Gender equality and welfare politics in Scandinavia : the limits of political ambition? / edited by Kari Melby, Anna Birte-Ravn and Christina Carlsson Wetterberg.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Melby, Kari.

Wetterberg, Christina Carlsson, 1950-

Ravn, Anna-Birte.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Equality--Scandinavia.

Equality.

Sex discrimination--Scandinavia.

Sex discrimination.

Family policy--Scandinavia.

Family policy.

Scandinavia--Social policy.

Scandinavia.

Social policy.

Physical Description:

xi, 244 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Bristol, UK : Policy, 2008.

Summary:

Gender equality is often seen as a hallmark of the Nordic countries. This book explores this notion by examining the meanings of gender that underpin policies in the Scandinavian welfare states, historically and today.

The book focuses on three Scandinavian countries - Denmark, Norway and Sweden - and explores the policy reforms that have occurred relating to family and care. Beginning with the radical marriage reform carried through in all three countries in the early decades of the 20th century, the book progresses to explore contemporary challenges to the traditional model of equality, including equal rights for fathers, multiculturalism and a critical young generation. The book focuses on differences as well as similarities between the countries and discusses the relevance of talking about a Nordic model.

Stressing the importance of viewing the concept of equality in its historical context, the book critically investigates and discusses the Scandinavian 'success story' portrayed in normative political theory and presents a historical analysis of the development of gendered citizenship rights.

This will be a valuable collection for researchers, lecturers and graduate students who work with historical and contemporary studies on welfare state and gender models from different disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspectives.

Contents:

A Nordic model of gender equality? Introduction / Kari Melby, Anna-Birte Ravn, Christina Carlsson Wetterberg 1

Part 1 Meanings of gender equality in Scandinavian welfare policy

1 Woman-friendly policy paradoxes? Childcare policies and gender equality visions in Scandinavia / Anette Borchorst 27

2 The claim of economic citizenship: the concept of equality in a historical context / Christina Carlsson Wetterberg, Kari Melby 43

3 Married women's right to pay taxes: debates on gender, economic citizenship and tax law reform in Denmark, 1945-83 / Anna-Birte Ravn 63

4 Family policy between science and politics / Asa Lundqvist 85

5 Academic discourse, social policy and the construction of new families / Christine Roman 101

Part 2 Current challenges: competing discourses on gender equality

6 The 'new father': gender equality as discursive resource for family policies / Trine Annfelt 119

7 From powerful to powerless fathers: gender equality in Danish family policies on parenthood / Charlotte Andersen, Anna-Birte Ravn 135

8 Dilemmas of citizenship: tensions between gender equality and cultural diversity in the Danish welfare state / Birte Siim 149

9 Women friendly? Understanding gendered racism in Sweden / Diana Mulinari 167

10 Young women's attitudes towards feminism and gender equality / Ann-Dorte Christensen 183

11 A Scandinavian feminist public sphere: discourses on feminism and gender equality / Christina Fiig 199

Postscript: Gender, citizenship and social justice in the Nordic welfare states: a view from the outside / Ruth Lister 215

Postscript: Future research on gender equality in the Scandinavian countries / Keith Pringle 223.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781847420664

1847420664

OCLC:

183149114