The thesis examines how the social construction of African women in development discourse transformed from the 1970s to the 2000s, focusing in particular on the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). From the 1970s to the 1990s representations of African women were based on women’s economic potential. The mainstreaming of gender in the 1990s resulted in women being represented as agents of change. This approach gave women an opportunity to play roles in decision-making but led to policies that failed to challenge the established institutions. The emphasis on women as agents of change opened doors to some African women but with implications for the women’s movement. Only some middle-class women appear to benefit but their gains have been marginal in comparison to the gender inequalities that persist. The thesis uses secondary sources and interviews with development practitioners in Ottawa to understand the representation of African women as agents of change.

Die Arbeit untersucht die Bedeutung der inhaltlichen Ausgestaltung von Geschlechterpolitik am Beispiel von Gender Mainstreaming mit theoretischen Angeboten und Versatzstücken von feministischen Theorien in deutschen Kommunen. Auf Grundlage einer Analyse kommunaler Dokumente und qualitativer Interviews wird gezeigt, welches feministische Wissen in Geschlechterpolitik einfließt, welche Filter und Transferbruchstellen wirksam werden und welche Folgen dies für die theoretische Ausgestaltung von Politikstrategien wie Gender Mainstreaming hat. Deutlich wird, dass es weniger zu einer zunehmenden Kluft zwischen Theorieangeboten und Geschlechterpolitik kommt, sondern vielmehr zu einer selektiven Übernahme bestimmter Theorieangebote, die sich nicht immer passgenau in Strukturen und Institutionen von Geschlechterpolitik einfügen und die daher vielfältige Verwerfungen mit sich bringen können. Abschließend werden die Folgen eines solchen Ausschlusses und einer solchen exklusiven Verwendung bestimmter feministischer Theorieangebote und mögliche Alternativen für die politische Praxis besprochen. / This doctoral thesis presents empirical results of an interdisciplinary study, which explores the configuration of ‘gender mainstreaming’ with feminist theory in German municipalities. The results are based on the analysis of municipal documents and qualitative interviews in ten German municipalities. Drawing on the example of the strategy of ‘gender mainstreaming’ this study emphasizes the theoretical configuration of gender policy with components and elements of feminist knowledge. It shows to what extend different generations or bundles of feminist theory are of particular relevance for political practice. The study presents empirical evidence that the configuration of ‘gender mainstreaming’ predominantly refers to a small range of feminist theories, while specific feminist theories like very recent theoretical trends are expelled. As a consequence feminist knowledge is not only extremely fractured, but also creates rupture zones when being transferred into political practice. Concluding the study raises the question for the actual effects of this exclusive usage of feminist theory within political practice and political movements.

The thesis examines how the social construction of African women in development discourse transformed from the 1970s to the 2000s, focusing in particular on the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). From the 1970s to the 1990s representations of African women were based on women’s economic potential. The mainstreaming of gender in the 1990s resulted in women being represented as agents of change. This approach gave women an opportunity to play roles in decision-making but led to policies that failed to challenge the established institutions. The emphasis on women as agents of change opened doors to some African women but with implications for the women’s movement. Only some middle-class women appear to benefit but their gains have been marginal in comparison to the gender inequalities that persist. The thesis uses secondary sources and interviews with development practitioners in Ottawa to understand the representation of African women as agents of change.

This study examined the process of gender policy reform. It sought to explain how and when gender policy reform has taken place in Venezuela across time. The study entailed observations of gender policy reform during specific periods of Punto Fijo democracy (1958-1998) characterized by democratic consolidation and deconsolidation, and during the transition towards a new type of hybrid democracy, the Chávez era (1999-2007). The policies considered were the ones addressing women’s equality at home and at work, reproductive rights, women’s economic rights, and political participation. The analysis showed that the likelihood of gender policy reform depends on the combination of certain institutional configurations that provide women access to the decision-making process of the state, but most importantly to women’s groups’ capacity to organize a broad coalition of women from civil society and from within the state apparatus behind to push for a reform by using frames based on international agreed norms that legitimized their struggle. In addition, the analysis reveals the negative influence of religious groups with decision-making power on the process of gender policy reform.

