Ethnic Studies - Case Study Example

Ethnic Studies The neo ical labor supply theory depends over two basic assumptions that time can be best utilized by the ways of labor and leisure. At the same time for each individual divides his/her total time in terms of hours that he/she will afford for labor and rest of the time for leisure. These basic assumptions create a universal appeal that people all over the world divide their total time in labor and leisure. However it has been argued though Kabeer's research that In case of Bengali women working at the London Clothing industries the universal appeal of labor supply does not apply for them. At the same time basic assumptions of labor supply also conveys that it depends to a great extent over demand, requirement of employees for the supply of labor and development of workforce. The main argument that she has developed through her research is that this general rule is not applicable in case of those Bangladeshi women who are working in the clothing industries of London. Most of the women work from their home sewing garments on contractual basis and finally supplying those to factories. In this way it cannot be said that development of any active workforce is occurring and at the same time the balance between labor and leisure that is one of the most important assumptions of the labor theories, is violated. At the same time Kabeer, through her research paper has also argued that supply of women labor to the London garment industry is in strict contrast with the labor supply of their male counterparts. At the same time through such analysis Kabeer has also produced a touching socio-economic structure of the existing society and how the women despite their earnest intention to emerge as an integral part of the mainstream labor force fail to accomplish their objective. In her research paper Kabeer has not only reflected over the socio economic structure only from theoretical perspective but at the same time she, through interviewing several women belonging to such condition, has came up with the picture of an actual condition and at the same time she has argued that how such condition of the women and supply of labor force actually deviates from the universal appeal of the labor supply. There are several such instances that come up through interview of these women that though are eager to work as mainstream work force but at the same time most of the cases either prevention from their family members or from the traditional Bengali society mentality that prevented them from participating in working at the garment industries just like their male counterparts. As they are working from home on a contractual basis the basic assumption of labor and leisure is deviated and at the same time the kind of wage they were actually required to earn in exchange of their labor for accomplishment of the contractual job. All such aspects are completely in contrast with the general principles of the labor supply economic theory and at the same time the universality of approach is also broken. The main approach of the paper would be to show how the universality of approach of labor supply can be maintained or not and what are the factors that takes important steps to change socio-economic condition of the Bengali women in the society. It becomes clear from such observation that a clear difference of gendered biasness is responsible for breaking the harmonious cycle of universal labor supply chain. In this context it is important for us to understand that how a gender is created. An attempt to understand the production of gendered subjects in the society, at the first place it is needed that we focus over basic structure of the society since the very inception of the human civilization. Among several attempts the Marxist evolutionary archetype declares that "early human societies were presumed to have been egalitarian, and factors of inequality were introduced in conjunction with the emergence of private property." (Ortner, 1996, p. 174) Thus, according to such observation since the time human beings were starting to sense the importance of private property, concepts of social superiority or inferiority were gradually increasing. It is due to this very reason people developed a tendency to dominate over fellow human beings. The idea of dominating weaker persons by the stronger ones commenced since this phase of human civilization. Marxist opinion is, however, dependent over capitalist approach completely. Even if we judge from pure humanitarian perspective we see that scholars have repeatedly emphasized over the aspect that how the condition of women has derogated since the ancient times to now. Gender nomenclature as 'men' and 'women' and the sense of perceiving that one gender is superior than the other has been reflected through the realization that one gender is superior to the other. As, traditionally, women are regarded socially, physically as well as mentally weaker than men, due to that reason they have become subjects of gender discrimination in the society. In this context of gender discrimination Simone de Beauvoir has started her discussion by pondering over the definition of a woman as it has been in the social context, "'first we must ask: what is a woman' 'Tota mulier in utero', says one, 'woman is a womb.' But in speaking of certain women, connoisseurs declare that they are not women, although they are equipped with a uterus like the rest." (Beauvoir, 1949) As the society is essentially dominated by the male patriarchy, thus, it observes women as a source of child production. Gender discrimination in the society has reached to such extent that women have lost their human entity only to be recognized as an organ of human physiology. In this context Simone de Beauvoir ironical observation compels us to realize to which extent the evil of gender discrimination has expanded its scope, "All agree in recognising the fact that females exist in the human species; today as always they make up about one half of humanity. And yet we are told that femininity is in danger; '. It would appear, then, that every female human being is not necessarily a woman; to be so considered she must share in that mysterious and threatened reality known as femininity." (Beauvoir, 1949) Since the time male patriarchy has occupied the position of social dominance, the aspect of gender discrimination has remained unchanged and at the same time it has declined to provide a woman with the kind of respect or human dignity that she is eligible to as a part of the