Date of Graduation
2015
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
PhD
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Political Science
Committee Chair
Christina Fattore
Committee Co-Chair
Scott Crichlow
Committee Member
Ann Oberhauser
Committee Member
Trisha Phillips
Committee Member
Karleen West
Abstract
This study examines the partnership between foreign capital (FDI) and state in manipulating women's labor. In this dissertation I have two research questions: My first research question is to determine whether the interaction between states and FDI renders workers vulnerable and unprotected. Other scholars have shown that states have been willing to relax labor laws (and offer non labor-related incentives) in order to attract FDI. My hypothesis is that cultural patriarchy intensifies this relationship between states and FDI, and further weakens the labor laws. My second research question is to identify the causal factors that bring about change in the relationship between states and FDI, and minimize the influence of historical patriarchy. My hypothesis is that, in certain environments, cultural patriarchy has been mitigated by the rise of women's civic engagement. I show that grassroots movements and increased civic participation among women leads to states adopting labor laws that will specifically protect all women workers, especially the most vulnerable ones located in FDI industries. Feminist Methodology approach and gender analysis is utilized to examine the labor policies pertaining to women as workers in the global production. The key to my employment of a feminist approach is to challenge the predominant androcentric views and ways that are perpetuated by the global production.
Recommended Citation
Dhungana, Ritu, "Gendering labor: How foreign direct investment affects state behavior towards female labor in South and Southeast Asia" (2015). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 5490.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/5490