Woman's Role in Economic Development

'Boserup's contribution to our thinking on women's role in development cannot be underestimated. Her keen observations, her use of empirical data and her commitment to greater gender equality are still an inspiration to students, researchers and activists who are interested in a better and more equal world.' From the new Introduction by Nazneen Kanji, Su Fei Tan and Camilla Toulmin 'Women's Role in Economic Development has become a key reference book for anyone - student, scholar, or practitioner - interested in gender and development analyses. This book is important not only because it provided the intellectual underpinning of the Women in Development (WID) analysis, but also because of the lasting influence it had on the development of theoretical, conceptual, and policy thinking in the fields of women, gender, and development. The re-editing of Women's Role in Economic Develop ment, with its new introduction, ensures students, academics, and practitioners continued access to an essential reference for those interested in the women and development literature.' - Gender and Development This classic text by Ester Boserup was the first investigation ever undertaken into what happens to women in the process of economic and social growth throughout the developing world, thereby serving as an international benchmark. In the context of the ongoing struggle for women's rights, massive urbanization and international efforts to reduce poverty, this book continues to be a vital text for economists, sociologists, development workers, activists and all those who take an active interest in women's social and economic circumstances and problems throughout the world. A substantial new Introduction by Nazneen Kanji, Su Fei Tan and Camilla Toulmin reflects on Boserup's legacy as a scholar and activist, and the continuing relevance of her work. This highlights the key issue of how the role of women in economic development has or has not changed over the past four decades in developing countries, and covers crucial current topics including: women and inequality, international and national migration, conflict, HIV and AIDS, markets and employment, urbanization, leadership, property rights, global processes, including the Millennium Development Goals, and barriers to change. Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 INTRODUCTION 6 PRERFACE 28 Table of Contents 30 PART I IN THE VILLAGE 36 1 Male and Female Farming Systems 38 The Division of Labour within African Agriculture 39 The Plough, The Veil and the Labour 47 Population Pressure and Sex Roles in Farming 54 2 The Economics of Polygamy 60 The Status of Younger Wives 64 Work Input and Women's Status 70 3 Loss of Status under European Rule 76 The Responsibility of the European Rule 76 From Cultivator to Family Aid 80 The Revolt of the Women 86 4 The Casual Worker 89 The Influence of Caste on Women's Work and Wages 92 Cheap Lobour for the Export Sector 99 The Female Coolie 102 The Impact of Agricultural Modernization on the Employment of Women 103 PART II IN THE TOWN 106 5 Women in a Men’s World 108 Sex and Race in Market Trade 110 Work Input and Earnings of Market Women 115 From the Market Place to the Super-Market 118 Female Services in Male Towns 122 Domestic Servants 126 6 Industry: From the Hut to the Factory 129 Women's Drop-out from Industry 133 Why Employers Prefer Male Workers 135 Why Women Shun the Factory 137 7 The Educated Woman 142 Seclusion in the Professions 146 The Feminization of Clerical Jobs 153 The Pull of White Collar Jobs 158 8 Women in the Urban Hierarchy 162 Sex Differentials in Industrial Skills and Wages 164 The Hierarchy of Race and Sex 170 The Status of White Collar Workers 174 PART III FROM VILLAGE TO TOWN 178 9 The Lure of the Towns 180 The Value of Subsistence Production 183 Subsistence Activities in Urban Areas 190 10 Urban Job Opportunities for Women 197 The Two Steps in Economic Development 199 The Impact of Tradition and of Imported Culture Patterns 202 The Pattern of Migration and of Female Work 206 The Arab and the Latin American Patterns 209 The South East Asian Pattern 211 The African Pattern 213 11 The Unemployment Scare 217 Employment Opportunities in Rural Areas 220 The Urban Labour Market 224 Education as a Cause of Unemployment 226 The Cost of Urbanization 229 The Strategy of Development Planning 231 12 The Design of Female Education 234 The Productivity of Female Labour 235 The Escape from Competition 237 Training for the Modern Sector 243 A New Pattern for the Future 246 APPENDIX TABLES 249 NOTES TO TABLES AND FIGURES 283 LIST OF WORKS CITED 286 AUTHOR INDEX 299 SUBJECT INDEX 302

