Reflective Journal Entry 2

In the past few weeks of CDE lessons, the individual presentations saw active discussion and critical thinking among my classmates and I have many takeaways regarding the case study and issues being explored.

I would like to reflect on the progress of gender equality in China and America. According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2012 done by World Economic Forum, the United States was ranked 22 while China was ranked 69, out of a total of 135 countries. United States was ranked first in terms of education attainment while China was ranked 85. This means that in United States, both women and men are allowed to be educated and are not deprived of any chances. United States ranked eighth in economic participation and opportunity with China ranking only 58. Lastly, United States was ranked 55 for political attainment and China ranked 58. In other words, gender gap in United States is considerably smaller than that in China but political attainment in the USA is still an area that needs to be improved.

Progresses in gender equality have saw quantum leaps in both United States and China with the rise in feminism ideas. 

  According to Kay Boardman, in the Victorian Periodicals Review 33, The Ideology of Domesticity: The Regulation of the Household Economy in Victorian Women's Magazines (2000), he puts forth that, “The domestic ideal centered around the concept of separate spheres which inserted women into the domestic space and the men into the public (p. 150)”. The culture of Victorian Domesticity in 19th century America permeated every aspect of life, and magazines such as Peterson's Magazine and Godey's Lady's Book, could be found promoting Victorian Domesticity. It was then established that women’s roles in society were to take up the responsibilities of doing housework, child-rearing and that caused the women to be deprived of the privileges of education. Women do not have the rights to vote then. With the emerging role of women’s role in the Civil War, the Congress ratified the 19th amendment guarantees all American women the right to vote in on August 18, 1920. This was the first step towards gender equality. The road towards the present USA which was ranked first in education attainment was the hard work of many previous generations of feminists.

According to Yuhui Li in the Women's Movement and Change of Women's Status in China “The three components of "filial piety" stipulated that women must obey men, citizens must obey their ruler and the young must obey the elderly. For thousands of years, the rules of these three obediences helped maintain the patriarchal social order in China. Abusive practices and behaviors such as the sale and purchase of women, wife-beating, and female infanticide were not uncommon.” The May Fourth Feminist movement in 1919 (or known as the New Culture Movement) was the first feminist movement in China that hoped to end the patriarchal family in favour of individual freedom and women's liberation.  This movement, however, included and was affected by only a small number of urban and elite women. As China continues to be affected by Western influences and continues to undergo reforms and developments, “China Dominates List of Female Billionaires” and “Women in China: the Sky’s the Limit” are some recent examples from the international press that proves as evidence of China’s improvement in gender equality.

However, gender equality in USA and China still needs time and I believe it will be unattainable in the near future due to the continued dominance of males in the politics and economic spheres.

 In the United States, although women have been participating in congress and making important decision for the country, women only held 18.3% of the seats in the 113^th US congress. Despite women being portrayed as CEO and held high positions in large corporations such as Marissa Mayer, the inconvenient truth is that SHE is rarely the boss. This is also the same in China. Yes, China has seen growth in the number of female billionaires, but there is a criterion- this only applies to women who are the elites and dwell in the city. Nearly half of China’s population is still rural. The picture for rural women in China is very different.

Hence, I believe that the progress in gender equality in both societies is still ongoing. 

Reflective Journal 1

           Even though I was not in the CDE module last year, the syllabus for this year's CDE module looks exciting to me.
           In the first lesson of CDE, I had understood the importance of Cultural Intelligence (CI) which refers to the ability to understand the beliefs, values and attitudes and behaviours of a group of people and to apply the knowledge to achieve specific goals. The article by David Livermore defines CQ as "the test of your potential for cross cultural success". Under the effects of globalisation, many multi-national companies are expanding their business and projects abroad to reach out to a wider consumer market. This also means that there will be many more cooperations between corporations from different countries and there might be occasions whereby misunderstandings arises due to differences in culture. For example, handshakes which are deemed as a gesture of polite and respect in the corporate world in many countries worldwide might not be appropriate in countries such as Japan and certain Middle East countries. The common gesture in Japan would be to take a slight bow instead of handshakes.  There are many other examples such as the "Ok hand sign" having vulgar connotations in South American countries such as Brazil. Companies worldwide are in search of individuals with high levels of CI so that the company can adapt to the tastes of culturally diverse markets while retaining their brand's strong identities.
          The syllabus covers many of the contemporary issues in both Eastern and Western societies. This first issue that we will be learning about is the "Me Generation" in China and how they can impact China economically, politically and socially. After reading the various articles from Times, New York Times and the Beijing Review, the "Me Generation" in China is mostly apathetic of political developments within their country- what they are concerned is having a stable income and flourishing economy so they can continue with their pursuit of material wealth. However, the "Me Generation" does not always have negative connotations. This generation born in the 80s cherish their individual rights more than the previous generations do hence they are willing to protect their interests through the law.
           I am particular interested about the theme on political activeness in China in the 20th century and political apathy in Modern China. Youths and students were deeply involved in the politic developments in China, one such event would be the Tiananmen Square incident in 1989, whereby tens of thousands of youths demanded for democracy. The renowned statue "Goddess of Democracy" which was constructed with foam and paper-mache was ultimately destroyed by the central government following the forceful crackdown on the protesters. Perhaps, the reason why many youths in Modern China are apathetic about political developments in the country is because their voices would most probably be ignored by the government and any movements which they initiate will ultimately face with failures. Hence, they would rather enjoy whatever the central government has to provide and so as to ensure that the country can run smoothly without disruption. I believe that had this trend continue, it would be hard for China to achieve democracy.
          Other themes that we will be learning about includes education in both China and America and the evolution of women in the East and West.
          I believe that the mode of assessment which includes the form of presentations and Research Paper will allow me to get access to a wide range of resources and information. I prefer this method of assessment as it does not require us to regurgitate knowledge we had learnt but encourages us to further our knowledge and develop ideas.  The reflective journals also provides a platform for me to consolidate and reflect what I had learnt in CDE classes, hence making learning more effective.