the social science that deals with money, markets, individuals, investments, economy etc. Economics has two main branches “Micro economics and macro economics” Micro economics deal with individuals and how they earn their livelihood where as macroeconomics deals with aggregate issues or economy as whole. Macro economics consists of concepts that can be applied to the entire world. Discrimination is the act of treating people differently on the basis of their color, cast, creed, sex and nationality etc. Economics of Race and Gender discusses the same thing, although science and economics has progressed a lot still it couldn’t change certain behaviors and practices of people and Discrimination is one of them. Particularly gender discrimination is extremely common through out the world. Although most of the nations talks about the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights but sex discrimination still exists. The International Labour Organization - the United Nations agency concerned with the world of work - defines discrimination as "any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment or occupation". Discrimination at work can be direct or indirect. Discrimination is direct when regulations, laws and policies explicitly exclude or disadvantage workers on the basis of characteristics such as political opinion, marital status, or sex. Where as indirect discrimination, is the process that assigns people particular attitudes and talents or lack of talent, by virtue of their membership in a group be it racial, religious or other, irrespective of their skills and work experience. . Indirect discrimination may also occur when differential treatment is accorded to particular categories of workers. For example, less favourable treatment of part-time workers is an example of indirect discrimination against women, who constitute the majority of part-time workers. In education “Sexism” is clearly associated with sexism in the workplace. When women are expected to “stay at home,” and people don’t approve of them working or expect them to achieve some high post in the workplace, as a general rule women are under-represented in the higher-status, higher-paying occupations, for example, university teaching, medicine, law and engineering. On the contrary, women are over-represented in the lower-paying occupations, such as primary teaching, nursing, and secretarial work. Best example of people stereotyping women at workplace is that they associate women with certain jobs for instance executives supervise secretaries who are likely to be women, and lawyers supervise paralegals, who are also likely to be women. Comparatively women are paid lesser than men in most of the flied even though they might have the same potentials, skills, education and work experience as men. As a universal statistic, women make only 60 percent or less than men in comparable or similar jobs. It is a common believe in most of the nations that men are the “chief bread winners” so they are often paid more than women so that they can afford their families. However paying more to men and less to women in comparable or similar jobs is discrimination. “In recent decades more women have entered the United States workforce. After WWII (from about 1947), about 30 percent of women were employed outside the home; today, at the start of the 21st century, the figure is well over 50 percent. (Some estimates approach 75 percent if “part-time” jobs are included.)” (John Tiernny, The New York Times, July 22, 2011). Cultural norms and social beliefs also contribute to discrimination by restricting peoples access to education. In most societies, women rather than men are expected to take time off work to look after children or other family members. There is also the persistent belief that women have less need to earn an income than men. This may lead parents, especially in situations of scare resources, to invest more in education for boys than girls. This subsequently affects the quality and type of jobs women may be offered. The trafficking of people for illegal drug operations or sexual exploitation, which disproportionally affects women and children, is related to sex-based discrimination in the labour market. Women have unequal access to remunerative employment and therefore are at risk of falling into exploitive work. Another form of discrimination is based on race. In the world of work, "racial discrimination" is used to refer to arbitrary barriers to the advancement of members of linguistic communities or minorities whose identity is based on religious or cultural characteristics or national origin. The UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (1965) defines racial discrimination as: “any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life”. Minorities, indigenous and tribal peoples, people of different colours, and migrant workers are common victims of racial discrimination in employment and occupation. Many people suffer from "multiple discrimination". Indigenous and tribal people, for example, are among the poorest of the poor, and women within these groups are even more severely affected. For instance there are many occupations in which women are being discriminated greatly for example, university teaching, medicine, law, engineering and Army. Women in the military have a history that extends over 4,000 years into the past, throughout a vast number of cultures and nations. Women have played many roles in the military, from ancient warrior women, to the women currently serving in conflicts. Despite various roles in the armies of past societies, the role of women in the military, particularly in combat, is controversial and it is only recently that women have begun to be given a more prominent role in contemporary armed forces. As increasing numbers of countries begin to expand the role of women in their militaries, the debate continues. Women have served in the Army since decades. They nursed the ill and wounded, laundered and mended clothing, and cooked for the troops in camp on campaign; services that did not exist among the uniformed personnel within the Army until the 20th Century. Women are an invaluable and essential part of the Army. Currently, women serve in 91 percent of all Army occupations and make up about 14 percent of the Active Army. Women continue to have a crucial role in the War on Terrorism and their sacrifices in this noble effort underscore their dedication and willingness to share great sacrifices. From the beginning of the 1970s, most Western armies began to admit women to serve active duty. Only some of them permit women to fill active combat roles, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Germany, Norway, Israel, Serbia, Sweden and Switzerland. Other nations allow female soldiers to serve in certain Combat Arms positions, such as Greece, India, the United Kingdom and the United States, which allows women to serve in Artillery roles, while still excluding them from units with a dedicated Infantry role. The United States allows women in most combat flying positions. Turkey uses female officers in combat flying (bombardment) missions over Northern Iraq and in ISAF patrol missions