Steps needed to be taken when reading a political text

Both the text “Women’s capabilities” and “more than 100 million missing women” is developed on three categories: the first being primarily theoretical, the second more policy-orientated, and the third focusing on methodological approaches. As discussed initially by Amartya Sen, the capability approach represents a powerful analysis of measurements of welfare based on productiveness. This approach draws on a liberal thoughtful framework highlighting the importance of the well-being of the individual in terms of what he or she is able to do and become and the kind of life he or she is able to lead. In this view, individual capabilities are supported by so-called ‘social perception’ (Sen, 6) either support or oppose capabilities. In the International Journal of Politics, AmaryArends-Kuenning and Sajeda Amin developed the capabilities framework with a particular focus on women’s capabilities in developing countries. She distinguishes between: 1) ‘basic capabilities’ generally innate from birth; 2) ‘internal capabilities’ which are developed states of the person; 3) ‘combined capabilities’ which require an appropriate political, economic and social environment. In the other article, “more than 100 million missing women,” writer AmartyaSen states that gender inequality could be overcome by three main things: education for women, better (property) rights and – most notably – productive, gainful, outside-of-the-house work for females(Sen,12). In both the article there is one common thing as in both problems related to women’s right is discussed. Structures of both the articles are also same as it is discussed in chronological order and the only difference is that in “women’s capabilities” there are many subheadings used.

In addition to this I would like to explain about the way we should read the political texts. I am going to explain the way and the strategies we used in the class to explain the way of reading political texts. In reading and analyzing each text, we assessed the content of the texts in light of the title, the table of contents, and chapter titles. We asked what content-wise expectations these aroused in a reader and whether the book’s subject matter in outline confirmed title-related expectations. We analyzed the structural design of the text’s contents, assessing whether the text gave equal treatment to each of the types of method it engaged. Finally, we analyzed the language of the text itself, looking for evidence of rhetorical argumentation. We looked for such devices as: 1. word choice; 2. sentence structure and order; 3. argument-by-adverb (“therefore,” “hence,” “however,” “of course”), rather than making arguments through the use of explicit logic; 4. the use of quotation marks around certain words or phrases, thereby calling attention to their meaning; 5. the rhythmic repetition of key words or phrases to make a point, rather than specific statement argument.

Moreover, in the article “women’s capabilities and the right to education in Bangladesh”- the writer uses the word “education”-which gives the reader a political view of the women’s right. There were also many quotation marks used in this article. For example,  the following quotation given is used to grab reader’s eye and to give the idea that it is important-“focuses on the ability of human beings to lead lives they have reason to value and to enhance the substantive choices they have”(Sen, 127). In this text, writer stresses on the word “perceived” many times to denote that many people can see this aspect of women’s education in many different ways and have different opinions. All these above techniques have the effect of directing readers’ thought processes and shaping their experience of the political text.

Works Cited

Arends-Kuenning, Mary and Amin, Sanjeda,“Women’s capability and right to education in Bangladesh.” International Journal of Politics and Society, Vol. 15, No.1, September 2001. Print

Sen, Amartya, “More Than 100 Million Missing Women.” Nybooks  Archives. Dec 20, 1990. April 7, 2013.

 

Protected: Analyzing ‘Political Analysis Texts’

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“The Paragraph, which supports Sen’s Main Argument”.

Economist, Amartya Sen, in his essay “More Than 100 Million Missing Women” indicates the declining condition of the population of women comparing to the men, especially in the orients area than from the population of the occident areas. The writer gave some reason behind the difference among the number of men and women. The main reason behind this unusual ration is the neglect that women face in the Asian country than from the European Countries. Sen also includes the social, cultural and economical reason behind this problem. The author supports his claim on the third paragraph of the second page by using the evidence of logos.
In order to support his claim the author gives the data of the ratio of the men and women in China and India to calculate the number of missing women in the South Asia. According to Sen there will be “6 percent deficit of women” (Sen, 01). The reason behind this deficiency is the inequality in the health care they receive between men and women. But, if we compare the ratio among the people who receive similar health care the deficiency will be more. In Sen’s word “the real shortfall is about 11 percent” (Sen, 01). If we compare it with China than the number of missing women is 50 million alone in that country, which leads us to 100 million missing women when added in South & West Asia and even North Africa. This information clearly supports the claim that Sen made in his article. Sen used the data’s ant rates of the missing women as an evidence to support his claim in this paragraph, which also supports the claim that Sen made in his whole article.
The writer supports his claim by giving the statistics of the ratio of men and women in this paragraph by using logos, which at the same time supports his whole argument of the article.
Work cited
Sen, Amartya, “More Than 100 Million Missing Women.” Nybooks Archives. Dec 20, 1990. Mar 4, 2013.

Women’s Survival on Employment and Literacy- Two “Crucial Variables”

Amartya Sen, in his article, “More Than A 100Million Missing Women”, discusses gender ratio around the world. He argues that the “two simplistic explanations” (Sen, 2)—“cultural contrast between East and West” and “economic development” (Sen, 2-3). But this gap cannot be adequately described by these two “implicitly” (Sen, 2) alleged analyses because of variation of correlation between these two and gender gap. With this he also gives “the important variables—female employment or female literacy” (Sen, 11). In the fifth part of his article, he introduces these two variables going into deep analysis which makes the second paragraph of this part an important one.

