Today!

Half the Sky co-author Sheryl WuDunn will speak at the Hoff Theater in the STAMP today at 3pm! Free Half the Sky posters at the door!

Education

If there’s a school, why is it sometimes hard to get girls to attend?

D.I.Y. Foreign Aid Revolution by Nicholas Kristof (NYTimes) October 20, 2010.

What about men?

The authors tell us that men and women treated so differently in developing countries.

"Why is acid thrown in women's faces, but not in men's? Why are women so much more likely to be stripped naked and sexually humiliated than men? Why is it that in many cultures, old men are respected as patriarchs, while old women are taken outside the village to die of thirst or be eaten by wild animals?" Half the Sky, p. 67

What things would have to take place to change this?

God Gulf

The authors talk about the “God gulf.” Describe an example of it from the book. Why does each side believe they are right? Can you think of ways to get each side to listen to the other?

Good Intentions Gone Wrong

On page 27, there is an example of “good intentions gone wrong.” Senator Harkin introduced legislation banning products made by young girls in Bangladesh. As a result, Bangladeshi factories shut down and girls ended up in brothels. What do you think should be done?

On page 210, the authors state that Chinese sweatshops have given women a boost because they no longer have to toil in the fields. Yet factory women face forced overtime, sexual harassment, and dangerous working conditions. Do you agree with this statement?

Poor Maternal Health

Why is giving birth sometimes more dangerous in developing countries? Why have fistulas become almost unknown in the western world? Why do women die in childbirth? Why does it seem easier to invest in vaccines for children?

Forced Prostitution

In chapter one, we read about Meena, a young woman in India who was forced into prostitution when she was 8 or 9 years old. She attempts to and escapes many times, only to be brought back to brothel. She had to initially leave her children there until she could rescue them. What keeps women dependent of the brothel owners? Why was Meena a success? What would you do if you were asked to go there and solve this problem?

In some countries, rape plays a role in shaping women’s lives. Why is rape so rarely reported?

Lack of Education

Educating girls has many benefits beyond the fact that a society needs educated individuals. List three barriers to a women’s education in the developing world and three benefits to educating women.

Fall 2010 Discussion

Please join in the online discussion on “Half the Sky” each week. Beginning September 13 and every Monday following until November 8th, we’ll pose a discussion question on the First Year Book website. We’ll spend three weeks discussing each of the following book topics: the problem, the issues, and the solutions.

Instructors may wish to give assign credit to students for participation.

New year, new book!

Half the Sky is coming to the University of Maryland. Stay tuned for this coming year's events posted on our website http://fyb.umd.edu, and suggest a book-related activity or event in the comments!