Globalization and Gender Inequality: The Case of Post-Communist Central and Eastern Europe.

Having experienced artificial equality during the Communist period, women face new challenges of economic and political inequality in the post-Communist era of democratization and market reform. While most research on the subject has focused on seeking explanation from domestic reforms, this paper studies the effects of globalization on gender inequality in Central and Eastern Europe. Assuming that globalization means increased economic growth and free trade, pursued in the process of transition to market economies, the paper examines whether factors such as free trade, economic growth and democracy increase, decrease or have no effect on gender inequality. If an effect is found, has it been similar across all countries? An attempt at discerning regional patterns of explanation of gender inequality will be made. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]