Contemporary Challenges for gender research in the context of globalisation

Abstract

Gender research faces inspiring and interrelated challenges in globalisation. As globalisation and modernisation are deeply connected processes, we can say that the resulting rapid transformation of gender relations is one basic challenge. In short, this transformation can be seen as selective incorporation into and exclusion from the public spheres of work, politics and civil society along the lines of gender, class and ethnicity. Gender relations are changing because now some women as well as most men are integrated into the public spheres of work, politics and civil society (while most women are still assigned to carry out unpaid care work in the home) (cf. i.a. Lenz et al. 2007). Thus, the situation is different from the former hegemonial exclusion of most women from these public spheres. These processes of selective incorporation and exclusion create new chances as well as new deep tensions and contradictions with which gender research is confronted today.