Asian Feminists in Search of New Pedagogies of Encounter

Kim, Sung Eun^[1]

I. What does it mean to be "Asian feminists"?

We celebrate our togetherness through the Women's Forum of CATS IV, and the beautiful diversity of Asian women�s spirits. In spite of the positive strides in human and social rights of women, gained during the last decade, we have to continue the struggle for transformation. In Asia, many women still suffer from sexual harassment, domestic violence, marginalization and other forms of discrimination.

Asian feminists do not aim to exchange positions with men in systems of domination and oppression. We are convinced that no culture, no religion, and no civilization should dominate all others. Only cultural pluralism, mutual recognition, and respect can eliminate the possibility of violent clashes of civilizations, which Samuel Huntington spoke of. We want a new social structure where power is shared and every voice is heard; where new forms of partnership are tried; where a leader is someone who helps others to flourish; and where men and women, young and old, work together and recognize each other. These are the characteristics of new and transformed communities, which we want to build in Asia.

Our identity as Asian feminists is what we make of ourselves. We are responsible to choose, define and create our identity, enlarging our sense of freedom and responsibility for the meanings, values, and events that constitute the public as well as private realms of our lives. We need to help liberate men and women alike from the culture of silence and self-destruction into a sense of courage and freedom to face the harsh realities of the world.

We try to promote a culture of peace and tolerance in our communities, particularly in the present context of war on terrorism, and the ongoing misunderstanding, mistrust, intolerance and violence in Asian conflict zones. We promote peace-making, conflict transformation skills, and participatory leadership.

For many years church women have been concerned about empowering women to challenge oppressive structures, affirm their contributions in society, make visible their engagement in struggles for justice, peace and creation, and enable churches to free themselves from racism, sexism, classism and discrimination. While the World Council of Churches (WCC) tried to campaign for the churches� solidarity with women, real solidarity happened between women and other women.

In the last few decades, more Asian women have become aware of their right to life. An important method employed by women is storytelling. Their stories of pain and joy, management strategies, leadership, strength and passion are now being told and heard. Their commitment to improve women's status has paved the way for the next generation.

Education has a crucial role in the promotion of individual excellence with social responsibility. Through education many Asian women have been empowered to become economically independent, self-confident, and equipped with global perspectives. Life-long education liberates women from ignorance, prejudice, alienation and false consciousness, and empowers them to actualize their potentialities and lead autonomous, fulfilling lives.

Asian women, as �social capital,� have a collective value through their Asian women's network for enhancing peace, social justice and sustainability of creation. This does not mean exclusive self-serving gangs of Asian women to do things only for each other^[2] for Asian feminist theologians affirm and recognize the equality of women and men for all are made in the image of God.

II. What Makes Us Different from Other Feminists?

1. Living with Diversity in the Conflict Zone

In Asia, we have to live with so much diversity. People are not created the same. In fact people are not equal in terms of their capabilities. Yet they should be treated equally in terms of their political and civil rights, and regardless of the political system and ideology of the society in which they live.

Living in Asia means living with various conflicts that seem especially difficult to resolve, due not only to ethnic and religious differences but also to interference by the powers-that-be. A clear case in point is that of North and South Korea.

There are also some aspects of the philosophical, cultural and religious heritage of Asia which contribute to the subjugation of women. On top of these, they are the majority victims of poverty and unfair labor practices.

2. Living in an Era of Anxiety

Asian women have generally been victimized by our patriarchal societies. In addition, we have to face two bigger and stronger powers this 21st century: that of the global market economy and the unusual allegiance it commands around the world; and that of the superpower, the United States of America.

With the end of the Cold War, capitalism won. The lone superpower poses as a threat to Asia in this post-9.11 or post-Iraqi war era. The United States of America continues to assert its preeminence as a political, military, economic and cultural power in the Asian region and throughout the world. If the US is truly concerned about peace and progress in Asia, it should end its economic sanctions to North Korea and facilitate a process of reconciliation. Women should work so that no superpower will use the land and people of Asia for its hegemonic proxy wars.

3. Economic Inequality - Economic Literacy

Inequality is an inherent part of capitalism and of life's struggle^[3]. It is natural for people to compete for advantage, whether for nourishment, esteem, power, sexual partner, or wealth. But how much inequality is too much? How much is just or unjust? This is widely considered as one of the biggest weaknesses of capitalism and globalization.

The richer portion of the world's population which lives in the industrialized, developed countries mainly in North America, Western Europe and Japan, constitutes a minority of the 6 billion people. Meanwhile, according to the World Bank, 2.8 billion live on an income of less than $2 a day and 1.2 billion live on less than $1 a day. More than 40 percent of those 1.2 billion are in South Asia � India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka while 23 percent are in East Asia, e. g. China.^[4]

Instead of narrowing, the gap between the rich and poor has widened substantially. It has been said that the number of people in East Asia living on less than $1 a day fell from 420 million to 270 million between 1987 and 1998, yet none of the East Asian countries has yet caught up with Japan. Thus, inequality is as bad as ever. Since 1990, China and India began to raise their economic growth out of poverty but still the problem remains serious.

