Ad hoc session:

Gender Mainstreaming – an European approach to overcome gender inequalities?

Gender politics have been changing during the last years. This process is shaped by the new approach of Gender Mainstreaming (GM) which was established on an EU-level in 1997 by the treaty of Amsterdam. GM leads to an academization, professionalization and economization of gender politics. Management consultants have entered the field of gender politics. GM has created a new market: now it is possible to earn money with ”gender knowledge”. We can observe an ongoing process of professionalization, well known in sociology: we see different groups competing with each other – related to questions of power, for example the power to define gender knowledge and gender competencies. At the same time we see an increasing process of institutionalization in the field of courses, trainings or knowledge based competence centres. Whereas formerly, gender competence was authenticated by a strong commitment to the feminist movement and an active involvement into women’s politics, it now tends to be testified by a certificate or a diploma. The women’s representative tends to be replaced by the ”Gender-Change-Manager” who is competent to do a ”Gender Budget Analysis” or a ”Gender Impact Assessment”.

Concerning this development, Gender Mainstreaming is a controversial issue: while fundamental critique sees a subtle reconfirmation of the existing gender order (instead of breaking it off), positive evaluations understand Gender Mainstreaming strategies as an instrument for institutional innovation.
For many scholars of women’s studies and activists of the women’s movement the process of professionalization and economization of gender politics indicates a change that makes them suspicious. Gender Mainstreaming would at best lead to ”equality light”. Some (radical) critics are even speaking about a ”backlash”.

Proponents of GM argue that the new situation has the potential to change fundamentally and sustainably the structures of the gender order. This expectancy is grounded on the definition of GM as a cross-sectional task that is addressed to all members of an organization – to men as well as to women. According to the research on micropolitics in organizations, it is assumed that any structural change will only take place when the whole organizational culture will change. Insofar as this culture is usually dominated by the male members of the organization, the (potential) inclusion of men into the process of GM is seen as a chance for institutional innovation.

It also seems that Gender Mainstreaming is valued differently in different European countries. While radical critique is more common in the German discussion, more pragmatical perspectives are predominant in the UK, the Netherlands or in Scandinavia. This observation leads to a fruitful perspective of comparing European approaches. The ad hoc session is planned to discuss the following questions from different sociological and European angles:

- Does GM lead to organizational change and institutional innovation? Does GM cause a new, gender related, self-observation of the organization?

- What notion of gender is implemented by GM?

- Does the notion of gender change? Is gender still a category of social inequality or is it seen as a resource of organizational development?

- Who are the main actors in GM? Which groups of actors define what GM consists of? What are the relations between GM and women’s politics? Which approach is more successful in establishing gender equality?

Paper proposals should be sent initially as an abstract of a maximum of 200 words in the following format:
- Name(s) and affiliation(s) of the author(s)
- Contact details of presenting author (postal address, telephone, fax and email address)
- Title of proposed presentation

Abstracts should be submitted as an e-mail-attachment by 15 March 2005 to the co-ordinators:

PD Dr. Mechthild Bereswill
Criminological Research Institute Lower Saxony
Lützerodestr. 9
D-30161 Hannover
bereswill@kfn.uni-hannover.de

PD Dr. Michael Meuser
Essen Collegium of Gender Studies
University of Duisburg-Essen
D- 45117 Essen
meuser.michael@t-online.de