This research project critically questions the power relations inherent in the use of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a tool for international development. My case study focuses on the partnership between UNESCO and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), which advocates for global gender equality. This
discourse analysis seeks to expose the social inequities that may result from CSR by using the theoretical framework of Orientalism and the methodologies of
postcolonial feminism and intersectionality. The results suggest that an outdated understanding of gender as the axis of discrimination hinders the attainment of
gender equality. Furthermore, Girl Effect type initiatives that promote third-wave feminism are observed to reproduce social inequities through the perpetuation of
global capitalism. Key recommendations include a reconceptualization of gender (equality) that accounts for the intersectionality of identities, holistic context specific
solutions, and the use of socio-cultural analysis for CSR programming.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/31457 |
| Date | 20 December 2011 |
| Creators | Szto, Courtney |
| Contributors | MacNeill, Margaret |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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