Gender stereotyping is evident in most communities all over the world. As a result, women are denied a chance to showcase their capability and abilities. Similarly, most traditions favor men relegating women to private sphere traits. However, due to globalization, women have started establishing their position in the economy. For instance, the globalizing economy is washing away the traditional views and beliefs that limited the activities as well as the participation of women in economic growth. Nevertheless, gender discrimination is still witnessed although on a small scale. In the bid to embrace a modern lifestyle and enjoy the fruits of globalization, women face pressure from the traditional gender roles. This essay relies on the book Working the Night Shift: Women in India’s Call Center Industry by Reena Patel to examine how globalization affects gender roles and family dynamics of the young women doing call center work.

How Indian Women Navigate the Opposing Pressures

Indian women are faced with the pressure from their families and society to obey the traditional gender roles of Indian women as well as the pressure from the globalizing economy to embrace a modern way of life. Although the pressures seem to be too high for the women, they manage to handle the forces effectively. First and foremost, women manage the pressure upon them by performing both kinds of duties effectively. For instance, according to the book, Indian women understood that besides the need to embrace globalization and capture the opportunities presented to them, they had to respond to the gender responsibilities. For that reason, they spared some time for their traditional roles. Due to the fact that instant withdrawal could have had negative impacts, females applied technical withdrawal by using their earnings to contribute to the household.

Similarly, the author argues that women capitalized on the use of technology at the workplace to keep in touch with family members and assure them of their safety. Through that, the pressure to continue with the traditional gender roles softened as the families and society gradually learnt that the even with globalization, women are still effective and safe. Furthermore, women managed the pressure by ensuring that the globalizing economy does not tamper with their culture and tradition. Indeed, Indian women technically transformed their lifestyles without compromising their traditional gender roles. On the other hand, flexibility enabled them to counter the pressure from the globalizing economy. For instance, in the book, Indian women proved their flexibility by conforming to the demands of the globalizing economy and contributing to the consumer culture efficiently. In light of that, it is clear that the actions taken by women pleased both sides and, thus, the pressure ceased.

Gender Roles Expectations that Indian Women Confront

Due to the gender stereotyping witnessed in the country, women in India were characterized by housekeeping roles. On that note, they were expected to stay indoors doing unpaid labor, most of which is household chores. Moreover, women were relegated to private sphere and faced with communal roles. Since females are known for being caring, patient, and less aggressive, they were assigned care-giving roles that involved taking care of children, cooking, washing and, above all, reproduction. The nature of the roles allocated to women denied them both physical and economical mobility. Therefore, they were invisible and unrecognized because their responsibilities took them long hours in homes limiting their social interaction.

Furthermore, women were expected to deal with family matters that left them economically handicapped for they could not be paid for attending to their families. In addition, the traditional gender roles for Indian women turned them into followers since they had no chance to prove their abilities to the society. Therefore, gender role expectations were to turn women into mere housekeepers and followers so that men can always dominate them.

New Opportunities Presented to Indian Women

Globalization has enabled Indian women to realize their abilities in the economy. For instance, through globalization, most communities have abandoned traditional beliefs in favor of the modern lifestyles. Similarly, women have been empowered that allowed them to compete in the economy. The globalizing economy provided Indian women with several opportunities. Having a job opportunity to work in the call center industry, women were able to participate in an emerging consumer culture. On the same note, the new labor opportunity enabled Indian women to get knowledge and skills for active involvement in the economic empowerment activities. Likewise, it provided a chance for them to earn a living and contribute to household, for in the past, women were identified with low-paying jobs. According to the book, globalization gave women a chance to become economically mobile.

Equally, due to the new labor opportunity, Indian women got a reason to go out at night. Since the new labor opportunity implied working on a night shift, women could now leave the house at night, which was not allowed before. As a result, the ladies can also interact and expand their social spheres thus acquiring physical mobility. More so, women got a new opportunity to attain independence for they got the freedom to wear and say what they wanted.

Globalization’s Effects on Gender Roles and Family Dynamics of Women in Call Centers

Globalization affected the gender roles and family dynamics of the women working in the call center industry in a number of ways. Firstly, due to globalization and pressure from the globalizing economy, Indian women were allocated paid jobs in call centers as opposed to the unpaid gender roles previously performed by them. Thus, the working women’s perception of gender roles changed, and they could no longer do them the way they used to. On the same note, women working in a call center have a chance to leave their houses at night. Hence, their family life changed.

Likewise, globalization acted as a revolutionary turn that shapes the lifestyle and understanding of Indian women. For instance, the book reiterates that Indian women took advantage of the night shift labor to expand both their physical and economic mobility. Similarly, globalization enabled them to expand social spaces changing their view of the traditional gender roles that denied them social, physical as well as economical mobility. Additionally, the family set-up of women who work in call center industry also changed as their position strengthened enabling them to enjoy some of the privileges that were meant for men.

Globalization fosters economic growth through the creation of job opportunities and raising awareness of people. For instance, the globalizing economy enhanced Indian women’s desire to live a modern life and access numerous new opportunities as opposed to the traditional way of life. Similarly, the way they dealt with the pressures against them enabled them to enjoy the fruits of the globalizing economy. The Indian ladies were expected to carry out caregiving roles that were not paid for, making them economically and physically immobile. However, globalization revolutionized and shaped their lives by allowing them several opportunities that changed their experiences. Indeed, globalization washed away the traditional gender roles and enabled women to get empowered and participate in an emerging consumer culture.

This chapter was written with the help of the  author: Olivia Onil is a master in English philology and literature at California University. Olivia is currently working as one of the best writers at the ExclusivePapers.net She also studies feminine psychology.