Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Gender equality as a Swedish norm, but who’s included? - a critical analysis of the Swedish parental insurance

Landgren, Emma LU (2015) STVM25 20142
Department of Political Science
Abstract
This thesis purpose is to investigate to what extent gender equality norms have developed in Sweden over the last 40 years. In order to do this I will use Carol Bacchi’s method, ”What’s the problem represent to be”, and six questions that she has created within this method. These questions are applied on four different governmental propositions, that discuss the parental leave insurance and gender equality, from the year 1973 until 2014. Together with Bacchi’s method, this thesis theoretical framework will be influenced by feminist postmodern thoughts. 
In the analysis, four different key concepts are identified. These concepts; The State, Family: men, women and parenthood, Work and, Flexibility and freedom of choice, are central in all... (More)
This thesis purpose is to investigate to what extent gender equality norms have developed in Sweden over the last 40 years. In order to do this I will use Carol Bacchi’s method, ”What’s the problem represent to be”, and six questions that she has created within this method. These questions are applied on four different governmental propositions, that discuss the parental leave insurance and gender equality, from the year 1973 until 2014. Together with Bacchi’s method, this thesis theoretical framework will be influenced by feminist postmodern thoughts. 
In the analysis, four different key concepts are identified. These concepts; The State, Family: men, women and parenthood, Work and, Flexibility and freedom of choice, are central in all four propositions. Outside the propositions, a few norms have been identified and analyzed. The most central norms are: to have an employment, the twoness norm, and the heteronorm. Even if Sweden has had good preconditions and created equally formal rights for both men and women, there are still obstacles and norms in society about how a mother, father or a parent should be. Even if gender equality norms have changed, the basic assumption, that parents should be able to combine work and family, is still central. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Landgren, Emma LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM25 20142
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Bacchi, feminism, feminist postmodern thoughts, gender equality, parental insurance, parental leave.
language
English
id
4925449
date added to LUP
2015-02-28 17:18:21
date last changed
2015-02-28 17:18:21
@misc{4925449,
  abstract     = {{This thesis purpose is to investigate to what extent gender equality norms have developed in Sweden over the last 40 years. In order to do this I will use Carol Bacchi’s method, ”What’s the problem represent to be”, and six questions that she has created within this method. These questions are applied on four different governmental propositions, that discuss the parental leave insurance and gender equality, from the year 1973 until 2014. Together with Bacchi’s method, this thesis theoretical framework will be influenced by feminist postmodern thoughts. 
In the analysis, four different key concepts are identified. These concepts; The State, Family: men, women and parenthood, Work and, Flexibility and freedom of choice, are central in all four propositions. Outside the propositions, a few norms have been identified and analyzed. The most central norms are: to have an employment, the twoness norm, and the heteronorm. Even if Sweden has had good preconditions and created equally formal rights for both men and women, there are still obstacles and norms in society about how a mother, father or a parent should be. Even if gender equality norms have changed, the basic assumption, that parents should be able to combine work and family, is still central.}},
  author       = {{Landgren, Emma}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Gender equality as a Swedish norm, but who’s included? - a critical analysis of the Swedish parental insurance}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}