Gender and Politics

The course aims at developing knowledge on different concepts and theories in gender and politics debates, understanding gender equality policies’ framing and main policy strategies, identifying key actors in gender and politics, and reflecting on political representation, power and democracy in relation to gender and intersectionality. The course is structured into four issues. The first will address concepts and theories on gender and politics, such as gender, intersectionality, feminist theories of the state, and the relation between democracy and gender equality. The second focuses on gender equality policy framing and strategies, including equal opportunities, positive actions, gender mainstreaming, and intersectionality. The third tackles the main actors involved in the policy and politics of gender, that is feminists in both movements and institutions, and anti-gender actors. It will address both the institutionalisation of gender and intersectionality and opposition against gender equality and LGBTIQ* rights. The fourth issue will discuss gender and political representation, power, and democracy, including theories of descriptive, substantive and symbolic political representation, power, gender and parliaments, and feminist democratic responses to anti-gender politics.