Gender and Public Policy in Turbulent Times, 5 cr

What social and political strategies stand the best chance of leading to gender equality? Will the same approach work in difference countries? Are some areas of gender inequality more important than others? If you want to be an effective activist after completing your Masters, or a confident civic actor sticking -up for gender equality, this course aims to equip you with the tools you will need!

You will learn how public policy shapes gender inequalities and about competing approaches to tackling inequalities and promoting equality. Drawing examples from the European context, the course approaches these themes in four ways:

1) Core analytical concepts of gender sensitive and feminist policy analysis are explored: we discuss the state, gender and intersectionality. What do these ideas mean and how can we use them to structure our thinking. We also explore the concept of a ‘gender regime’ – that is rules and policies which add up to regulate gender hierarchies in society.

2) We examine ‘mainstream’ policies i.e. policies which at first glace might not obviously be related to gender equality – migration and trade policy. We also look at more obviously gendered policy areas such as childcare, sex work and gender based violence.

3) We examine competing gender equality policy strategies and how they succeed and fail.

4) We introduce some techniques of feminist policy analysis such as gender impact assessment and gender budgeting analysis.

Course aims and objectives

· to enable students to participate confidently in real world policy debates;

· to provide students with an understanding of the gendered significance of a range of areas of public policy;

· to equip students with a knowledge of the international frameworks influencing gender equality policies (e.g. CEDAW, Beijing Platform for Action);

· to provide students with an understanding of different approaches to pursuing gender equality and their strengths/weaknesses

· to equip students with a knowledge of how mainstream public policy shapes and maintains a ‘gender regime’.

Themes

This course covers a mix of theoretical concepts, ‘mainstream’ polices and strategies for the promotion of gender equality. Planned topics include gender the state and intersectionality; work and family live; migration; gender based violence; changing gender equality strategies; sex work; gender budgeting and trade. Please note, the precise details may be subject to alteration.