Many Asian people do not have access to modern technology and to opportunities to improve their living. Many poorer Asian countries are more likely to have weak political and social institutions and are more likely to experience chaos or civil war, disease and terrorism, environmental degradation and forced labor migration^[5]. Labor migration has benefited richer countries with cheap labor yet with new skills and new energy. While there may be greater economic incentives for migrant workers, they also experience a lot of despair due to exploitation and abuse, not to mention the great social cost of separation from their homes and families.

Inequality also brings with it the threat of environmental degradation. Many Asian women�s groups are very active in promoting environmental education which includes preservation of nature, reducing water and food waste, less use of detergents, etc. During and after the financial crisis of 1997, women's NGOs carried out programs to help some unemployed women overcome their economic difficulties. Many of such women�s NGOs work closely with migrant workers to uphold their human rights and ensure decent working conditions.

4. Info-Digital Society and Women's Inequality in Asia

The international community has recognized empowerment of women as a vital element in national development. Technological development should help pursue goals of gender equity and women's advancement as well as social, political and economic justice, sustainable human development, and support for cultural and linguistic diversity. Information technology should be guided by a human rights approach to ensure the rights of all, especially those who have little or no access to communication technology. Communication is a basic human need, indispensable for the organization of societies, and hence, should be one of the foundations for building society.

Communication tools in human relations always involve power. Certain codes marginalize some sectors in society, like most women and the marginalized. Thus, it is important for language to be inclusive, so as not to exclude or discount the powerless, the younger ones, the minorities, and the marginalized.

III. Possible Alternative Names for Ourselves

1. Border Crosser

Many Asian feminist women can be described as cultural, social, political "border crossers" insofar as they do path-breaking actions. Such actions help to forge new paths between cultures, between western and eastern, producer and consumer, educated and non-educated, powerful and powerless. Many of them cross boundaries of modernism, postmodernism, patriarchy, boundaries of education and common sense, home and society, and even of state and culture. They often do so in support of the suffering people around them for they try to live out being others-centered, rather than self-centered.

2. Whistle-Blowers

Many Asian feminists do their peace-making task as whistle-blowers for peace, social justice, sustainable development and other issues. To save the world from the threat of war and ecological crisis, many women �blow whistles� to warn or call the attention of their leaders and people to their tasks of ensuring the welfare of the people.

3. Peace-Midwives, Mediators

Many women are good in cooking, mixing different ingredients and creating wonderful dishes for the family. Many women can in their own way sort out conflicts and find ways of resolving them, whether they are between individuals or groups. Hence, they are like effective midwives who assist babies into the world.

IV. Tools/Methodology/Practices/Issues of Asian Feminism

Values of tolerance and peace are indispensable to building a better world. True peace comes with the power of love, rather than military power. Dialogue and mutual understanding of people serve as the basis for enduring and peaceful human relations, human security and prosperity.^[6]

1. Pedagogy of Endurance

Sharing stories of experiences of pain and joy is women�s way of catharsis. The story-telling methodology helps to liberate them from the culture of silence and to muster courage to face their problems. I call this pedagogy of endurance.

2. Pedagogy of Making Peace through Social Action

Liberation theology takes a preferential option for the marginalized, thus, giving voice to the voiceless. It emphasizes social action as an integral aspect of Christian faith, identity, and theology. Asian feminists have struggled for social justice in life and work through involvement in social action towards just causes, e.g. urban industrial mission and peaceful reunification movement in Korea.

3. Pedagogy of Building Social Capital

Critical pedagogy deals with notions of power, struggle, class, gender, resistance, and social justice. It is said that �pedagogy should become more political and the political should become more pedagogical�. Most governments do not offer any economic or political benefit to women. But the transformation of society needs the power of women. Women are a great social capital for peace-building, fostering small markets, assisting in relief programs in the face of disasters, solving health problems, etc.

Women have to be political and pedagogical. Many women of poor countries in Asia do not have enough skills or education, hence, they have very little capital. But organized and empowered, these women could become a social network with good social, political, and pedagogical capitals. These days, there are groups that help to make this possible, providing training and creating employment for women. Many women's organizations run day-care centers, after-school learning centers for children of low-income working mothers, and counselling centers for victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Moreover, the new communication technology � e.g. e-mail, web-site, various networks � can also be tapped to help improve women's social and political capital in the region.

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1. Kim, Sung Eun is professor at the Department of Christian Education, Seoul Theological University in Seoul, Korea.

2. Refer to social capital, WIKIPEDIA, www.wikipedia.org/social-capital.

3. Bill Emmott, Twentieth-Century Lessons for the Twenty-First Centry (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2003), 257.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid, 265.

6. �Tashkent Declaration�, Second Meeting of Asia-Pacific Network on Tolerance, December 4-6,2001 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.