A review of recent research (1988 to 1998) on gender differences in environmental attitudes and behaviors found that, contrary to past inconsistencies, a clearer picture has emerged: Women report stronger environmental attitudes and behaviors than men. Additional evidence of gender differences in environmental attitudes and behaviors was also supported across age (Study 1) and across 14 countries (Study 2). As a single variable, the effect of gender on proenvironmental behavior was consistently stronger than on environmental attitudes. Explanations for gender differences in environmentalism were examined in Study 3. It was found that compared to males, females had higher levels of socialization to be other oriented and socially responsible. Implications for theory, social action, and policy are discussed.

http://web.stanford.edu/~kcarmel/CC_BehavChange_Course/readings/Additional%20Resources/J%20Soc%20Issues%202000/zelezny_2000_6_gender_b.pdf

New Ways of Thinking about Environmentalism: Elaborating on Gender Differences in Environmentalism

WIDER Annankatu 42 00100 HELSINKI FINLAND 1. Introduction (p.l) 2. Capabilities, well-being, agency and perceptions (p.6) 3. Social Technology, cooperation and conflicts (p.10) 4. Households economics, bargaining models and information bases (p.15) 5. Cooperative conflicts: Interests, contributions and perceptions (p.20) 6. Extended entitlements and perceived legitimacy (p.30) 7. Production, earnings and perceived contributions (p.37) 8. Well-being, agency and cooperative conflicts (p.42) 2 GENDER AND COOPERATIVE CONFLICTS*

/pdf/gender-and-cooperative-conflicts-gz9g9m4uw9.pdf

Gender and cooperative conflicts

This article evaluates theories of the origins of sex differences in human behavior. It reviews the cross-cultural evidence on the behavior of women and men in nonindustrial societies, especially the activities that contribute to the sex-typed division of labor and patriarchy. To explain the cross-cultural findings, the authors consider social constructionism, evolutionary psychology, and their own biosocial theory. Supporting the biosocial analysis, sex differences derive from the interaction between the physical specialization of the sexes, especially female reproductive capacity, and the economic and social structural aspects of societies. This biosocial approach treats the psychological attributes of women and men as emergent given the evolved characteristics of the sexes, their developmental experiences, and their situated activity in society.

/pdf/a-cross-cultural-analysis-of-the-behavior-of-women-and-men-bntqdibaep.pdf

A cross-cultural analysis of the behavior of women and men: implications for the origins of sex differences.

South Asia is well known as being a region of the world where the normally higher number of females than males in the total population is reversed. Among the Indian states historically Punjab in the Northwest has had the most imbalanced sex ratios. The excessive mortality of females that this reflects is commonly hypothesized to be due to discrimination against females particularly female children relative to males in the allocation of food and health care within the household. This article examines the hypothesis that discrimination against girls is not generalized but rather is closely related to individual parents family-building strategies. It goes on to explore the mechanisms--allocation of food clothing and medical expenses--whereby these differentials in mortality are brought about. Finally it examines the reasons why son preference is so strong in Punjab society. The data support the hypothesis that sex bias is not generalized but focused on higher birth order girls. Sex differentials by birth order are far stronger than those by socioeconomic status. Moreover these differentials show a remarkable persistence in the face of socioeconomic development mortality decline and fertility decline. In fact fertility decline appears to heighten such selective discrimination. Interestingly womens education is associated with reduced child mortality but stronger discrimination against higher birth order girls. This strong underlying preference for sons appears to be the outcome of womens structural marginalization in this culture which results in their being of low value to their parents.

https://gbytes.gsood.com/files/dasgupta-punjab.pdf

Selective Discrimination against Female Children in Rural Punjab, India

This study was well-received and widely discussed when it appeared in hardback in 1990. It is devoted to analysis of the enduring problem of hunger in the modern world, and of the role that public action can play in countering it. The book is divided into four parts. The first attempts to provide a coherent perspective on the complex nutritional, economic, social and political issues involved in the causation of hunger and deprivation. The second deals with famine prevention, paying special attention to Africa and India. The third focuses on chronic undernourishment and related deprivations. Parts two and three include a number of case studies of successful public action for the prevention of hunger and famines in various parts of the world. The fourth part of the book draws together the main themes and concerns of the earlier chapters, and provides an integrated view of the role of public action in eliminating hunger.

Hunger and Public Action

The Endangered Sex: Neglect of Female Children in Rural North India.

This revised edition of a book originally published in 1981 studies the power of a culture that shapes family attitudes toward children Miller herein determines how and why the treatment of children in a certain part of Northern India is based upon their gender The ritualistic practice of female infanticide is presented with ethnographic depth and accuracy

The Endangered Sex: Neglect of Female Children in Rural North India

Since the early 1980s, the use of sex-selective abortion increased in many Asian contexts. Estimates indicate that several million female fetuses were aborted in the last two decades of the twentieth century. This article takes a currently unusual approach for a cultural anthropologist in pursuing cross-national comparisons of trends in sex-selective abortion. The risks involved in such an approach are taken in the hope that it will yield insights not gained through localized analysis. After reviewing the available evidence on female-selective abortion, I discuss features of Asian culture that support strong son preference. Next I review the related issues of increased technological availability for prenatal sex selection and national policies about sex selection. Last, I consider several positions on female-selective abortion and how cultural anthropology may contribute to understanding the global context and consequences of prenatal gender discrimination.

Barbara D. Miller

Papers

The Endangered Sex: Neglect of Female Children in Rural North India.

The Endangered Sex: Neglect of Female Children in Rural North India

Female-selective abortion in Asia: Patterns, policies, and debates

Social class, gender and intrahousehold food allocations to children in South Asia

The Endangered Sex: Neglect of Female Children in Rural North India.