We’re excited to announce that The Gender Effect: Capitalism, Feminism, and the Corporate Politics of Development by Kathryn Moeller is the winner of the 2018 National Women’s Studies Association Sarah A. Whaley Book Prize. The prize recognizes an outstanding book on the topic of women and labor. #NWSA2018
Using Nike’s Girl Effect as a central case study, The Gender Effect focuses on how the philanthropic, social responsibility, and business practices of various corporations use a logic of development that positions girls and women as instruments of poverty alleviation and new frontiers for capitalist accumulation.
In her Fast Company article, Moeller writes:
“But surely these corporate programs to empower girls and women must do more good than harm? While some indeed serve individual girls and women in beneficial ways by providing safe spaces and mentoring, and introducing them to new skills and professional opportunities, these companies are ultimately sidestepping the problem at the heart of the matter.
“If they genuinely want to serve girls and women, they first need to clean up business practices at home and abroad that put girls and women at risk. They can no longer take up the cosmetics of gender equality without its substance. This necessitates they ensure safe working conditions; pay equitable, living wages; allow workers to organize across their supply chains; provide health insurance and paid family leave; fortify public systems by paying proper taxes; and eliminate gender discrimination and sexual violence in the workplace.”
Congratulations to Kathryn Moeller! And read an excerpt of the book.
