Module 8 - Chapter 23

8.) What distinguished feminism in the industrialized countries from that in the Global South? 

• Feminism in the Global North was different from the Global South. In the Global North, feminism came in waves. By the 1920s feminism was losing its momentum. The second wave had an emphasis on education and employment. Although the movement meant for every woman in America, there were different views on what was wrong. White women in the middle class found family and staying at home oppressive, as they wished to seek better opportunities. African American women viewed family and home life as an escape from racism. It is was African American women that also battled issues regarding racism in the streets. In the Global South, men would sometimes advocate for women but also women were responsive to a better future for themselves. In the Global South, women were encouraged to support nationalist and communist leaders. Many feminists of the Global South did not like the idea of feminism in the Global North especially American feminism. In Morocco, the family code first viewed women as minors, but due to feminism, they changed the family code, that recognized women to be equal like their husbands and allowed them to divorce and claim custody of their children that would have previously may have not been allowed.

9.) In what respect did the various religious fundamentalisms of the twentieth century express hostility to global modernity? 

• Many of the religious fundamentalisms were rejected. There was a need to create a separation of church and state. Religion was a thing of the past and therefore was deemed non-essential for modernization. Many would violence against those that practiced a certain religion and propaganda against that specific religion would be spread. Although politics were radical, so were religions. In the United States, there was a group of people that were known as the “religious right” and this group were Christian conservatives that believed that the United States was doomed because Christianity was no longer a center of politics or much did Christianity influence politics. In India, there was hostility towards Muslims. In India, it was heavily believed that everyone should be Hindu and nothing else. This took shape through a political party known as Bharatiya Janata Party. The party was supported by upper-caste people or people of high and elevated status. Higher casts did not support having various religions in India, as there was a strong and negative view of Muslims. Followers of the Islamic faith were those of lower castes. Then, there were launching terrorist attacks on the west.

14.) How can we explain the dramatic increase in the human impact on the environment in the twentieth century? 

• There are three things that would explain the dramatic increase in the human impact on the environment. The first thing is that the population was increasing. The increasing population was due to two things. The death rates were decreasing due to increasing new technology and life expectancy in many countries was increasing. There were also genetically modified seeds that would increase the food supply. The next thing that would explain the dramatic increase in the human impact on the environment is the new energy sources. The energy sources would come various forms, but most of them came to be fossil fuels. First coal was used, and then oil. Later on more sources would beused such as natural gas, hydroelectricity, and nuclear power. Nuclear power seemed like a potential source but it proved dangerous such as incidents like Chernobyl. Lastly, what made an impact is the overall advancement in technology and modern science that would increase the production of goods and services. In order to keep up with consumer demands, a lot of forests and lands had to be destroyed in order to make room for ranches for animals such as cows. Humans started driving animals and plants to extinction due to the destruction of habitats or even just hunting the animals.