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I assume that by modernization
theories you mean, how society
has generally become more modern,
more technological? To be more
specific - vacuum cleaners v.
brooms; computers; telephones,
etc... This advancement is entirely
a western construct but is now
being exported to most other
countries. There are good and
bad sides to this for women.
The good side is that these
technological advances sometimes
make women's lives easier -
i.e. cleaning the house, but
of course, these are only for
a certain class of women-and
in third world countries these
practices are often working
against tradition, which thereby
changes the value this duty
has in the family.
For instance, women have traditionally
been gatherers and men the hunters.
If these roles are obliterated
because of technology, which
would bring products to them
rather than assuming that they
have to go find the products
- then women's & men's roles
in society change. Traditionally,
this has had a more adverse
affect on women because then
their value is diluted.
Also, modernizing basically
means westernizing. In developing
countries, women have overall
been more respected than in
western countries - therefore,
modernization means that western
traditions will be adapted,
including accepted sexism. The
other part of modernizing is
through computers and if the
U.S. is any model, those who
have access to this technology
have traditionally been male,
so women are falling behind.
So this pattern, too, could
be repeated in other countries.
Overall, I think that women
have yet to fare well when it
comes to technological advances,
but I also think that technological
advances are inevitable, so
I think that we have to make
them work for us. I hope that
helps.
—Amy
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