Importance of Feminism and Gender Studies in ICTs

Technology
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Subject
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Technology
The concept of feminism, gender, and multiple oppression is a complicated subject to understand for most people. Gender goes far beyond male or female, and the entire spectrum of genders can cover everything from transgender individuals to those with agender identities. Various studies have been put forward to explain the concept of feminism, gender, cultural identities, and race. This paper will focus on some of these studies and their interpretation of such concepts.
Synthesis
Radhika Gajjala and Annapurna Mamidipudi's study focuses on cyberfeminism, international development, and technology. According to this study, cyber feminists believe that feminist perspectives should be built into developing information and communication technologies (ICTs). This is an excellent example of how cyberfeminism connects feminism with it. This study also explains the challenges that women face in electronic spaces. The authors examine the concept of feminism and its relation to the cultural notions of femininity and "masculinity. This study determines that different people identify themselves as a feminist or a feminist. This is because there exist many kinds of people within the feminist community. The researchers found that the participants do not see themselves as a feminist without identifying with femininity and masculinity. These are some of the key terms utilized in the study.[Gajjala, Radhika, and Annapurna Mamidipudi. "Cyberfeminism, technology, and international'development'." Gender & Development 7, no. 2 (1999): 8-16.]
The study by Ulf Mellström focuses on the intersection of cultural boundaries, race, and gender. It also focuses on why women dominate Malaysian cyberspace. It also focuses on the western bias on gender when it comes to technology-related studies. Mellström explains that one of the main reasons these western studies are so biased is that technology has historically been a patriarchal concept. Femininity and masculinity are among the key terms used throughout the article. The male perspective is taken into account when it comes to the use of technology. However, Mellström also points out that Malaysian women are equally important in technology development. This is because they are the ones using and maintaining the technology that has been handed over to them by men. Both Malaysians and westerners have given the technology a masculine image while ignoring the role of women in using these technologies. Mellström suggests that Westerners and Malaysians should include these women as stakeholders in all technological studies involving Malaysia.[Mellström, Ulf. "The intersection of gender, race and cultural boundaries, or why is computer science in Malaysia dominated by women?." Social studies of science 39, no. 6 (2009): 885-907.]
Critical Engagement
Radhika Gajjala and Annapurna Mamidipudi are both international development and technology experts. They are very familiar with their subject matter, and they can easily explain the complex issues involved in gender, feminism, and various cultures. However, some of their terms are unclear. For example, the word "intersectionality" is not explained well by the authors. However, the concept of intersectionality does become clear sometime later in the article when it is described as "the position of women within multiple social and structural intersections. Gajjala and Mamidipudi's terminology is not suitable for readers unfamiliar with feminism. This can be easily overlooked by non-feminists, especially those who only have a basic understanding of gender. However, it is an excellent example of how these terms are pushed around in many other studies, and the results can be confusing.
The key arguments of the study can be summarized in the following ways. First, cyber feminists believe that information and communication technologies (ICT) should be infused with feminist perspectives. Instead of filtering feminist ideas, they should be included as a holistic approach in the development process. The second argument is that cultural concepts of femininity and masculinity can pursue feminist ideas but may differ on how far they can go without being called an activist or a feminist. The third argument focuses on race and gender differences in Malaysia. The study found that women dominate the Malaysian cyberspace and that westerners have an unfair bias when it comes to technological studies involving Malaysia. In conclusion, the authors present their suggestions for future research. They suggest that future research include various women from different cultures to avoid cultural bias.
The bias of the study is that the authors are very familiar with their subject matter. However, they do not explain their terms clearly and make them seem ambiguous. This makes it very hard for a reader to understand how the concepts connected to the study work. In addition, some of their conclusions are incorrect. For example, they said that gender could be separated into the two categories of femininity and masculinity. However, gender is not a single concept. Still, a complex one that includes many levels of gender identity, and feminism itself is a set of ideas that provides for all genders' perspectives. This is also the case with race. The study is also biased in its use of terms. For example, they use the word "western" without specifying what they meant by this. They also used the term "culture of technology" without explaining its meaning or relation to their argument. These terms ought to be clearly defined because the concept of gender is complex. People have different perceptions regarding this concept, and therefore, specific terms must be used to be understood by others. Overall, this study seems to have many flaws despite being written by experts in the field.[Richard, Gabriela T., and Kishonna L. Gray. "Gendered play, racialized reality: Black cyberfeminism, inclusive communities of practice, and the intersections of learning, socialization, and resilience in online gaming." Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies 39, no. 1 (2018): 112-148.]
The key point in Mellström's is that Malaysian women are just as important in the local technology sector as men are. There is limited research on the role of women in the growth of technology and their roles in the technological sector. Finally, Mellström seeks to explore the relations between race and gender in the Malaysian context. The article also aims to probe feminism and its relationship with culture and technology. The main bias of the study is that it is written for the benefit of Malaysian women. However, this study can contribute to feminist studies because it examines the relationship between culture and technology. The main argument of this study is that there is a western bias in technological studies that do not consider women's contributions. The article also suggests that feminism has become an important term in international development and technology. In addition, Mellström argues that feminism has become an essential part of technology and science studies. Therefore, further research is needed to outline the role played by gender, race, and cultural beliefs in technological advancements.
The field of technology is often associated with men, and it becomes a big deal when women pursue careers in technology. This has been a common culture in western countries, and the same culture is spreading to other parts of the world. This is a very important issue and is being addressed by the feminist cyberfeminists. The main idea behind this concept is that as women strive to become technology professionals, they have to fight against negative cultural stereotypes such as the stereotypes of gender and race. It is essential to understand why they are being created to address these stereotypes. In finding a solution to this problem, one must first understand the cause and effect of the stereotypes. Stereotypes are caused by each indivi...