Commodification of Gender in the Context of Economic Globalization in Thailand

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master of International Relations, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Member of the Faculty of Political Science, Shiraz University

3 Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

10.22080/jpir.2025.29846.1440

Abstract

In addition to positive aspects such as the expansion of trade and investment or the development of new technologies, all of which have contributed to the progress of human societies, depending on the approaches of societies to the phenomenon of development, economic globalization has been accompanied by unpleasant consequences, such as the transformation of gender into a commodity and a tool for development and wealth accumulation. Meanwhile, Thailand, as one of the countries in Southeast Asia that accelerated its economic development in the post-World War II era, has been moving in a direction where gender in this society has been deeply inclined towards commodification, influenced by economic imperatives and underlying social conditions. This paper aims to explore the impact of economic globalization on the commodification of gender, focusing on the case study of Thailand. By posing the question of how economic globalization has affected the commodification of gender in Thailand, this paper claims that economic globalization, by giving importance to prioritizing economic development and growth and, as a result, the necessity of providing trade and investment conditions, has led to the commodification and objectification of the issue of gender in the economic dimension. The findings of this study indicate that the commodification of gender in Thailand has occurred within the context of globalization, resulting from the perception of development as a foundation of national power, the structural imperatives arising from opportunities and threats posed by the international order for Thailand,

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Journal of Politics and International Relations
Volume 8, Issue 15
August 2025
Pages 357-400

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