society. Unfortunately, the evil of gender discrimination has remained the same and it will not be too wrong to say that in different forms it has expanded from than the past. Women have become more advanced in every step of human life, including education, profession and intellectual exercising. Still, judging from the neutrally analytical perspective it seems what Gloria Steinem has felt is correct that, "Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life, whether the question is who must be in the kitchen or who could be in the White House." (Steinem, 2008) Looking at the condition of Bengali women working for the garment industries in London it seems that observation of the author has been reasserted. On one hand they are providing incessant supply to the raw materials, by working from home that would help the industrialists to produce better clothes but at the same time as these women are working on contractual basis and at the same time according to the conventional notion they are not strong part of the society, they are also discriminated over their payment of wages, compared to their male counterparts. Looking at the condition of Bengali women in this context it seems Gloria Steinem's observation is very relevant and at the same time it also becomes clear that every woman of the modern world suffers due to the evil effects of such gender discrimination. The women, on most of the occasions are no less in skill and creativity compared to their male counterparts but at the same time they are still discriminated. The traditional stature of women as the object of pleasure is reflected among various traditions since the ancient times and it has been reflected in different customs and different societies. Famous Marxist philosopher Fredrick Engles observes, "According to the Hawaiian custom, a number of sisters, own or collateral (first, second or more remote cousins) were the common wives of their common husbands, from among whom, however, their own brothers were excluded; these husbands now no longer called themselves brothers, for they were no longer necessarily brothers, but punalua -- that is, intimate companion, or partner." (Engles, 1884) Thus, women are not only considered inferior to men but at the same time their femininity or humane entity has been rejected to such extent that they are left only with the identity of material objects of possession. In the ancient societies these aspects were observed in a very crude form. Pondering over the modern scenario we understand that that though the crude form of women suffering and gender discrimination has decomposed itself in different other forms but the main essence of their existence in the society has remained the same. On one hand the society has denied to provide adequate recognition to women in their professional lives. Those women, who have realized and made a compromise with their lives, however, they have not also received any special relaxation from the male patriarchal system due to their sacrificial or compromising nature. There is no definite answer to the question that why women always have to be the victims of gender discrimination, at home or at work but it seems that their male counterparts have taken it for granted as if women are only entitled to such treatment. As if it is the right of males to treat women no better way than such discriminative as well as oppressive approaches. The Bengali women in London are not in any better condition. While they have been interviewed by Kabeer some of them have clearly mentioned that despite their willingness often they have been subjects to discrimination. It is not that the English society is responsible for that but the same time roles of the males from their same ethnic background and their inability to look at the world from a new angle has mainly been responsible for such happening. They have clearly suggested that it is not the English society that is conspiring against them but it is their own people that are discouraging them. Most of the time, throwing double meaning worlds, clear sings of expressing doubts over the behavior of the woman, prevention from the husband that the women will not be working in any factories because they will learn bad manners are some of the most frequent arguments that discourage the Bengali women from earning of their own, being part of the mainstream workforce and maintaining a proper balancing between their labor and leisure. Kabeer's model for supply of labor force to the London garment sector seems to be maintaining a balance between the conventional theory and the actual condition of women in the modern society. In order to pursue her goal the researcher has not only pondered over the discussion of economic theories only but at the same time she has also attempted to make a connection between the conventional form and the actual life and in that context she has cited real life examples of women working in these such industries and at the same time she has also tried to show which are the aspects that men or people of the same ethnicity are required to keep in mind so solve the problem. If these women are permitted to work as a regular work force then not only they will be able to receive the adequate amount of reward that would equate them with the male counterparts but at the same time they will also stop feeling that they are oppressed part of the society. At the same time, providing sole importance over the monetary aspect is not all but at the same time they also need to be provided with the feeling of such familiarity that they will start themselves feeling to be an integral part of the society. Works Cited 1. Engels, F., 1884, The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State, available at: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1884/origin-family/index.htm#intro, retrieved on: 24th July, 2009 2. Beauvoir, S. de, 1949, The Second Sex, available at: http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/ethics/de-beauvoir/2nd-sex/index.htm, retrieved on: 24th July, 2009 3. Steinem, G., 8th January,2008, Women Are Never Front-Runners, New York: The NewYork Times, available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/opinion/08steinem.html, retrieved on: 24th July, 2009 4. Ortner, S. B., 1996, Making Gender The Politics and Erotics of Culture, Beacon Press (Massachusetts) 5. Kabeer, N., 1994, The Structure of 'Revealed' Preference: Race, Community and Female Labour Supply in the London Clothing Industry, Development and Change Institute of Social Studies (Brighton) Read More