I denna uppsats används diskursanalys för att undersöka vad som framställs som problemet i jämställdhetspolitiken och vilka konsekvenser problemets framställning får för jämställdhetsarbetet och jämställdhetsintegrering som politisk åtgärd.  Studien har gjorts i en lokal kontext genom att analysera Karlstad kommuns jämställdhetspolicy, två jämställdhetsplaner samt ett samordningsmöte för jämställdhetsfrågor. Den diskursanalytiska metoden som ligger till grund för analysen är Carol Lee Bacchis policyanalysverktyg ”What is the problem represented to be?”. Det är ett angreppsätt som analyserar policys med syftet att skapa förståelse för hur problem ”skapas” i policys problemformulering. Efter att materialet analyserats framkom det att jämställdhetsarbetet utgick från flertalet olika problem som inte alltid hade en självklar koppling till jämställdhetsbegreppet. Jämställdhetsarbetet används till smått som stort för att förbättra den kommunala verksamheten. Detta kan medföra en avpolitiserande effekt på jämställdhetsintegrering som politisk åtgärd.  Analysen visade även att avsaknaden av en tydlig problemformulering, med utgångspunkt i ett könsmaktsperspektiv, utgjorde en försvårande faktor för att åstadkomma en positiv förändring mot ett mer jämställt samhälle. Det som i synnerhet lämnas oproblematiserat i jämställdhetsarbetet är ett strukturellt maktperspektiv, så som könsmaktsordningen. Könsmaktsordningen kan sägas utgöra ”elefanten i rummet” i jämställdhetsarbetet eftersom den är närvarande som teoretisk utgångspunkt men kan samtidigt inte benämnas utan att väcka motstånd. / This paper uses discourse analysis to examine what is portrayed as the problem of gender equality policies and the consequences of the problem representation for gender equality and gender mainstreaming as a political measure. The study was performed in a local context by analyzing Karlstad municipality's equality policy, two gender equality programs as well as a coordination meeting on gender equality issues. The discourse analytic method which is the basis for the analysis is Carol Lee Bacchis policy analysis "What is the problem represented to be?". It is a method approach that analyzes policies with the aim to create an understanding of how problems is "created" in the policies of problems. After the material has been analyzed, it emerged that gender equality was based on several different issues that had not always an obvious connection to the concept of equality. The gender equality work is used for both large and small to improve municipal operations. This can cause a depoliticize effect on gender mainstreaming as a policy measure. The analysis also showed that the lack of a clear problem, starting with a gender perspective, constituted an aggravating factor to effect a positive change towards a more equal society. What in particular is left un-problematised in gender equality work is a structural perspective of power, as gender power relations. Gender power relations can be said to be "the elephant in the room" for gender equality, since it is present as a theoretical basis, but can also not be named without arousing opposition.

The thesis examines how the social construction of African women in development discourse transformed from the 1970s to the 2000s, focusing in particular on the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). From the 1970s to the 1990s representations of African women were based on women’s economic potential. The mainstreaming of gender in the 1990s resulted in women being represented as agents of change. This approach gave women an opportunity to play roles in decision-making but led to policies that failed to challenge the established institutions. The emphasis on women as agents of change opened doors to some African women but with implications for the women’s movement. Only some middle-class women appear to benefit but their gains have been marginal in comparison to the gender inequalities that persist. The thesis uses secondary sources and interviews with development practitioners in Ottawa to understand the representation of African women as agents of change.

