Gender Studies
First put into use by an editorial of The Economist in 1997, the term “Davos Man” was coined to praise and defend a normative form of masculinity as a paragon of global capitalism that could transcend culture and bring people of the world together. Thereafter, at every gathering of the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, the term holds the limelight of the transnational mediascape, having informing and enabling rounds of heated discussions and debates. As Akash Arasu (2013) suggests, the term “was meant to refer to members of the global elite who view themselves as completely international. They have no need for the term ‘nationality’ and feel that governments are merely shadows of time past to be used as facilitators in their global operations.” In the wake of the global financial crisis, and the ensuing Great Recession, the notion of “Davos Man” has come under attack from a variety of groups and individuals. As many critics suggest, the term has become synonymous with unscrupulous bankers, Wall Street big-shots and anyone with a fat paycheck and large clout in a high profile position.
Why does this particular form of masculinity become the epitome of economic globalization? How is it related to the global crisis and ongoing economic recession, as suggested by the critics? What lesson do we learn from the “Davos Man”?
“On Feb. 23, 2016, an Indian woman, within hours of giving birth by C-section, was raped in a hospital near New Delhi.” Recently, Americans have been inundated by horrendous stories as such, which spur people to wonder, “Is India the rape capital of the world?”
Indeed, rape and violence against women are a serious social problem in India. “According to the country’s National Crime Record Bureau, crimes against women have increased by 7.1 percent since 2010. The number of rapes reported has also risen. Nearly one in three rape victims in India is under the age of 18. One in 10 are under 14. Every 20 minutes in India, a woman is raped” (Sally Kohn, 2015).
In contrast to the mediated craze over the rape contagion in India by US journalistic professionals, India only ranks third for the number of rapes reported each year though, eclipsed by the United States that has persistently held the first place in the chart. The irony, however, is that the US media, while remaining obsessed with others’ problems, are silenced about its own.
How to interpret this biased silence over the violence against women? Also, how to understand the transnational violence pandemic? And, how to address it?