in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despites all these facts women are still discriminated in Army. Despites all this women are still discriminated in army and are not given equal rights as men. In On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman briefly mentions that female soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces have been officially prohibited from serving in close combat military operations since 1948. (However, in 2001, subsequent to publication, women did begin serving in IDF combat units on an experimental basis.) There are similar evidences that proves that Women are been greatly discriminated in army. Racism and sexism are very common in military. The only real difference is that sexism is based on gender while racism is based on color. “The biggest problem for women officers is forced retirement. With the exception of women recruited in the medical corps, they are forced to retire after 14 years in office. Unlike their male counterparts, they are not entitled to pensions nor ex-army personnel status and the benefits this comes with” (The wall street journal, October 10, 2011, is the Indian Army Really Open to Women?) “If the army has started recruiting women, then it can’t be done half-heartedly. Sex discrimination needs to go,” (The wall street journal, October 10, 2011, is the Indian Army Really Open to Women?) “Neil James, executive director of independent think tank Australia Defense Association, said he supported a broader role for females in the military, but added that the government should have waited for the results of a study by the University of Wollongong and Defense Science and Technology Organization. That study is examining physical employment standards in the military—though it isnt specifically looking into gender-based matters—and is due for completion by the year end. "The debate will suffer because of that, it will be based on mythology and misinformation rather than the science," he said. (The wall street journal, SEPTEMBER 27, 2011, Australia to Lift Curbs on Military Service for Women) “After weeks of embarrassment over sex scandals in the Australian military, the government — led by the country’s first female prime minister, Julia Gillard — appears intent on giving its armed forces their biggest shakeup in more than a decade, and opening all combat roles to female soldiers.” (The New York Times, “Scandals May End Sexism in Australias Military” By MATT SIEGEL, Published: April 21, 2011) “Over the past 2 decades, increasing attention has been focused upon violence and sexism in the US military. In the 1991 Tailhook scandal, more than 100 officers at a Navy convention sexually assaulted and harassed dozens of women. Not one of the offenders was convicted.” (The Medscape, “Violence against Women in the Military” by Martin Donohoe, MD, FACP, 09/14/2005) “The Zionist entity considers itself to have paid a “heavy price” by releasing over 1,000 kidnapped Palestinians in exchange for a single terrorist soldier, a manifestation of the racist nature of Israeli society” (by Richard Landes, Wednesday 9 November 2011, the Telegraph) “Army racism drove me to depression. THE ARMY look set to be embarrassed by new revelations about racism after it emerged that the words "die nigger" were scrawled on the barrack doors of a black squaddie. Shaka Wallace: says he suffered constant racism. The newspaper has reported that ex-cop Shaka Wallace suffered a whole catalogue of racist abuse.” (The New York Times, 4 November 2011) “More than 210,000 women are on active US military duty. Almost 60,000 female troops have been deployed overseas to support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Approximately 1 in 7 US military personnel in Iraq is female. These women, as well as the civilian partners of active and veteran US service members, are at high risk for partner abuse and sexual assault.” (The Medscape, “Violence against Women in the Military” by Martin Donohoe, MD, FACP, 09/14/2005) “Significant numbers of women enter the military with histories of victimization, just as some male recruits have violent pasts. For instance, among US Navy recruits, 46% of women reported being the victim of attempted (9%) and completed (36%) rape before entering the Navy. Fifteen percent of male recruits admitted perpetrating attempted (4%) or completed rape (11%) before entering the Navy.” (The Medscape, “Violence against Women in the Military” by Martin Donohoe, MD, FACP, 09/14/2005) “A review into the treatment of women at Australias premier military college on Thursday reported "widespread low-level sexual harassment" after a scandal over an Internet sex broadcast.” (The New York times, By Amy Coopes, 1st novemeber 2011) “MORE than 70 per cent of females at the Defense Force Academy have been subjected to sexual harassment, according to a high-level inquiry.” ( Defense writer Ian McPhedran , The Advertiser, November 03, 2011, “Sexual harassment prevalent at Defence Force Academy” ) Hence all these articles clearly proves that there is sexism and racism in army. Women are been sexually harassed, not given equal rights, not paid fairly and are forced to retire before time. And in army Personal racism or sexism is an attitude of superiority, coupled with an act to subordinate an individual, because of their race or gender. We can help racism and sexism by taking certain steps and acting more responsible. To make a difference in the army, we must be aware the potential for both exist. We must also make a conscious effort to look for problems or problem areas in which either or both could happen. Education and awareness will empower people to recognize behaviors related to racism and sexism. Individuals can then reflect, and check their own behaviors and attitudes. By taking part in activities in which you would mix with members of different races and genders. There are people who isolate themselves from others who are different. To do this reduces the opportunity to learn that the stereotypes held toward different groups often have no basis for truth. Often, one of the hardest things a person must do is to be honest with themselves. If we harbor prejudices and fears about other groups, it is best to be able to acknowledge that to ourselves. Only then can we figure out what steps we need to take to overcome these attitudes and beliefs we hold. We are each different. This holds true among our own race and gender, we well as between races and genders. If we can simply accept we are different, and one characteristic isn’t necessarily wrong or better, then we’ll be well on the road to having a better understanding of those who are different than ourselves. References : 1. Institute for Womens Policy Research. The Gender Wage Gap: 2009. Retrieved March 31, 2011. 2. U.S. Census Bureau. Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2009. 3. Guillaumin, Colette. Racism, Sexism, Power, and Ideology. London: Routledge, 1995. Print. 4. The New York Times. New-York [N.Y: H.J. Raymond & Co., 1857. Print. 5. The Wall Street Journal. New York, N.Y: Dow Jones, 1959. Print. 6. Rosén, Åsa. "Search, Bargaining and Employer Discrimination." (1998). Print. Read More