Wednesday, February 10, 2010

 

More Than 100 Million Women Are Missing, By Amartya Sen

Volume 37, Number 20 · December 20, 1990
http://ucatlas.ucsc.edu/gender/Sen100M.html

Thanks to Rosecary for finding this article for us. If you read it and write a response you can have extra credit.

Comments:
Melvin Peter Herring
Professor Sabir
Eng 201 10-11:50
Feb 13, 2010

I find this to be very interesting it talks about how ever since birth men out number women, but women tend to be more healthy. however in Europe, the US, and Japan Women outnumber men due to such things as violence and diseases related to smoking but The fate of women in Asia and North Africa is worst because of women not getting the health care just as fast as the men do.just because when they believe when a man and a women both need help the man will always come first. it just shows how in other country's how they mistreat there women, and are starting to loose a beautiful thing. i believe that if they worked on there medical program the woman might out number the men as it been shown in different parts of the world. studies have shown women tend to be more healthy well with just a little extra help, by taking some of the focus off the men maybe the women might have a better chance at survival. all it will take is a foot in the right step, this can be done in many ways such as letting the women get Minor treatment,provide some form of cheap medical care or a plan where they can pay for there medical treatment by working it off.even a small step into the right direction may help correct this problem. i believe other country's need to get involved, i once heard someone say "an injustice anywhere is an injustice none the less, as humans we need to group together and correct the wrongs in the world to move forward and make this world a better place".

Amartya Sen,"More Than 100 Million Women Are Missing" Volume 37, Number 20 · December 20, 1990
 
Nseke Ngilbus
Ms.Sabir
Eng 201b 8:00- 8:50
Feb 15, 2010

I found this to be a really interesting piece; these piece changes my long believes view that women outnumber men three to one. This piece made me realize that for every 105 men there are 100 women; there is not a great gap between the men to women ratio reflected in the world population. But in the U.S., Japan, and Europe women are the dominate sex in numbers; essentially this is the opposite of the numbers that is presented in the world. Another piece of information that is interesting is that women are healthier than men. This is odd to me because men are considering more superior in all cultures, but yet we see that women are superior to them in health. Women, when given the same medical treatment, live longer than men. In third world countries women outnumber men because they are not given proper medical attention such as men, in turn; they succumb to illness and die. This can be easily solved by putting more focus on women than men, after all. Women are the ones who bear the children. I believe this injustice is not right and it needs to be dealt with and change, women in these nations should not have to be subjected to this kind of treatment. This needs to change, these are injustices and needs to be ended.
 
Tracey Lee
201B 23075
MW 1-2.50pm
The fact is that we have been “conditioned” to favor men as leaders, and women as companions. Male patriarchs are revered because they are providers, and besides they carry the family name to the next generation. In the Asian culture, males are favored because they are insurance to being taken care of when the parents age. Regardless of the injustice, women tend to have better mortality rate. I am guessing that this is because of the so many injustices, that it has made women resilient and tolerance of the difficulties in everyday living. However, I do believe that education is the key to change the imbalance and it starts from our own home. For example, male family members do household chores while women family members learn to fix gadgets.
 
Richard Myers
Professor Sabir
English 201B – 1 – 2:50pm
16 February 2010

More than 100 million women are missing
Within the confines of today’s societies there are many factors that affect not only the mortality but the well being of women. Interestingly, Amartya begins with a baseline statistic of between 1.05 – 1.06 (ratio of women to men, 100 meaning par) within Europe and North America. At the same time she gives a baseline comparison from Southwest Asia, China, and West Asia which she states can be as low as .94. She equates this vast gap to approximately 100 million women missing within these borders. This, as I’m sure you can imagine is disconcerting to say the least.
There are two basic trains of thought on this matter, that of a cultural aspect as well as economical. Although, neither can be a hard and fast rule, I would agree with her that both need to be considered and even merged into a general thesis. This, it would seem would be the only way to competently quantify the issue. However, generalizations cannot be made on this issue and I believe that each area needs to be looked at as a whole and then drilled down into specifically per state, and possibly even city. This, I think Amartya explains in detail very well.
Interestingly, the differences between economic and cultural forces are in fact fairly complicated and are specific to what I would call the “Culture of the State.” Let me explain. Japan for example; prior to 1940 had a much lower ratio of women to men. Let’s now fast forward to a post industrialized Japan and we find that the ratio evens out and then eventually surpasses the “par” mark. We must be able to contribute a large part of this to economic vitality. Improved medical care as well as schools and facilities do in fact improve mortality. Not only that, but the basic quality of life. Now, let’s compare this to China. China has exploded onto the international scene within the last 30 years. There is no denying that they are now and economic powerhouse. So, along with this economic growth, come improved facilities, as well as programs, right? This, as you know is not always the case. Simply put, it seems that the core leadership has an engrained bias (within their culture) towards women, and has not improved upon these facilities and social programs. This for a socialist nation is fairly ironic. But, all joking aside the mortality rates of women in China has not improved.
After all is said and done, I believe Amartya hits the nail on the head when she says, “The variables that appear important—for example, female employment or female literacy—combine both economic and cultural effects.” Not only that, but medical care as well. Although, I am sure there are more variables to this equation I think that in general this is a good start. Who knows, the time may come when these, “Cultures of State” eventually do decide to grow up.

Amartya Sen,"More Than 100 Million Women Are Missing" Volume 37, Number 20 • December 20, 1990
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?