The study is a gender critical investigation of the implementation of gender policy programs in student admission in Zimbabwe state universities. The study locates itself in the student admissions section of these institutions, acknowledging the potential contributions of the practices and procedures in this section towards achievement of gender equality. The study focused on the nature of the implemented programs, the gender equality model pursued and how the programs are made part of the mainstream. The study employed a multi-pronged theoretical frameworks approach as its theoretical framework to determine feasible strategies in analyzing the research problem, choosing the research approach, deciding on the research methods, formulating the research questions and in drawing the conclusion to the study. A mixed method inquiry used the multiple case study survey, documentary analysis and interviews to gather data in two state universities. The study found that in spite of the state universities implementing gender policy programs as required by the Zimbabwe National Gender Policy (2004), gender inequalities persisted, and in the process the study revealed more barriers than successes encountered on the road to gender equality. This concurred with some of what was predicated from literature on the use of the adopted approaches to gender mainstreaming and models of gender equality pursued. The chief factor responsible for the inequalities was found to be the pervasive, deeply entrenched patriarchal conservatism, cultural stereotypes, biases and discriminations held by some actors in student admissions which marginalized gender equality and consequently, rendered the gender equality agenda elusive. The study identified the need for adoption of a wider conception of gender and gender equality and of a radical transformative approach in order to resuscitate the paralyzed gender equality mandate in student admissions. Apart from generating some new insights regarding theory, the study is also of value at an applied level: serving to support programs and sustainable plans for gender equality implementation in student admissions in universities. The main recommendation of the study is the need for a new shift in policy program implementation, and the study outlined the main cardinal points of this new paradigm. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Syftet är att ur ett kulturanalytiskt perspektiv beskriva och analysera Länsdelegationen i jämställdhet. Början av uppsatsen kan ses som ett bakgrundskapitel. Detta för att förstå uppkomsten av undersökningen. Där förklaras kort den svenska jämställdhetspolitiken, hur det strategiska arbetet sker genom jämställdhetsintegrering och Länsstyrelsens roll och arbete kring Länsdelegationen. Vidare behandlas hur delegationen arbetar med den avsiktsförklaring de tagit fram och hur de förhåller sig till den. Men också på hur delegaterna faktiskt ser på sitt deltagande, hur de arbetar med att införliva jämställdhetspolitiken i praktiken samt de svårigheter och möjligheter som kommer med arbetet i delegationen. Vidare diskuteras hur delegaterna ser på framtiden med sin medverkan och delegationens varande. Senare görs en kort jämförelse med hur förändringen gestaltat sig sedan delegationens start år 1997. Detta med hjälp av de två tidigare utvärderingarna från år 2000 och år 2006. I den avslutande diskussionen knyts uppsatsen ihop genom att besvara syftet med utvärderingen: att söka svar på hur delegationen arbetar och verkar med jämställdhetsarbetet. Till undersökningen valde jag att arbeta med två olika insamlingsmetoder, dels en webbenkät som gått ut till samtliga delegater i Länsdelegationen i jämställdhet, dels tre intervjuer med några av delegaterna. Jag har även studerat den avsiktsförklaring som togs fram för år 2014-2016 för att få kunskap om vad delegationen ska förhålla sig till. Jag har också använt två tidigare utvärderingar som gjorts av Länsdelegationen i jämställdhet samt den debattartikel som delegationen publicerade inför 2014 års nationella genusforskarkonferens, g14 som var förlagd till Umeå universitet. Slutsatserna i undersökningen är att Länsdelegationen främst verkar som en symbolisk faktor och många talar och skriver om att de vill bli en mer arbetande grupp och agera utåt och bidra till att Västerbotten ska bli ett jämställt län. Men det stannar av där, det blir tillsynes kanske inte mer än vackra ord i handlingsplanerna.

The study is a gender critical investigation of the implementation of gender policy programs in student admission in Zimbabwe state universities. The study locates itself in the student admissions section of these institutions, acknowledging the potential contributions of the practices and procedures in this section towards achievement of gender equality. The study focused on the nature of the implemented programs, the gender equality model pursued and how the programs are made part of the mainstream. The study employed a multi-pronged theoretical frameworks approach as its theoretical framework to determine feasible strategies in analyzing the research problem, choosing the research approach, deciding on the research methods, formulating the research questions and in drawing the conclusion to the study. A mixed method inquiry used the multiple case study survey, documentary analysis and interviews to gather data in two state universities. The study found that in spite of the state universities implementing gender policy programs as required by the Zimbabwe National Gender Policy (2004), gender inequalities persisted, and in the process the study revealed more barriers than successes encountered on the road to gender equality. This concurred with some of what was predicated from literature on the use of the adopted approaches to gender mainstreaming and models of gender equality pursued. The chief factor responsible for the inequalities was found to be the pervasive, deeply entrenched patriarchal conservatism, cultural stereotypes, biases and discriminations held by some actors in student admissions which marginalized gender equality and consequently, rendered the gender equality agenda elusive. The study identified the need for adoption of a wider conception of gender and gender equality and of a radical transformative approach in order to resuscitate the paralyzed gender equality mandate in student admissions. Apart from generating some new insights regarding theory, the study is also of value at an applied level: serving to support programs and sustainable plans for gender equality implementation in student admissions in universities. The main recommendation of the study is the need for a new shift in policy program implementation, and the study outlined the main cardinal points of this new paradigm. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

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