'Boserup's contribution to our thinking on womenï¿1⁄2s role in development cannot be underestimated. Her keen observations, her use of empirical data and her commitment to greater gender equality are still an inspiration to students, researchers and activists who are interested in a better and more equal world.' From the new Introduction by Nazneen Kanji, Su Fei Tan and Camilla Toulmin 'Womenï¿1⁄2s Role in Economic Development has become a key reference book for anyone - student, scholar, or practitioner - interested in gender and development analyses. This book is important not only because it provided the intellectual underpinning of the Women in Development (WID) analysis, but also because of the lasting influence it had on the development of theoretical, conceptual, and policy thinking in the fields of women, gender, and development. The re-editing of Womenï¿1⁄2s Role in Economic Development, with its new introduction, ensures students, academics, and practitioners continued access to an essential reference for those interested in the women and development literature.' Gender and Development This classic text by Ester Boserup was the first investigation ever undertaken into what happens to women in the process of economic and social growth throughout the developing world, thereby serving as an international benchmark. In the context of the ongoing struggle for womenï¿1⁄2s rights, massive urbanization and international efforts to reduce poverty, this book continues to be a vital text for economists, sociologists, development workers, activists and all those who take an active interest in women's social and economic circumstances and problems throughout the world. A substantial new Introduction by Nazneen Kanji, Su Fei Tan and Camilla Toulmin reflects on Boserupï¿1⁄2s legacy as a scholar and activist, and the continuing relevance of her work. This highlights the key issue of how the role of women in economic development has or has not changed over the past four decades in developing countries, and covers crucial current topics including: women and inequality, international and national migration, conflict, HIV and AIDS, markets and employment, urbanization, leadership, property rights, global processes, including the Millennium Development Goals, and barriers to change.

'Boserup's contribution to our thinking on women's role in development cannot be underestimated. Her keen observations, her use of empirical data and her commitment to greater gender equality are still an inspiration to students, researchers and activists who are interested in a better and more equal world.' __From the new Introduction by Nazneen Kanji, Su Fei Tan and Camilla Toulmin__ This classic text by Ester Boserup was the first investigation ever undertaken into what happens to women in the process of economic and social growth throughout the developing world, thereby serving as an international benchmark. In the context of the ongoing struggle for women's rights, massive urbanization and international efforts to reduce poverty, this book continues to be a vital text for economists, sociologists, development workers, activists and all those who take an active interest in women's social and economic circumstances and problems throughout the world. A substantial new Introduction by Nazneen Kanji, Su Fei Tan and Camilla Toulmin reflects on Boserup's legacy as a scholar and activist, and the continuing relevance of her work. This highlights the key issue of how the role of women in economic development has or has not changed over the past four decades in developing countries, and covers crucial current topics including: women and inequality, international and national migration, conflict, HIV and AIDS, markets and employment, urbanization, leadership, property rights, global processes, including the Millennium Development Goals, and barriers to change. "This classic text by Ester Boserup was the first investigation ever undertaken into what happens to women in the process of economic and social growth throughout the developing world, thereby serving as an international benchmark. In the context of the ongoing struggle for women's rights, massive urbanization and international efforts to reduce poverty, this book continues to be a vital text for economists, sociologists, development workers, activists and all those who take an active interest in women's social and economic circumstances and problems throughout the world." "A substantial new Introduction reflects on Boserup's legacy as a scholar and activist, and the continuing relevance of her work. This highlights the key issue of how the role of women in economic development has or has not changed over the past four decades in developing countries, and covers crucial current topics including: women and inequality, international and national migration, conflict, HIV and AIDS, markets and employment, urbanization, leadership, property rights, global processes, including the Millennium Development Goals, and barriers to change."--BOOK JACKET