Though some may think that the two variables economy and employment are similar but Sen argues that they are not. We need to incorporate economic, cultural and social factors behind “women’s deprivation” (Sen, 11). He gives hard evidence—mathematical figures—to prove how Kerala in southwestern India having ratio of women to men as 1.03 is “not deficit of women” (Sen, 11) and certainly to gain credibility by appealing to readers sense of logos. But at the same time he appeals to reader’s sense of pathos making them think on how the factor, literacy rate, affects women’s survival. The literacy rate in Kerala makes its women to men ratio almost equal to Europe (1.05) (Sen, 11). With this his very purpose of showing how literacy rate and employment are important factors in analyzing the gender gap is served. He gives data and fact of Kerala being higher literacy rated state in India and having no deficiency of women. Here, he basically wants to emphasis on importance of literacy rate which affects women’s chances of survival very much. More educated people are, less will be the female mortality rate because of medical developments and education. And with high education women are likely to get employment.

In this paragraph he introduces the major factors which “deserve examination” (Sen, 12) and gives hard evidence to prove his point. This is basically the key paragraph of his article where he presented these overlooked factors affecting women’s survival rate highly. He gives explanation to his point. With literacy rate, the survival rate of women increased with the education amongst people, thus, increasing the employment opportunities for women. Thus, this very paragraph serves the key role in his article.

 

Work Cited

Sen, Amartya. “More Than 100 Million Missing Women.” Nybooks Archives. Dec 20, 1990. Mar 31, 2013.

 

IS ECONOMY LEADS TO WOMEN EQUALITY?

Amartya Sen, a noble prize winner economist, in his article “More than 100 Million Missing Women,” presents grounds and explanation behind missing of large number of women from this planet. One of his paragraph, he questions one of the prominent prejudices i.e. “economic development” is directly proportional to women’s equality. As economy of a country grows, the status of women at home; work places and in society also uplifts (Sen, 4). He uses example of “mortality at childbirth” – which surely decreases with economic developments that significantly improve hospital’s facilities and provide better child care. He acknowledges economic development as an important factor for betterment of women status but does not rely on it wholly. He strongly refutes this claim by providing example of Sub-Saharans countries which are poor and under develop, but have substantial “excess of women.” (Sen, 5). Then he gives example of Punjab and Haryana – which is amongst the richest state of India, which have very low women to men ratio (0.86) in contrast with Kerala – poorer state of India having women to men ratio (1.03) (Sen, 5). By these examples, he strongly counters attack “economic explanation” for women inequality.

He uses statistical evidences and logics to rebut and disagree with the purely “economic explanation.” I think the strategy works best in this paragraph, because he initially stated opponent claims clearly with their possible reasons. Then he acknowledges with them partly but disproves this at the same time. His use of logical and statistical analysis is strong enough to refute purely “economic explanation” and supports his overall claim.

The claim of this article is that “women at gainful employment” have better chances of survival along with other social, cultural and economic variables (Sen, 11). In this paragraph, Sen strongly disagrees with the “economic explanation” purely for women inequalities. The paragraph as a whole helps him to builds his claim. The refutes, he provides help readers to logically analyze the statistical situation and also thinks about other variables that affect women mortality rate and women to men ratio at the same time. Consequently, we can say that this one paragraph works for Sen to strengthen his claims and also to persuade and convince his readers.

WORK CITED
Sen, Amartya. “More Than 100 Million Missing Women.” Nybooks Archives. Dec 20, 1990. Mar 4, 2013

Protected: What’s the Solution of the ‘Missing Women’ Problem?

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Why Women Are Missing?

Nobel Laureate, Amartya Sen in his “More than 100 Million Missing Women” has advocated the implementation of rights of women and recognition of women’s status through the estimation of statistics about high female mortality rates in the world. In this research work, firstly the differences in the ratio of women to men in different parts of the world has been shown explicitly and then the social, economic and cultural reasons behind this have been unveiled. In the paragraph 5 of part 1, the writer is claiming that the numbers obtained by calculating the ratio of women to men in Asia and Africa demonstrate the ignorance and discrimination faced by women and consequently enhance their mortality rate. In my view, this claim is not only a brief summary of this paragraph, but also works as a thesis for the whole essay.

The claim made in paragraph 5 of part 1 is well-supported by credible statistical evidence. It is mentioning that if men and women are equivalent in number in China and South-West Asia, then the missing number of women can be obtained by calculating the additional number of women. But that “would indicate a 6 percent deficit of women” (Sen 02). Again, if it is compared with the West, where the ratio of women to men is more, “real shortfall will be about 11 percent” (Sen 02). This, as a whole, encompasses the idea that more than 100 million women are needed to balance the proportion of men and women in the world. These data prove the validity of Sen’s claim that women are suffering due to excessive mortality rate.

Besides analyzing the numerical figures about the inequalities between survival rates of men and women, Sen is also providing explanations regarding the social, cultural and economic aspects for raising the status of women. The East- West divide and cultural contrasts, and the variation in stages of economic development are two plain reasons for high female mortality rate. This rate also has close connection with the lack of gainful employment, crisis in health resources and social reforms and low literacy rates for women. All of these factors directly or indirectly synthesize the claim made in paragraph 5 of part 1 about the “a terrible story of inequality and neglect leading to the excess mortality of women” (Sen 02). As the writer mentions,
“A combined cultural and economic analysis would seem to be necessary, and I will argue, it would have to take note of many other social conditions in addition to the features in simple aggregative theses”(Sen 03).
So, the low status of women being governed by multi-faceted cultural and economic features center the high mortality rates, in other words, the missing number of women in the world.
Works Cited
Sen, Amartya. “More than 100 Missing Women.” Nybooks Archives. Dec 20, 1990. Mar 31,
2013.