Positioning Women in Malaysia : Class and Gender in an Industrializing State

Cecilia Ng documents the changing position of women in Malaysia. It is divided in three sections, each of which correspond to a different theme. The first section focuses on the role of the state in agricultural modernisation and its impact on rural women and the gender division of labour; the second explores the relationship of technological innovation and changing employment patterns in the industrial and digital economy. The final section attempts to link feminist theory and practice as articulated in the nascent Malaysian women's movement, and discusses the relevance of feminist theories in explaining the experiences of women in the developing world. Front Matter....Pages i-xix Introduction....Pages 1-7 Front Matter....Pages 9-9 Rural Development Programmes, Women’s Participation and Organizations in Malaysia....Pages 11-33 Gender and the Changing Division of Labour in a Rural Community....Pages 34-60 Malay Women and Rice Production in West Malaysia....Pages 61-80 The Batang Ai Resettlement Scheme: Reconstituting Gender Relations in an Iban Community in East Malaysia....Pages 81-92 Front Matter....Pages 93-93 The Management of Technology, and Women, in Two Electronics Firms in Malaysia....Pages 95-115 The Descent of New Technology: Computerization and Employment in Malaysia....Pages 116-141 Information Technology, Gender and Employment: A Case Study of the Telecommunications Industry in Malaysia....Pages 142-166 Front Matter....Pages 167-167 Women in Malaysia: Present Struggles and Future Directions....Pages 169-189 The Woman Question: Problems in Feminist Analysis....Pages 190-204 Back Matter....Pages 205-222